Irish Festivals '07

c - 13 · 18-05-2007 8:26am #1

I got thinking the other day about all the Irish festivals that run over the Summer months and how few of them I have actually attended. So I decided I would make an effort to get to a few more festivals this summer and began to compile a list of whats on. Below is the list I ended up with, hopefully it may be of some use to some of you, also if theres any festivals on that might be worth attending let me know !

I have left out some of the more major music festivals as I was/am unsure of wether or not they are affiliated with those who shall not be named.

So, in no particular order -

Street Performance World Championship (Dublin)
Ireland's second Street Performance World Championship will take place in Dublin's Merrion Square on June 15th and 16th. This free, two-day event will gather some of the most extraordinary acts from across the globe to perform in Dublin, competing for the title of 'Street Performance World Champion'.
Start Date: Fri 15.Jun.2007
End Date: Sun 17.Jun.2007

Cork Midsummer Festival
A Festival of Local, National and International Arts. Cork Midsummer Festival is an Arts festival combining the best of local, national and international work. The Festival takes place over twelve days in June and concentrates primarily on performance of all types from comedy, music, theatre, opera etc. During the Festival Cork is alive with performances in every conceivable venue from Trains to parks, from churches to marquees and disused buildings. Annual attractions within the Festival are The Lord Mayor’s picnic in the park, Spiegeltent and Corcadorca’s outdoor performances. A unique and dynamic Festival not to be missed!
Start Date: Tue 19.Jun.2007
End Date: Sat 30.Jun.2007

30TH GALWAY ARTS FESTIVAL 16th - 29th JULY 2007
Welcome to Galway Arts Festival, Ireland's largest annual arts festival, taking place each July in the city of Galway.
Founded in 1978, the Festival collaborates with artists and companies throughout the world to produce and present an international programme of theatre, spectacle, dance, visual arts, music, literature & comedy involving hundreds of artists and performers.
Galway Arts Festival is at the heart of all aspects of life in Galway City contributing immeasurably to the economic, social and cultural life of the west of Ireland. Over its 29-year history the Festival has become a vital showcase for Irish arts internationally and international arts in Ireland and is now firmly established as Ireland's leading arts festival.
Galway Arts Festival celebrates its 30th birthday this year with the Festival taking place from 16-29 July 2007. We look forward to welcoming you to Galway to join us in celebration.

The 34th Annual Kilkenny Arts Festival
10th-19th August 2007
Kilkenny Arts Festival is one of Ireland’s oldest and largest international arts festivals which takes place annually in August against the beautiful medieval backdrop of Kilkenny Ireland.
Founded in 1974 by a group of classical music enthusiasts the festival now presents a rich programme of classical, jazz, world and traditional music, theatre, dance, visual art, literature, film, young people's events and an extensive street programme.
Kilkenny Arts Festival is committed to the presentation of leading Irish and international artists and has secured a reputation for innovation and excellence. This year thousands of art lovers and enthusiasts enjoyed an array of spectacular events. Kilkenny Arts Festival is a non-profit organisation we are grateful to all our supporters who share our vision in staging a cultural celebration of this magnitude.
The full 2007 programme of events will be launched at the beginning of July.

Darklight Festival
21-23rd June 2007 (Dublin)
Film & Animation
Workshops: Seminars : Master Classes: DATA: kids workshop: Open Mike Salon: Swap-meet: Wares area: Pod cast's: YouTube video lounge: Networking events: barbeque: Music and Awards party

Cork Jazz Festival
October 26th - 29th
http://www.corkjazzfestival.com/

Galway Oyster Festival
From Thursday 27th September to Sunday 30th September 2007, Galway City will come alive as thousands of people travel from the four corners of the world to enjoy a remarkable festival celebrating the oyster, a food known for it’s mysterious luxury and passion.

Dublin Theatre Festival
The Dublin Theatre Festival 2007 will run from the 27th September to the 14th October. The full programme for the 2007 Dublin Theatre Festival will be announced this summer.

Rose Of Tralee Festival
Friday 17th to Tuesday 21st August 2007

World Festival Of Cultures (Dun Laoghaire)
August - Friday 24th to Sunday 26th 2007.
Details of the programme will be announced at the beginning of July.

Dublin Writers Festival
The 2007 Dublin Writers Festival will take place from Wednesday June 13 to Sunday June 17 inclusive, and will feature some 40 Irish and international poets and writers in readings, lectures, panel discussions and public interviews. More information on the festival programme will be made available later in the year.

Tullamore Phoenix Festival
The Tullamore Phoenix Festival is the fastest growing festival in Ireland.
The Festival takes place in Tullamore, the most central town in Ireland, from the 8th-15th July 2007. A warm welcome awaits you, with a huge selection of family events to choose from.
http://www.phoenixfestival.ie/

CULCHIE FESTIVAL (Cong, Galway)
Thursday, October 25th to Sunday, October 28th, 2007

Feakle Music Festival
The Feakle Music Festival has it's origins within the rich array of musical talents that abound on the East Clare area. From the era of the house dance, through the Hall dances and pub sessions - a rich tradition has been maintained and strengthened thus eminating in a very successful Music Festival. The Festival started some years ago in 1988 and has gone from strength to strength. It is now respected worldwide as one of the best of it's
kind in the country.
August 9th - August 13th

Midlands Music Festival
Midlands 2007 is on Saturday 28th July and Sunday 29th July 2007 at Belvedere House, just outside Mullingar, Co. Westmeath

Dublin Electronic Arts Festival (DEAF)
Now in its 6th year, the Dublin Electronic Arts Festival (DEAF) is every year further cementing its reputation as one of the most forward-thinking events of its kind in Ireland’s cultural calendar. Independently-run by Irish music label D1 Recordings, the founding principles upon which the festival is based are: to focus on the experimental, and to promote an ethic of genuine inclusiveness in our approach to showcasing electronic art to new audiences. DEAF celebrated its fifth birthday last year with an all-Irish programme – a statement of confidence in the quality of the work offered by Irish-based artists today, which culminated in the release in 2006 of a 10-year retrospective CD featuring the work of the pioneering Irish composer Roger Doyle. Now for 2007, the theme of the festival will be Asian electronic art – offering audiences not just the opportunity to sample the work of Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian and other Asian artists, but also the chance to witness Irish artists engaging with other musical and artistic traditions in an explorative and open-ended creative process.
The festival program will be announced over the coming months.

Kerry Film Festival
Details Unnanounced

THE CAPE CLEAR ISLAND INTERNATIONAL STORYTELLING FESTIVAL 2007
Friday, 31 August - Sunday, 2 September 2007, Cape clear island, Co. Cork.

Duncannon International Sand Sculpting Festival Competition & Exhibition 2007
Duncannon Beach, Wexford. Saturday, July 28th to Monday, July 30th, 2007

Féile Brian Ború Festival 2007
Arlene White, Killaloe, Clare.
Wednesday, July 4th to Sunday, July 8th, 2007
This 5 day event celebrates one of Ireland’s most famous kings. Reputed to have broken the power of the Vikings in Ireland, Brian Ború was originally from Clare. This festival has a distinctive Viking age flair with its Viking village and market. There are plenty of entertaining events taking place throughout the festival so you won’t be short of things to do and see during you time in Clare.

Spraoi - Waterford
Thursday, August 2nd, to Sunday, August 5th, 2007

Caherciveen Celtic Music Festival
Cahirciveen, Kerry.
Friday, August 3rd to Sunday, August 5th, 2007
This annual event celebrates everything Irish with plenty of musical entertainment and art exhibitions. There will also be workshops for those interested in learning Irish Music and Irish Dancing. If you are visiting the area at the time you could avail of the opportunity to learn the history of the surrounding area with some of the historical lectures and walks.

Blackstairs Blues Festival
Enniscorthy, Wexford
Friday, August 31st to Sunday, September 2nd, 2007
The Blues festival has a host of international and local performers, in a variety of late night concerts and other workshops that are welcoming to all who are interested. This event is celebrating its 10th year and is a great success every year in all the pubs that participates.

Puck Fair Festival
Killorglin, Kerry.
Friday, August 10th to Sunday, August 12th, 2007
This festival is reputed to be one of the oldest in the country and celebrates the humble mountain goat that helped save the town in times past. There is a fair in the town with the selling of cattle and horses. There is plenty to do and see as there is also a funfair, some street theatre and the event also has a spectacular fireworks display.

Greystones Arts Festival 2007
Greystones, Wicklow.
Friday, August 3rd, to Monday, August 6th, 2007
This event is held over the August bank holiday weekend and is one of the largest in the county with acts coming from as far afield as Norway and Italy to take part in the street theatre. There are several venues throughout the town hosting these shows and they range in style from comedy, drama, aerial shows and plenty more.

Dublin Fringe Festival 2007
12 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Friday, September 8th to Sunday, September 23rd, 2007
This leading independent and international event draws in excess of 50,000 spectators every year. This event hosts the best in theatre, dance, music and the best in live arts on the streets and other outdoor venue. This event is a great chance for new Irish acts to get recognised and also for people to see what other people are doing at home and abroad.

Waterford International Festival of Light Opera 2007
Jean Hubbard, Theatre Royal, The Mall, Waterford
Friday, September 21st, to Sunday, September 30th, 2007
This event has been going for many a year and has remained very popular throughout the history of this event since 1959. There are 14 nights of Light Opera and modern musicals that are different every night. This festival brings together some of the foremost Music Societies in the British Isles and Ireland, to the Theatre Royal in Waterford City. This venue has been made larger recently, so you can expect to see larger audiences than ever before.

Ballybunion International Bachelor Festival
Ballybunion, Kerry.
Wednesday, June 20th to Sunday, June 24th, 2007
Held annually and all in the name of fun and the craic, the aspiring hopefuls are sponsored on their journey through various activities and in the end the Bachelor of the Year is crowned. The locals and passer-by-ers also get to enjoy some fashion shows, sporting events and some children’s events.

Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival 2007
Hydro Hotel, Lisdoonvarna
Friday, August 31st to Sunday, October 7th, 2007
This tradition goes back well over a hundred years, and thousands flock to the west coast to maybe meet their soul-mate. The matchmaking events are concentrated on the weekends over the months of late August to early October and the idea is to give you the maximum opportunities to meet your future significant other.

Galway Film Fleadh 2007
Cluain Mhuire, Monivea Road, Galway City
Tuesday, July 10th to Sunday, July 15th, 2007
The six day event takes place in the city centre of Galway; it also stretches out into the county thanks to the Cinemobile. With over 70 Irish and international features you are bound to find something to whet your appetite. There will be plenty of other activities on as well, such as film school seminars, public interviews and much, much more.

Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann
19th - 26th August 2007
http://www.fleadh2007.com/