THE SAW Doctors, DruidMurphy, The Waterboys’ Mike Scott, paintings by Jack B Yeats, and the presence of Uachtarán na hÉireann, will be part and parcel of the 35th Annual Clifden Arts Festival.
The 2012 Clifden Arts Festival runs from Thursday September 20 to Sunday 30 and it will be officially opened by Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D Higgins at 7.30pm on Thursday 20 in the Clifden Community School.
Among the highlights of this year’s festival will be The Dubliners performing a concert to celebrate their 50th anniversary on Friday 21; a public interview with Druid theatre director, Garry Hynes on Saturday 22; followed by the company’s astonishing DruidMurphy - a performance of three of Tom Murphy’s finest plays; A Sort Of Homecoming, A Whistle In The Dark, and Famine on Monday 24 and Tuesday 25.
Concerts to look forward to are The Saw Doctors (Friday 28 ); composer and musician Bill Whelan (Friday 28 ); and Mike Scott of The Waterboys’ with special guest Steve Wickham, following a reading from Scott’s memoir Adventures Of A Waterboy (Wednesday 26 ).
Other notable events are Captivating Brightness, an exhibition in collaboration with the Irish Museum of Modern Art, and featuring work by Jack B Yeats and Richard Long.
There will also be a concert from De Danann, poetry readings by Paul Durcan, Denis O’Driscoll, Julie O’Callaghan, and James Harpur; a gig by singer-songwriter and activist Tommy Sands (Monday 24 ); a reading by short story writer Siobhan Mannion; and a field trip to Inisbofin with archaeologist and author Michael Gibbons.
On Saturday 29, the festival parade will take place, starting at 7.30pm in the Showgrounds, and moving to Market Square. The parade will include performances by Fidget Feet and LuXe, who will create an acrobatic spectacle, and eight local schools. Earlier in the afternoon Clifden will be serenaded by the Artane Boys Band in the Market Square.
The Clifden Arts trail returns also. The trail is a shop window exhibition of work by artists who have strong links with the area.
For tickets see www.clifdenartsweek.ie or call the Clifden Arts Festival Box Office, inside Connemara Properties on Bridge Street, on 091 - 442730, or email [email protected].
The full programme for the 35th Clifden Community Arts Festival is at www.clifdenartsweek.ie as well as on Facebook and Twitter.
