An extraordinary array of musicians will gather in Buncrana at the end of March for this year's Ar Ais Aris Traditional Arts Festival. The jam-packed weekend of top-class music, song and dance kicks off on Thursday evening, March 27th and the craic continues morning, noon and night right up until Sunday's Festival Finale.

After asking the people of the town who they would like to see perform this year, the committee have arranged for Sharon Shannon and her band Renegade (featuring flute wizard, Michael McGoldrick, fiddle ace Dezi Donnelly, and guitarist, Jim Murray) to join the line-up, as well as one of the north-west's most popular bands of all time, Four Men and a Dog with Buncrana's own Kevin Doherty .

Other highlights of this year's programme include the world premiere performance by Mícheál Ó Súillabháin of a new piece – Francesco Walks – which he was commissioned to compose for the festival. The piece will be performed by Mícheál himself on piano, accompanied by the very best of our local musicians including Ciaran Tourish, Dermot Byrne, Liz Doherty, Jim Woods and P.V. O'Donnell plus an orchestra, in what promises to be a very memorable concert.

Of course, it wouldn't be the Ar Ais Aris without a few late-night gigs by the legendary, incendiary Pyros! In addition to their gigs on Friday and Saturday night, members Ciaran Tourish and Dermot Byrne will also take to the stage with their own band, Moonlighting (featuring Michael McGoldrick , John Doyle and John Joe Kelly ). Paul Rodden has also invited his band from France, Mr Midnight , to perform at the festival for the first time.

There'll also be a host of concerts, gigs, workshops, singers circle, traditional Masses, pub session trail, late night gigs and recitals featuring local and guest artists, including Dinny McLaughlin with Aileach , Liz Doherty and friends, Derek Warfield & The Young Wolfe Tones featuring Jim Woods , harp and guitar duo Máire Ní Chathasaigh and Chris Newman , Matt McGranaghan , Simon Bradley , Michael Carey , Tom Byrne , Tríona and Máighread Ní Dhomhnaill , Jimmy McBride and many more.

Michael Gallanagh , chairman of the organising committee, says the voluntary team are delighted at the success of the festival, and the reputation it's already won among musicians both at home and abroad. even after two short years. “When Liz, Tom, Jim and set out to organise a festival that would highlight the amount of musical talent that has emanated from Buncrana, our chief hope was that we would create something unique, not just another music festival. Judging by the enthusiastic response we've had from everyone who has taken part, we've managed to do this.” Michael says the organisers have already had a number of anxious queries regarding the fact that this is the third year of a three-year plan for the festival, and news that there might not be one next year.

“Our plan was always to run the event for three years, and then take a wee break to have a re-think. First off, organising the Ar Ais Aris is a huge commitment from quite a large number of volunteers, and it's not really fair to expect them to take on the task year after year, indefinitely. “Secondly, we still want to ensure that the festival is fresh - special and unique. So, we want to explore the best way to take it forward, not just carry on without a clear purpose.” People shouldn't worry then, whether the festival will disappear from our calendars after this year? “Well, no, don't hit the panic button just yet. Come out and have a great time at our festival this year, and then we'll see where we go from there.”