INSIDE • Listings for Summer Festivals and Events in Every Region of the Country • Must-See Performances at Ireland's Bigg

Saturday 1st July 2017 Summer Arts Festival Guide brought to you by

INSIDE • Listings for summer festivals and events in every region of the country • Must-see performances at Ireland’s biggest festivals • Hidden gems, island escapes, DIY art AND MORE ∼ Irish Independent Irish Independent ∼ 2 Saturday 1 July 2017 Saturday 1 July 2017 3 Arts Festival Guide – Leinster

JULY young and old alike, with concerts, Music singing on these shores and beyond. Offering an exciting array of creative workshops, tours and talks, as well Chamber music of the highest Takes places at The Teachers’ Club, 36 writing workshops, talks and Scripts, Ireland’s Playwriting as a fine art exhibition. international standard. Five Parnell Square, Dublin 1. interviews across a wide variety of Festival fantastic concerts, each with a genres, from crime fiction to travel A festival for 13 - 16 July, Birr, Offaly Guth Gafa International different outlook on the world of Wexford Documentary Film writing, poetry and music. www.scriptsireland.com Documentary Film Festival music. Festival Theatre / Literature 4 - 7 Aug, Kells, Meath 22 - 24 Sept, Kilmore Quay, Wexford ONGOING An innovative festival dedicated to www.guthgafa.com Dublin Fringe Festival www.wexforddocumentaryfilmfestival.ie the development of playwriting in Film 9 - 24 Sept, Dublin Film Music for Wexford Ireland. Guth Gafa focus on showcasing the www.fringefest.com See award-winning national Jan - Nov, Wexford latest award-winning international Mixed Artforms and international documentary www.musicforwexford.ie Dublin International Piano and Irish documentary films Presenting new work by Irish artists films. The festival emphasises Music Festival on thought-provoking subjects, as well as international work, films that explore social, political Music for Wexford stages a series 22 - 30 July, Dublin and promoting the art of great the festival’s eclectic programme and environmental concerns. All of concerts throughout the year www.pianofestival.ie storytelling through film. attracts audiences looking for screenings are free. that represent an interesting and Music distinctive and innovative arts sometimes unfamiliar repertoire, every taste Exciting performances, lessons, Gap Arts Festival experiences, especially in the areas Dublin Theatre Festival performed by wonderful musicians. masterclasses, and seminars 11 - 13 Aug, Wexford of theatre and performance. 28 Sept - 15 Oct, Dublin Music for Wexford also has a featuring an all-star line-up of www.gapartsfestival.com www.dublintheatrefestival.com particular interest in promoting celebrated pianists. Mixed Artforms Skerries Soundwaves Festival Theatre young musicians and singers, and Orlaith McBride, Director of the Arts Council, discusses the Gap Arts Festival brings theatre 11 - 24 Sept, Skerries, Dublin Celebrating 60 years in 2017, this year’s summer lunchtime Cruthú Arts Festival for adults and children to Wexford, www.skerriessoundwaves.com Dublin Theatre Festival is one of concerts reflect that interest. value festivals bring to communities and visitors, and urges 27 - 30 July, Longford with workshops for all. The festival Mixed Artforms the key events in the Irish arts www.cruthuartsfestival.com includes music and late-night A platform for the many local calendar. Each year it presents a Drogheda International Mixed Artforms outdoor fireworks. musicians and artists of Skerries, as mixed programme of Irish and Music Series everyone to experience something unique at a festival in A variety of art exhibitions, film, well as national and international international work – both classic Sept-Mar, Drogheda, Louth music, and theatre performances in Kilkenny Arts Festival acts. plays and new writing. www.facebook.com/DICMS Ireland this summer Longford Town. 11 - 20 Aug, Kilkenny Music www.kilkennyarts.ie BlueFire Street Festival Write by the Sea Provides local audiences with an he Arts Council has support- local communities in a very real way. Big Bang Festival Mixed Artforms 16 Sept, Smithfield, Dublin 29 Sept - 1 Oct, Kilmore Quay, opportunity to hear the best national ed some of Ireland’s biggest The economic impact of festivals is 28 - 30 July, Dublin A 10-day event, held every August, www.bluefiredublin.ie Wexford and international musicians. festivals since their inception. incredibly important: people come to www.bigbangfestival.com with a strong reputation for its Mixed Artforms www.writebythesea.ie One of the first festivals we an area to enjoy the cultural offering, Music music programme. As well as A celebration of Dublin’s diversity Literature supported, founded in 1957, and they spend money. Festivals pro- A three-day festival of rhythm, music there will be theatre, dance, and cultures, in Smithfield Square. Twas the Dublin Theatre Festival. Two vide employment for artists and the connecting musicians, workshop literature, talks, exhibitions – and Activities are free, including Galway festivals, the Galway Interna- many others involved in making them facilitators and community groups. ‘Secret Garden’ events! concerts by some of Ireland’s best tional Arts Festival and the Clifden happen. But even more fundamental bands, unique workshops, arts and Arts Festival, are 40 years old this year, than the economics, is the cultural, Maureen Culleton Summer Historical Harp Society of crafts, games and more! Five Festivals for... and the Arts Council has supported artistic and social impact that festivals School and Festival of Dance Ireland them both from their early days. offer. A successful festival brings a 31 July - 7 Aug, Ballyfin, Laois 16 - 22 Aug, Kilkenny New Ross Piano Festival Learning and Doing Our strategy, ‘Making Great Art pride in one’s home place, enhancing a www.facebook.com/maureen. www.irishharpschool.com 20 - 24 Sept, New Ross, Wexford Work’, gives equal focus to artists sense of shared community; it provides culleton.1 Traditional Arts www.newrosspianofestival.com and public engagement in the arts. rich artistic experiences for audiences Traditional Arts The fifteenth annual Summer School Music • Art Culture Life, Cork City – A week-long children’s singing festival Festivals provide the perfect platform as well as joy, energy and magic that Learn and celebrate the music and of Early Irish Harp. New Ross Piano Festival welcomes accommodating 300 children, supported by a team of enthusiastic and where artists and people connect, mak- can transform an area. dances of Ireland. Workshops are pianists from Japan, Korea, China, experienced singers and music teachers. ing great art work with and for local Festivals help give people a greater delivered each day in set-dancing, Dublin Live Art Festival the USA and many European • Frank Harte Festival, Dublin City – A three-day festival for people people, in their local communities. sense of place and identity, and at the traditional steps, sean-nós, social 17 - 20 Aug, Dublin countries. Each year there is who like to sing and listen to traditional Irish songs and singing. The Arts Council supports all of same time, they recognise that which two-hand dancing and céilí dancing. www.dublinliveartfestival.com an element of chamber music the main arts festivals, all around the is different and special about a par- Each evening participants will put Visual Arts – sometimes a string quartet, • Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, Miltown Malbay, Co Clare – A week country, that people would be familiar ticular area of the country. They also their new routines to work at a céilí! Visitors to DLAF will be surprised, sometimes a string trio, and even of workshops, tuition and informal mentoring, where the craft of Irish with: the Dublin Theatre Festival, the provide a great context for people to stimulated, inspired, moved, stirred orchestras! But always with the music is passed to the next generation. Earagail Arts Festival in Donegal, the Orlaith McBride, Director of the travel to a specific place and experi- AUGUST and shaken up by the dynamic piano. Kilkenny Arts Festival, Dublin Dance Arts Council ence something they may never have programme – with a range of gallery, • Scripts, Ireland’s Playwriting Festival, Birr, Co Offaly – Workshops in Festival, Cork Midsummer Festival, experienced before – and might never Boyne Music Festival historic and on-street sites, there’s Frank Harte Festival Playwriting for adults and children, facilitated by a team of award-win- Clifden Arts Festival and Carlow Arts All shapes and sizes get the chance to experience again. 4 - 6 Aug, Drogheda, Louth something for everyone. 22 - 24 Sept, Dublin ning writers and theatre makers. Festival, amongst many others. In addition to the many larger festivals, The range of festivals available www.boynemusicfestival.com www.goilin.com/fhf/index.php • Write by the Sea, Kilmore Quay, Co Wexford – Offering workshops We are very proud of having been the Arts Council supports many small- across Ireland, offers something for Music Traditional Arts SEPTEMBER with published authors for aspiring writers across multiple genres. involved in many of these well-estab- er and mid-sized festivals throughout everyone, from literature to traditional Celebrating its fifth season – a Founded by An Góilín Traditional lished festivals from the start. Our the country – whether they are just music, from street theatre to classical dynamic weekend of chamber music, Music in Monkstown Singer’s Club, the Frank Harte Festival For full details of these and many more great festivals in this area, see the support has allowed them to seek other starting out or well established. Over music, from theatre to dance. They poetry and song at Townley Hall. 8 - 10 Sept, Monkstown, Dublin first took place 11 years ago. It has main listings on these pages supports, whether from the state or 155 small and mid-sized festivals re- provide us with moments of wonder, Casus Circus presents ‘Driftwood’, devised by the company, as part of The programme includes events for www.musicinmonkstown.ie become a major focus for traditional from the private sector. An event like ceive grants of several thousand euro: moments of reflection and moments the 40th Galway International Arts Festival the Galway International Arts Festival everything from the Ennis Book Club of laughter. receives about 17pc of its funding from Festival to Waterford New Music Week; I hope you enjoy browsing this the Arts Council, which is a contri- the Drogheda Arts Festival to Féile na special supplement featuring festivals bution of €500,000 – but from that Bealtaine in Dingle; the Inis Mór Music for every taste and in all regions of the festival contributes €23.5 million Festival to Doolin Writers’ Weekend. Ireland. You’re sure to find something back into the local economy, in terms All these festivals and others are highly near to you worth investigating – or Festival Facts of economic impact. important to their local communities – something farther away that you won’t and they enable artists to engage with want to miss! • One of the longest-running festivals in the country is the Dublin Theatre Festival, established in 1957, hosting an eclectic programme of homegrown and international drama. Key Festival Figures • One of the youngest festivals is Cruthú in Longford, established in 155 2013, which celebrates the wealth of artistic talent in the midlands The number of small festivals region – and animates the town with pop-up galleries, street art, public arts projects and live music performances. BlueFire Street Festival, Dublin BlueFire Street Festival, Dublin BlueFire Street Festival, Dublin Emmet Kirwan in RIOT at Dublin Fringe funded by the Arts Council in Festival 2016 2004 The year the Arts Council’s 2017 • Two Galway festivals celebrate their 40th birthdays this year: the ‘Festivals and Events Scheme’ started Clifden Arts Festival and the Galway International Arts Festival. €1.2m • Festivals in Ireland can generate between 5 and 20 times their Arts 2,015 Total number of small The total amount of investment in Council grant for their local community. festivals that have been supported by the small festivals this year scheme A BeCreative Editorial Production | www.becreative.ie 22The number of Editor: Ben Murnane large arts festivals Arts Council Head of Festivals & Events: Karl Wallace €10.8m funded by the Arts The overall amount of investment in Listings Compilation: Natalie Byrne, Regina O’Shea small festivals since 2004 Council in 2017 €5.8m Additional Content: David Teevan The total amount Agency Support: Amy Rose Harte and Aileen Gaskin, The Communications Clinic invested in large 9 - The number of artforms celebrated by Arts Council-sup- Advertising: Eoin Healy (01) 705 5403 festivals this year Panti in RIOT at Dublin Fringe Festival 2016 ZOO at Dublin Fringe Festival 2016 Artist Dara McGee finishing a mural painted Eliza Carthy & The Wayward Band, Kilkenny ported festivals: Theatre; Film; Music & Opera; Multidisciplinary Design: INM Design Studio, Belfast Arts; Choral Singing; Literature; Dance; Spectacle; Visual Arts by children on the wall of Ballythomas Arts Festival 2016 Repro: Independent Newspapers (Ireland) Limited, 27-32 Talbot Street, Dublin 1 School, as part of Gap Arts Festival, Wexford Irish Independent ∼ Saturday 1 July 2017 3 Arts Festival Guide – Leinster

BlueFire Street Festival, Dublin BlueFire Street Festival, Dublin BlueFire Street Festival, Dublin Emmet Kirwan in RIOT at Dublin Fringe Festival 2016

Panti in RIOT at Dublin Fringe Festival 2016 ZOO at Dublin Fringe Festival 2016 Artist Dara McGee finishing a mural painted Eliza Carthy & The Wayward Band, Kilkenny by children on the wall of Ballythomas Arts Festival 2016 School, as part of Gap Arts Festival, Wexford ∼ Irish Independent 4 Saturday 1 July 2017 Arts Festival Guide – Munster

JULY Spoken Word ONGOING Beara Arts Festival This festival invites some of the most West Cork Chamber Music 23 July - 5 Aug, Beara, Cork accomplished storytellers from around Fiction at the Friary Festival www.bearaartsfestival.com the world to Cork and creates a great Last Sunday of every month, Cork City 30 June - 8 July, Bantry, Cork Mixed Artforms programme of story swaps, concerts, www.facebook.com/fictionatthefriary www.westcorkmusic.ie This festival celebrates the visual arts, historical walks and talks every year. Literature Music music and literature, with exhibitions, A series of free monthly fiction events, This festival includes daytime installations and artists’ talks, while Elemental Arts & Culture with readings by guest authors, and evening concerts, as well as emphasising newly commissioned Festival followed by an optional writing masterclasses and workshops by work by artists from Beara. 8 - 10 Sept, Limerick City exercise, and finishing with an open some of the world’s finest musicians, www.elementalfestival.com mic session. in a number of special venues in the Cork Puppetry Festival Mixed Artforms Cashel Arts Festival 2016 – artist beautifully scenic west Cork setting. 30 July - 7 Aug, Cork City This festival presents many different Daniel Doyle creating a sand www.corkpuppetryfestival.com types of art – such as visual art, street sculpture. Photo: Denis Vahey Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy Young People, Children & Education theatre, music, and crafts – across the 1 - 9 July, Miltown Malbay, Clare Dowtcha Puppets, Cork’s puppet city. It is also the first festival in Ireland www.scoilsamhraidhwillieclancy.com specialists, have organised Ireland’s to have a ‘Green Charter’, committed Traditional Arts only puppet festival – featuring to protecting and enhancing the This summer school has a 10-day shows, workshops, film screenings, environment. programme of events, including and puppet picnics. You’ll experience classes, lectures, céilithe, publication the best of Irish and international Clonakilty International Guitar and recording launches, instrument- puppetry. Festival making and repairing workshops, daily 20 - 24 Sept, Clonakilty, Cork recitals, and a major concert. AUGUST www.clonguitarfest.com Music Clonmel Junction Festival Kilrush Traditional Music and A celebration of the guitar, with some Wig Wham Glam Band perform at Street entertainment at Cashel Arts 3 - 9 July, Clonmel, Tipperary Set Dancing Festival of the world’s greatest guitarists Cashel Arts Festival 2016. Photo: Festival 2016. Photo: Denis Vahey www.junctionfestival.com 1 - 6 Aug, Kilrush, Clare descending on Clonakilty to play. Denis Vahey Mixed Artforms www.iomst.ie/event/kilrush- There are also classes and seminars Live music, theatre, street traditional-music-set-dancing-festival taught by experts. performance, comedy, visual art, food Traditional Arts events and sheep. Open-air céilís in Kilrush Square, Cashel Arts Festival music sessions, sean-nós and set 21 - 24 Sept, Cashel, Tipperary Ennis Street Arts Festival dancing workshops taking place www.cashelartsfest.com 3 - 9 July, Ennis, Clare throughout the town. There will also Mixed Artforms www.ennisstreetartsfestival.com be a musical boat trip to Scattery A selection of contemporary arts Street Arts Island. events including music, dance, visual Ennis becomes a hub for children and arts, literature, film and family events. adults to explore their artistic side, Spraoi International Street with children’s workshops, poetry, Arts Festival Drimoleague Singing Festival Gloria Steinem and Sasha de Buyl Clonmel Junction Festival theatre, visual arts, comedy, street 4 - 6 Aug, Waterford City 22 - 24 Sept, Drimoleague, Cork Pisco, West Cork Literary Festival 2016 #betheblacksheep entertainment, the Art and Craft www.spraoi.com www.facebook.com/ Market and a duck race! Spectacle / Street Arts DrimoleagueSingingFestival/ This festival devoted to street art has Music Askeaton – Welcome to the become a firm favourite among locals A new festival in west Cork, which will Neighbourhood and tourists alike, attracting over feature contemporary and traditional, 3 - 15 July, Askeaton, Limerick 100,000 people to Waterford City. Irish and international singing talent, www.askeatonarts.com Waterford’s narrow medieval streets, with intimate gigs, a singing trail, pop- Visual Arts squares, quays and historic buildings up choirs and a gala concert. An annual residency programme provide an atmospheric backdrop to from the Askeaton Arts Commission an array of international street artists, Limerick Jazz Festival entitled ’Welcome to the performers and musicians – who will 22 - 24 Sept, Limerick City Neighbourhood’, situates Irish and be performing all over city… for free! www.limerickjazz.com international artists in the midst of Music Waiting in the foyer before the Elemental, Limerick Arts Festival, Askeaton with thematic exhibitions, Terryglass Arts Festival Limerick Jazz Society brings you Opening Concert, West Cork The Bookshop Band. Image by publications and events. 16 - 20 Aug, Terryglass, Tipperary the best Irish and international Chamber Music Festival Shane Serrano www.terryglassartsfestival.ie contemporary jazz, taking place in Art Life Culture Mixed Artforms Dolan’s Restaurant and Live Music 5 - 14 July, Cork City A variety of arts events, dramatic Venue and the historic Belltable www.summersing.ie / www. performances, visual arts experiences, Theatre. artlifeculture.ie and many different workshops to learn Young People, Children & Education something new. Lay of the Land A week-long children’s singing festival 22 – 24 Sept & 29 Sept - 1 Oct, Brow which sees 300 children take part in Waterford Walls International Head, Mizen Peninsula, Cork open-air warm-ups and impromptu Street Art Festival www.layoftheland.ie public performances, with the festival 17 - 20 Aug, Waterford City Visual Arts encouraging self-esteem and self- www.waterfordwalls.ie Six artists engage with the landscape at expression. Street Arts Brow Head. During their time spent on Waterford Walls invites over 30 street the tombolo headland, the artists will Tamar Beraia, West Cork Chamber Waterford Walls West Cork Literary Festival artists to transform Waterford’s walls develop and produce site-responsive Music Festival 14 - 23 July, Bantry, Cork – turning the city into an open-air sculptural installations and exhibit www.westcorkmusic.ie/literaryfestival gallery. them to the public. Literature An extensive programme of readings, Chamber Music on Valentia Cork Folk Festival Five Festivals for... talks and week-long workshops, as well 18 - 20 Aug, Valentia Island, Kerry 28 Sept - 1 Oct, Cork City as evenings with writers such as Colm www.chambermusiconvalentia.com Traditional Arts Street and Performance Arts Tóibín and Graham Norton. Music www.corkfolkfestival.com This chamber music festival welcomes Folk concerts with international, • BlueFire Festival, Smithfield, Dublin – An explosion of creativity on West Cork Fit-up Theatre Irish and international musicians, cutting edge and established artists, the Smithfield Plaza, created by local communities and a team of artists, Festival bringing programmes of chamber plus lectures, workshops, children’s to celebrate the multicultural reality of North Inner City Dublin. 18 July - 13 Aug, Cork music and string orchestras to venues events and traditional set dancing. www.fit-uptheatrefestival.com all over Valentia. • Ennis Street Arts Festival, Ennis, Co Clare – Outside the gallery, Theatre OCTOBER away from the theatre; a festival of arts that live in the street. This festival stages new and original Coming Home to Clare • Make a Move, Limerick City – A celebration of the creativity of urban theatre to provide rural communities 20 - 26 Aug, Clare Make a Move youth through hip hop and street arts. with an opportunity to sample some Music October (dates TBC), Limerick City of the wealth and talent professional A mix of Irish traditional and modern www.makeamove.ie • Dublin Live Art Festival, Dublin City – A weekend on the edge, with theatre has to offer. music, showcased in a number of Dance / Street Arts the growing community of artists that are dedicated to stretching the events. A hip hop festival which seeks to boundaries of live art and performance. Skibbereen Arts Festival capture the spirit of hip hop culture 22 July - 31 July, Skibbereen, Cork SEPTEMBER and engage young people through • Waterford Walls, Waterford City – Turns the walls of the city into www.skibbereenartsfestival.com hip hop music, dance and urban art, a gallery, with street art mural artists working with communities to Mixed Artforms Cape Clear International with performances and workshops transform neighbourhoods. Music, film, performances, exhibitions, Storytelling Festival throughout the city. For full details of these and many more great festivals in this area, see the artists-in-residence, and special sound 1 - 3 Sept, Cape Clear Island, Cork main listings on these pages workshops for very young children. www.capeclearstorytelling.com Irish Independent ∼ Saturday 1 July 2017 5 Ten Festival Events for Adventurers For adventure seekers: a list of unique events that will inspire and delight. A chance to get involved, do something unexpected and see your landscape differently Elemental, Limerick Arts Festival, Senmaru & Elemental, Limerick Arts Festival, Nelli Siebert, Kyouji Daikagura. Image by Shane Serrano woolspinner. Image by Shane Serrano

‘Expand your imagination’ – ‘Guerrilla Graffiti’ – Waterford Hunting Fairies Walls 3 - 9 July, Plum Orchard, The Apple Farm, 17 - 20 Aug, Waterford City Clonmel www.waterfordwalls.ie www.junctionfestival.com/events/2017/5/10/ Street artists descend on Waterford, creating sugar-plum-fairytrail an explosion of artwork on its old walls with Go find a fairy in this intriguing trail where art demos, guided art trails, music, food you can witness little houses, swings and trails and much more. clotheslines. Be sure to leave them a letter in the post box too. ‘Island Hopping’ – Cape Clear Island Stories ‘Eat, sing and be merry’ – Home 1 - 3 Sept, Cape Clear Island, Cork with The Henry Girls www.capeclearstorytelling.com 4 - 8 July, Malin, Donegal Step on the ferry to Cape Clear Island and Elemental, Limerick Arts Festival, Icarus Yvonne McGuinness, Clonmel Junction www.eaf.ie/events/home-henry-girls/ enjoy various events, from guided walks to Roo’d. Image by Shane Serrano Festival Based in their home village of Malin, set dancing, music and a storytelling boat Donegal, The Henry Girls will host five days trip. of songwriting workshops, cultural and culinary tours, traditional pub sessions and ‘Camping with a Difference’ – three special concerts. Trophy 9 - 11 Sept, Barnardo Square, Dublin www.fringefest.com/festival/whats-on/ ‘A Trip to the Hairdressers’ – In trophy Good Hands Trophy lights up Barnardo Square on Dame 9 July, Ennis, Clare St with a pop-up city of tents for the opening www.ennisstreetartsfestival.com/in-good- weekend of this year’s Dublin Fringe hands/ Festival. A fun, quirky show of stories and songs inspired by the world of hairdressers. An ‘Poetic License’ – Lines Learned by immersive and interactive performance, Heart where audience members are treated as the 17 Sept, Horan’s Bar, Portumna, Galway Norah O’Leary of Ensemble Dagda - West Harpist Nancy Long on the Whiddy Island waiting clients of a busy hair salon. www.shorelinesartsfestival.com Cork Chamber Music Festival Ferry - West Cork Chamber Music Festival At this annual literary showdown in ‘Tuning In’ – Dursey Island Discs Portumna, participants recite ‘off by heart’ 4 - 12 Aug, Beara, Cork poems written before 1937 to a packed, silent www.bearaartsfestival.com audience. Dursey Island Discs is a series of eight downloadable podcasts featuring interviews ‘Take a Bow’ – The Suppliant Women recorded on the island with individuals from 27 Sept - 1 Oct, Gaiety Theatre, Dublin or associated with Dursey Island. www.dublintheatrefestival.com The acclaimed production by Actors Touring ‘Ukranian Tales’ – Counting Sheep Company and Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh 13 - 19 Aug, The Hub, Cillín Hill, Kilkenny (UK) is accompanied by a volunteer www.kilkennyarts.ie community cast from each location where it This award-winning, explosive mix of performs. To take part, details can be found theatre, music, song and dance brings you on the Dublin Theatre Festival website. inside the 2014 Ukrainian revolution. ‘The Suppliant Women’ will play as part of the Waterford Walls Festival 2016: Joe Caslin Dublin Theatre Festival

Waterford Spraoi Festival Turning Pirate Mixtape at Dublin Fringe Clifden Arts Festival Fairy Trail Clifden Arts Festival, Co Galway Festival 2015

Colm O’Sullivan, bass, Cormac Nugent, guitar Sligo Jazz Festival. Photo: Lieve Boussauw Emilia Martensson, Sligo Jazz Festival 2016 Landmark Productions & Galway International and Isabella Kinsella, drums – Sligo Jazz – returning in 2017. Photo: Lieve Boussauw Arts Festival present ‘Woyzeck in Winter’ Project Youth Academy Concert. Photo: Lieve Boussauw ∼ Irish Independent 6 Saturday 1 July 2017 Arts Festival Guide – Connacht

JULY Tenors, Anúna, Eddi Reader, John venues and interesting locations. In B Keane’s ‘The Successful TD’, and 2017 the festival is marking its 10th Galway Cathedral Recitals Miriam O’Callaghan in conversation year, with highlights including singers 6 July - 10 Aug, Galway City with Carole Coleman. Julie Feeney and Jack O’Rourke. https://recitals.galwaycathedral.ie/ home Scoil Acla Clifden Arts Festival Music 22 - 29 July, Achill Island, Mayo 14 - 24 Sept, Connemara, Galway Galway Cathedral Recitals has www.scoilacla.ie www.clifdenartsfestival.ie grown to become one of Ireland’s Traditional Arts Mixed Artforms premier summer concert series, This summer school hosts classes in The festival is celebrating its embracing a wide range of soloists the Irish language and traditional 40th birthday in 2017; it strikes a Megaloceros, created by artist-in- Shigeyama Family, Japan will and ensembles. Irish music, sean-nós singing and distinctive balance in presenting residence Donnacha Cahill, an audio perform their traditional Noh dancing, and much more besides – significant artistic events matched visual installation based on the interpretation of Yeats’s ‘The Cat and Cairde Festival with all levels being catered for. imaginatively to the local community. now-extinct Irish Elk, Shorelines Arts The Moon’, Tread Softly, Sligo, 17-30 9 - 15 July, Sligo President Michael D Higgins will Festival 2016, Portumna, Co Galway July. Photo: Halca Uesugi www.cairdefestival.com Sligo Jazz Project open the festival this year, and events Mixed Artforms 25 - 30 July, Sligo sure to prove popular include poetry A celebration of cultural diversity www.sligojazz.ie readings from Paul Durcan and Paul and inclusion. This year there is Music Muldoon, music with the RTÉ Concert an exciting selection of events, Sligo Jazz Festival brings some of the Orchestra and soloist Sir James including visual art, kids’ events, world’s leading jazz artists to Sligo Galway, and comedy from Kevin comedy, spoken word, performance each year, to entertain crowds all McAleer. and music from all over the over town, and to inspire and educate world. Sligo will transform into a devotees of all ages and stages at a Westport Arts Festival kaleidoscope of colourful fun and summer school. 27 Sept - 1 Oct, Westport, Mayo entertainment! www.westportartsfestival.com AUGUST Mixed Artforms Clifden Arts Festival, Co Galway Clifden Arts Festival, Co Galway South Sligo Summer School This year’s festival offers a strong 9 - 15 July, Tubbercurry, Sligo Leitir Móir Trad Fest and diverse selection of events to www.sssschool.org 6 & 13 Aug, Connemara, Galway appeal to all ages and tastes. As well Traditional Arts Traditional Arts as literature, the festival offers music, A broad range of classes, workshops, Leitir Móir Trad Fest showcases theatre, visual art, comedy, film interactive talks and masterclasses, Connemara’s repertoire and tradition and craft from local, national and as well as nightly céilís, concerts and of sean-nós singing, dancing and international artists. informal music sessions. music in two concerts, as part of Seachtain Cheoil Chois Fharraige Inishbofin Set Dancing Galway Film Fleadh Festival. 29 Sept - 1 Oct, Inishbofin Island, 11 - 16 July, Galway City Galway www.galwayfilmfleadh.com Carrick-on-Shannon Children’s www.inishbofin.com Galway Film Fleadh Bernadine Casserly, De Dannan, Film Literature Festival Traditional Arts Boyle Arts Festival 2015. Photo by Contemporary world cinema plus 11 - 13 Aug, Carrick-on-Shannon, The Inishbofin Set Dancing and Trad Sean O’Dowd premieres of new Irish cinema. Leitrim Weekend sees the Connemara island www.wildwords.ie overflowing with dancers, musicians Carrick Water Music Festival Young People, Children & Education and artists. 12 - 16 July, Carrick-on-Shannon, The Wild Words Book is part of Leitrim Carrick-on-Shannon’s annual Wild Inspirational Homes www.carrickwatermusicfestival.com Words Festival, and features writing 29 Sept - 1 Oct, Leitrim & Sligo Music by young adults from all over Ireland, www.inspirationalhomes.ie Five days of musical and artistic aged 14 to 18. Architecture discovery – an exciting and Green-Door hosts a weekend festival innovative line-up is planned, with SEPTEMBER packed with talks, tours, workshops, something to please all artistic exhibitions, and a unique opportunity tastes. Westport Festival of Chamber to visit homes not normally open to David O’Doherty, Boyle Arts Festival Paddy Casey, Boyle Arts Festival 2016. Music the public. 2015. Photo by Sean O’Dowd Photo by Brendan McGee Galway International Arts 8 - 10 Sept, Westport, Mayo Festival www.classicallinks.ie ONGOING 17 - 30 July, Galway City Music www.giaf.ie High-quality chamber music in Over the Edge Mixed Artforms distinctive venues and settings. Throughout the year, Galway City With a strong national and http://overtheedgeliteraryevents. international reputation as a Shorelines Arts Festival blogspot.ie destination festival, this is one of 14 - 17 Sept, Portumna, Galway Literature the premier mixed artform festivals. www.shorelinesartsfestival.com A series of open readings in Galway Highlights for 2017 – the 40th year Mixed Artforms Library, giving established and of the festival – include comedians East Galway’s premier boutique emerging writers a large audience for Clifden Arts Festival, Co Galway Fidget Feet Wired & Free, Clifden Deirdre O’Kane and Jarlath Regan, arts festival, making use of intimate their work. Arts Festival. Photo by P Howard The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, international sensation Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and performances of Roddy Doyle’s ‘Two Pints’ and ‘Dublin Five Festivals for... by Lamplight’ by Michael West/Annie Ryan. Art Explorers Tread Softly 17 - 30 July, Sligo • Beara Arts Festival, Co Cork – Visit the beauty of the Beara Peninsu- www.treadsoftly.ie la, where art works are presented in site-specific locations against a Mixed Artforms stunning Atlantic backdrop. Run in conjunction with the • Cashel Arts Festival, Cashel, Co Tipperary – Internationally renowned Clifden Arts Festival, Co Galway Clifden Arts Festival, Co Galway renowned Yeats International artists French & Mottershead will be working with local merchants Summer School, Tread Softly and their clientele to create unique work that will be on view during celebrates Sligo’s and the Yeats’s the 2017 festival. unique place in the Irish creative landscape, with an exciting • Inspirational Homes, Co Leitrim & Co Sligo – A festival of architec- programme of free events. ture, inviting audiences to visit modern homes and historical houses. Boyle Arts Festival • Lay of the Land, Co Cork – A 10-day exhibition by six artists after their 20 - 30 July, Boyle, Roscommon two-week residency on the Mizen Peninsula in west Cork. www.boylearts.com • Welcome to the Neighbourhood, Askeaton, Co Limerick – Over Mixed Artforms two weeks, six Irish and international artists will work in the town of This has become a highly important Askeaton, engaging with the place, its history and inhabitants, culmi- festival in the cultural calendar, with nating in a presentation day on Saturday July 15. Marwa Al-Sabouni takes part in the L-R Liane Carroll, John Goldsby, Sara a particular emphasis on visual arts 40th Galway International Arts Colman, Sligo Jazz Festival 2016 – all and music. Headline events for 2017 For full details of these and many more great festivals in this area, see the Festival returning to teach and perform in include Brian Kennedy, The Celtic main listings on these pages 2017. Photo: Lieve Boussauw Irish Independent ∼ Saturday 1 July 2017 7 Arts Festival Guide – Ulster

JULY Swell Festival 2017 plays host to over A two-day festival organised to feature 80 acts and presents creative writing, and promote live and original music Earagail Arts Festival dance, music, spoken word and visual from bands and artists from the Five Festivals for... 4 - 23 July, Donegal arts workshops, with a variety of northwest. www.eaf.ie activities for all ages. Island Escapes and Mixed Artforms SEPTEMBER Two weeks of music, theatre, visual The Donegal Fiddle Summer arts, film, literature, circus and carnival School Ceol na gCruach Remote Retreats on Ireland’s northwest Atlantic 31 July - 4 Aug, Glencolmcille, Donegal 1 - 3 Sept, Donegal seaboard. Earagail Arts Festival also http://donegalfiddlemusic.ie/donegal- Traditional Arts • Cape Clear Storytelling Festival, Cape Clear Island, Co Cork – A has the distinction of being a bilingual fiddle-summer-school/ A celebration of the tradition of Irish truly unique festival celebrating storytelling, with contributions from (Irish and English) festival in a Traditional Arts music in the Bluestack Mountains. around the world. Gaeltacht region. Highlights this year Features classes as well as a include Ceol na Coille Summer School programme of concerts, recitals ONGOING • Chamber Music on Valentia Island, Co Kerry – Small, idyllic, spec- of Irish Traditional Music, The Henry and talks. Organised by Cairdeas na tacularly beautiful – and with an array of unique venues – this island Girls performing songs from their bhFidiléirí, established in the 1980s to North West Words destination is an exquisite location for a weekend of chamber music. extensive repertoire, and an exhibition help promote the art of fiddle playing 12 July, 31 Aug, 22 Sept, Letterkenny, • The Donegal Fiddle Summer School, Glencolmcille, Co Donegal – A of work on the subject of architecture in the Donegal tradition. Donegal festival dedicated to promoting the art of fiddle playing, in the Donegal by Donegal-born, Danish-based artist www.northwestwords.com tradition – in an historic and scenic setting on the Atlantic coast. Eamon O’Kane. AUGUST Literature A reading series promoting the best • Gap Arts Festival, Ballythomas, Co Wexford – A community arts Swell Festival Carnstock Festival of spoken word, art and music in the festival with an exciting programme, bringing together the dispersed 21 - 23 July, Arranmore Island, Donegal 18 - 19 Aug, Carndonagh, Donegal northwest, at monthly events in Café community from remote cottages in the hilly north Wexford hinterland. www.swellfestival.com www.facebook.com/carnstock Blend, Letterkenny. Mixed Artforms Music • Inishbofin Set Dancing Festival, Inishbofin Island, Co Galway – Set dancing, music aplenty, and the warmth of Connemara island hospi- tality. For full details of these and many more great festivals in this area, see the main listings on these pages Five Must-See Events from the Big Summer Festivals

• ‘Swan Lake/Loch na hEala’ by Michael Keegan Dolan, July 5-8, Clonmel Junction Festival, Co Tipperary – A sensational dance theatre reimagining of the classic story of ‘Swan Lake’ in a rural Irish town, with live music from Dublin-based trio Slow Moving Clouds, and the inimitable Mikel Murfi performing multiple roles. • Constantinople & Ablaye Cissko, July 15, Letterkenny Regional Cultural Centre, Earagail Arts Festival, Co Donegal – One of the most inspiring collaborations in global music, which brings together Iranian trio Constantinople and Senegalese kora master Cissko. • ‘Tristan and Yseult’ by Kneehigh, July 18-22, Galway Arts Festival – This new production, from one of the UK and Ireland’s most innovative theatre companies, brings with it a lorry-load of 5-Star reviews and social media buzz. • Schubert/Widmann Concert Series, Aug 16 & 19, Kilkenny Arts Festival – Two concert featuring the Irish Chamber Orchestra, with conductor and composer Jörg Widmann, performing a selection of Schubert’s masterpieces and Widmann’s own compositions. • ‘Tomboy Survival Guide’ by Ivan E Coyote, Sept 21-23, Abbey Theatre, Dublin Fringe Festival – A captivating cabaret theatre experience that recounts the real-life struggles and triumphs of growing up transgender in the Yukon territory of northern Canada. For full details of these and many more great festivals in this area, see the main listings on these pages

Photos from left to right - all courtesy of Earagail Arts Festival: Femi Kuti: Legendary Afrobeat Musician comes to McGrory’s of Culdaff in 2017; LUxe: Revealing stories of illuminated journeys in an Island Landscape as part of the Wild Atlantic Weekend; Aon: Dramatic Irish dance with a modern twist from former Riverdance principal dancer Breandán de Gallaí; Kindur: The Adventurous Life of Icelandic Sheep - fantastical, immersive family fun Find your way to these great festivals A selection of some of the smaller summer festivals taking place throughout Ireland (see pages 3–7 for dates and more details)

1. West Cork Chamber Music Festival 13 7. Cruthú Arts Festival Bantry, Co Cork Longford Town, Co Longford 2. Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy 8. Skibbereen Arts Festival Miltown Malbay, Co Clare Skibbereen, Co Cork 3. Ennis Street Arts Festival 30 9. Galway Cathedral Recitals Ennis, Co Clare Galway City, Co Galway 4. Cairde Arts Festival 10. Sligo Jazz Festival Sligo City Sligo City 5. Boyle Arts Festival 11. Carrick-on-Shannon Children’s Boyle, Co Roscommon Literature Festival 6. Welcome to the Neighbourhood Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim Askeaton, Co Limerick 12. Terryglass Arts Festival Terryglass, Co Tipperary 13. Carnstock Festival

4 10 Carndonagh, Co Donegal 14. Chamber Music on Valentia Valentia Island, Co Kerry 15 5 15. Scoil Acla 11 Achill Island, Co Mayo 16. Music in Monkstown Monkstown, Co Dublin 7 28 27 17. Elemental Arts & Culture Festival Limerick City 18. Skerries Soundwaves Festival 18 Fingal, Dublin 19. Shorelines Arts Festival 20 9 16 Portumna, Co Galway 20. Leitir Móir Trad Fest 19 Connemara, Co Galway 26 31 21. Waterford Walls 12 Waterford City 22. Cashel Arts Festival 2 3 Cashel, Co Tipperary 23. Lay of the Land Mizen Peninsula, Co Cork 6 17 29 24. Wexford Documentary Film 22 Festival Wexford Town, Co Wexford 25. Write by the Sea 24 25 Wexford Town, Co Wexford 21 26. Scripts, Ireland’s Playwriting Festival Birr, Co Offaly 27. Boyne Music Festival 14 Drogheda, Co Louth 28. Guth Gafa International Documentary Film Festival Kells, Co Meath 1 29. Historical Harp Society of Ireland 8 Kilkenny City, Co Kilkenny 23 The Arts Council 70 Merrion Square, Dublin 2, D02 NY52 30. North West Words T: +353 1 6180200 Letterkenny, Co Donegal W: www.artscouncil.ie 31. Maureen Culleton Summer School twitter.com/artscouncil_ie and Festival of Dance facebook.com/artscouncilireland/ Ballyfin, Co Laois instagram.com/artscouncilireland/