St Patrick’s Festival Birmingham has announced plans to expand to a year-round 'cultural calendar' programme of music and arts, launching with the only UK date from the Irish folk music giants.

The Digbeth-based organisation will deliver the calendar in partnership with Moonshine Collective - the team behind Moseley Folk Festival, Mostly Jazz, Funk & Soul Festival and Lunar Festival.

The Chieftains, one of Ireland's most famous musical exports, will take to the stage at Town Hall Birmingham on Monday 8th July for their first show in the city for seven years; a one-off spectacular that celebrates their career through performance, storytelling, traditional dance, pipers and choral singers.

Formed by Paddy Moloney, Sean Potts and Michael Tubridy in Dublin in 1963, the six-time Grammy Award winners have been highly recognized for reinventing traditional Irish music over five decades. The band’s merging of tradition with modern music has seen them receive critical acclaim from fans and industry alike, including the honorary title of ‘Ireland’s Musical Ambassadors’ by the Irish government. Speaking ahead of their visit to the city, The Chieftains founding member Paddy Moloney said:

“It’ll be fantastic to return to Birmingham for a lively evening of music, stories, laughter and craic in a grand old hall - it’s been a while since we were there last!

"We’ve a great night ahead, with the band playing alongside pipers, dancers, a choir - the whole shebang! Our fans and the Irish in Birmingham have always given us the warmest of welcomes, so it’s going to be a huge pleasure to play for all our friends in the city.”

The collaboration between St Patrick’s Festival and Moseley Folk Festival is part of a new drive by both organisations to grow their Irish artistic programming and audience development across the city and region. Further events, including more one-off concerts and performances, Octoberfèis, fundraisers and community gatherings are due to be announced by the Irish organisation soon. St Patrick’s Festival Birmingham chair, Peter Connolly, added:

“The Irish community has long played a vital role in Birmingham becoming the international city it is today. It is only right that the Festival - our biggest all-community event - works harder to secure Irish culture’s place in the future of Birmingham through music, art and culture all year round and not just on 17th March.

"It is, with this in mind, that we are delighted to be announcing this expansion with The Chieftains’ only UK date, alongside partners Moonshine Collective who have been delivering incredible live music experiences across the city for years.”

The Chieftains and Katherine Priddy perform at Town Hall Birmingham on Monday 8th July 2019 with tickets available online at thsh.co.uk.