The 38th annual Conamara Sea Week takes place in Letterfrack from October 22 to 31. This annual celebration of the wonderful marine and cultural heritage of Connemara has something for everyone with workshops, art, music, talks, walks, and more. This year’s festival will also focus on climate action and aims to engage and empower young people to become agents of positive change.
An education programme will run throughout the week in local primary and secondary schools involving the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Fair Seas Campaign, and the Marine Institute’s Explorers’ Education Programme. Students of Youthreach and the Atlantic Technological University Connemara will be involved in the Sea Lights project, creating a magical display of lights throughout the village.
Award-winning cameraman Doug Allan, whose work featured in David Attenborough’s Blue Planet series, is on board to enthrall students with his Arctic experiences. Mr Allan will also formally launch this year’s festival. A climate seminar with expert speakers will take place in Connemara National Park, with music provided by the award winning Séamus and Caoimhe Ui Fhlatharta.
Renowned for its musical programmes, this year festival does not disappoint with both weekends featuring traditional music in Veldon’s Seafarer Pub Letterfrack as well as an open mic session mid-week. Some of Ireland’s finest musicians will be playing including Don Stiffe and the Hernon family, along with Johnny O’Halloran and Gerry Whelan, The Josephine March Band, The Brennan Sisters, The Tiernan Family, Katie Nee, Jack O’Reilly, Paul Egan, David Slevin and Michael Casey, and a host of local musicians and guests.
An art exhibition of small works running during the festival provides a platform for emerging artists, alongside some of Connemara’s well-established artistic community. Interface Inagh, known for its dynamic exploration of science and art, will open its doors to the public with a singing workshop with visiting musician Anna Jurkiewicz, who will also be reaching out to the local Ukrainian community. The ANAM workshop will be led by designer Peter Sheehan in collaboration with furniture design students from ATU Connemara.
Connemara National Park will offer a series of guided biodiversity walks during the week, and ecologist Marie Louise Heffernan will lead a shore walk on the beautiful White Strand in Renvyle. Other highlights of this fun-packed festival include a mini boat regatta for young children and an Active Age Club lunch at Rosleague Manor House Hotel.
“We are delighted to launch our programme for the 38th festival,” said Dermot O’Donovan, chairperson of Conamara Sea Week.” The unique and stunning landscape of Connemara is used as a backdrop to much of the programme. A particular focus of this year’s festival is to help young people to engage in discussions on climate change, and for them to be part of the solutions for a more sustainable future. With such a variety of events, there really is something for everyone, so be sure to join in the fun.”
To view the full programme of events visit ceecc.org/conamara-sea-week or www.facebook.com/culturalconnemara
