Common Threads - the music & art festival returns to the Burren

Organizer Daithí O Dronaí introduces this year's installment of Common Threads, a 'two-day trail of musical and cultural discovery' in The Burren, Co. Clare that features appearances from John Francis Flynn, Sorcha Richardson, HousePlants, Ailbhe Reddy and more.

Everyone has heard of the difficult second album theory: a band spends years building their debut album, meticulously refining songs over time. Then they have to create a new body of work in a much shorter period. It's often the making or breaking of a band. The dream, however, is to take what's special about the first project, mix it with something fresh and new, and show the world you have the stamina to stick around for a long time.

I was expecting my second year organizing a festival to be similar. My co-founder Peter and I had spent a long time dreaming up the first year of Common Threads. It was first conceived at 5 a.m. on New Year's Eve after a secret party we had put together at Hylands Hotel in my hometown of Ballyvaughan. We were listing locations in the Burren that would be incredible for musical performances: The Aillwee Cave, The Burren College of Art, and the beautiful O'Donohue's on the coast road in Fanore.

They all had a fatal flaw, though—an audience would have to drive to each of these locations, and we’d end up building makeshift car parks everywhere. The solution was to transport the audience ourselves, linking these beautiful places together on a road trip of music and art. Peter said he had always wanted to call an event "Common Threads".

My memory of organizing the first year is a blur of meeting local business owners, finding PA and lighting suppliers, and showing production crews and prospective artists these amazing locations. Everyone we met was enthusiastic, going out of their way to help us. It was the first sign we were onto something special. On the big day, I saw some of the best artists in the country laughing as locals from the village shared stories about the area. The atmosphere was an absolute dream, making every logistics spreadsheet worth it.

Now in our second year, we have a lot going for us. We know what makes Common Threads special: incredible artists, inspiring locations, and a strong local community supporting us. We sold out our Bus Voyage tickets in half an hour, attracting an eclectic mix of people from around the country and locals from the North Clare area. We even have artists from last year returning as audience members. But we’re not taking our foot off the gas. We’re improving every aspect of the event—from local food suppliers to a sauna by the pier and bigger, better production levels across the board.

Getting to do Common Threads once was incredible, but turning it into a long-lasting annual event is the real dream. See you on the other side!

Common Threads runs October 11th + 12th, 2024 at various venues across The Burren in North Clare - find out more here.