More than 5,000 people are expected to attend the 31st annual Armada Festival of Music & Dancing in County Clare. Held at the Armada Hotel in Spanish Point from 4th-13th July, the festival will feature a 10-day programme of Ceilithe and a nightly country music programme from 6th July to Saturday 12th July.

New to the programme this year will be the nightly 'Live at the Ocean Bar' sessions. The Festival coincides with the 42nd Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy in nearby Miltown Malbay, the hometown of the late Piper. Amongst the Ceilí Bands lined up to perform during the Festival of Music and Dancing at the Armada Hotel are Five Counties, Abbey, Swallow's Tail, Striolán, Micháel Sexton, Brian Ború, Star of Munster, Johnny Reidy, Deenagh and Rise the Dust.

Meanwhile, headlining the 'Keeping it Country' nightly marquee dancing will be special guests Louise Morrissey, Michael English, Patrick Feeney, Patrick O'Sullivan, Philomena Begley and Trudi Lawlor, along with the popular resident duo PJ Murrihy and Micháel Sexton.

The festival also will feature jive and quickstep classes for beginners in the Marquee from 12.00pm to 2.00pm, music and song sessions in Johnny Burke's Pub, 'Live at the Ocean Bar' sessions from 11.00pm to 1.30am each night, and a BBQ each night in the Armada Hotel Courtyard.