The International Bluegrass Music Association has announced that they will be partnering with Your Roots Are Showing, Ireland’s Folk Conference, which takes place next week at The Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney.
The Conference celebrates the many varied streams of traditional music in Ireland, which have inspired folk string music in many other parts of the world, particularly in the US and Canada which so many Irish immigrants brought when they fled the island nation during famine and oppression.
Structured a bit like IBMA’s World of Bluegrass conference, Your Roots Are Showing combines seminars, educational workshops, networking opportunities, artist showcases, and Iive performances from January 15-19, from a mix of performers in bluegrass, folk, Americana and roots music. The Conference follows the big Folk in Fusion concert on January 14 and attracts show promoters and festival managers from across the UK and Europe.
IBMA will be in attendance at the 2025 Conference, something that co-founder and Executive Director of Your Roots Are Showing, Charlene Sloan, says shows how much they have grown in just three years.
“We are absolutely thrilled to announce this exciting partnership with the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). Bringing IBMA to Ireland for this year’s event marks a significant milestone in the growth of Your Roots Are Showing. The opportunity to collaborate with an organization that has such a profound impact on the bluegrass community is truly special.
We look forward to welcoming IBMA to Killarney and celebrating the incredible legacy of Peter Rowan with his well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as hearing him share his insights during the ‘In Conversation with Peter Rowan’ panel, which will be hosted by IBMA’s Business Development Director, Anna Kline.
We’re also excited to announce that we will be attending IBMA in Chattanooga, TN this September to continue building these vital connections.”
Ken White, Executive Director of the IBMA, is similarly pleased to be involved.
“Our partnership with Your Roots Are Showing harkens back to the very beginnings of bluegrass, when Irish melodies found their way to Uncle Pen’s fiddle in Kentucky. Our bluegrass family continues to grow, proof positive that bluegrass is alive and well around the globe. From the IBMA International Band Performance Grant program to supporting our international industry partners at YRAS, we remain committed to strengthening the ties of our worldwide musical family.”
A total of 90 artists will participate in live showcases over the four days, hailing from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Canada, USA, Australia, Italy, Portugal, Guyana, England, Scotland, Brittany, Spain, and Finland.
Complete details and schedules for the 2025 Your Roots Are Showing conference can be found online.
