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music · Friday 23 October 2026 · 8:00 PM 
Clare Sands: They Tried to Bury Us
At The Dock Arts Centre · St George's Terrace, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim
At The Dock Arts Centre · St George's Terrace, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim
Clare Sands is a sixth-generation fiddle player from Cork who sings in both Irish and English, and her work sits at the point where traditional playing meets contemporary songwriting. Place, folklore, language and activism run through the material rather than sitting alongside it, and the live show moves between fiddle tunes, bilingual song and spoken introductions that set up where each piece came from.
They Tried to Bury Us is her most recent project, a set of songs written with the stated aim of giving voice to the silenced, taking in endangered species, historical figures and present-day themes. The record carries a strong northern connection: the songs were written across Ulster with northern-based musicians and produced by Sean Og Graham, known for his work with Beoga and Karan Casey. Hotpress has described Sands as showing virtuosity, boldness and a touch of madcap spontaneity, calling her one of Irish music’s most compellingly unique forces. The Carrick-on-Shannon show runs 90 minutes in The Dock’s main performance space.
The Dock occupies the old courthouse on St George’s Terrace, right in the centre of Carrick-on-Shannon beside the Shannon bridge and a short walk from Main Street. The town is on the N4 Dublin to Sligo road, around two hours from Dublin and about forty minutes from Sligo. Carrick-on-Shannon railway station is on the Dublin Connolly to Sligo line, a walkable distance from the venue, and Bus Eireann’s Dublin to Sligo service stops in town. Public parking is available at the Market Yard Centre and along the riverside quays, both a few minutes away on foot.
Heading to The Dock Arts Centre in Carrick-on-Shannon? Leitrim has plenty more to see. Read the Carrick-on-Shannon area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.