ENGLISH BLUES rock, Gaelic poetry, and Italian food will all be part and parcel of the Clarinbridge Arts Festival which begins tomorrow and runs until Sunday October 12 - and many events are free!
Blues fans can look forward to The Real Deal who play a number of gigs in Clarinbridge during the festival. The band’s lead guitarist Johnny Whitehill has been voted ‘Best British Blues guitarist’ on numerous occasions. Drummer Ed Bowman was described by the great blues guitarist Lowell Fulson as “the best blues drummer in the UK”. The line up is completed by Bill Sharpe (vocals and slide guitar ) and John (Captain ) Morgan (bass ).
See them on Friday 10 at 9pm in Paddy Burke’s (seated ), Saturday 11 at 9.30pm in Sherry’s, and on Sunday 12 at 9.30pm in Jordan’s.
A Celebration of Raftery in his Own Place will take place at the grave of Raftery in Killeeneen at 1pm on Sunday 12 followed by music and reading at Raftery’s Rest, Kilcolgan, at 2pm. This will be poetry and readings with Terry McDonagh and Irish trad with Kevin Rohan and guests. Terry Mc Donagh will also launch his unique illustrated publication, Cill Aodáin & Nowhere Else. All are welcome to contribute to this event.
The main festival concert will be from Maigh Seola at Clarinbridge Church, Sunday October 12 at 8pm. Maigh Seola - Brid Dooley (vocals ), Aine Sheridan (harp, vocals ), Caoimhin O’Se (flute, tinwhistle, vocals ), Patricia Kelly (fiddle, viola ), Jacqueline McCarthy (concertina ), and Liz Barry (cello ) - have been rescuing and restoring Connacht’s finest love songs and brings to them a new, vibrant, interpretation. Admissions €10.
Other events
Other events to note include traditional Irish music at Jordan’s this Saturday, Tuesday, and next Thursday; Classical music on Sunday at 8pm in the Church of Ireland, Ardrahan.
Poet Micheál Kearney will read from his debut collection Inheritance at Jordan’s on Tuesday at 9.30pm. John Quinn and Hedy Gibbons Lynott will read on Wednesday at 3.30pm in Claire’s Tea Rooms.
Clarinbridge Drama Group will present a Celebration of WB Yates at Paddy Burke’s on Tuesday and Wednesday at 8.30pm while on Friday 10 at 8pm, Decadent Theatre Company with Rod Goodall will stage David Hare’s Via Dolorosa.
Workshops include rustic furniture making, wind/brass instruments, children’s cookery class, wool felting, and basket making. Clarinbridge National School will exhibit their Outer Space project tomorrow and Killeeneen National School will showcase their Celebration of Raftery project during the course of the festival.
More than 50 paintings by five artists (including Anita Murphy and Rosemary Fallon ) will be shown throughout the festival and there will be a display of ceramics by Edel Murray at the Ail Ruin Design Centre.
Food enthusiasts can look forward to ‘A Taste of Italy’ in the Ristorante Dai Romani on Thursday 9 at 8.30pm. This will be a special festival supper - three course meal and free glass of wine for €30 - with classical guitar by Enzo.
There will also be a variety of gardening events, a sports pub quiz, and film screenings at the Cinemobile.
For more information go to www.clarinbridgeartsfestival.ie or call 086 - 8351230.
