FILMS ABOUT individuals who surf the highest waves, row across oceans, and explore remote parts of the globe, along with talks, and music gigs, feature in a new film festival.
The What If, Why Not? Adventure Film Festival takes place tomorrow and Saturday and will see the screenings of adventure films and talks by guest speakers in the Radisson Blu Hotel, as well as music gigs in Kelly’s, The Cellar, and the Bierhaus.
Films and talks
The festival will screen adventure sport and environmental films between 6.30pm and 11pm on Saturday and host talks by a variety of Irish and international adventurers:
John McCarthy, a pioneer of big wave surfing in Ireland, will talk about his experiences as a big wave surfer; Sean McGowan, who rowed across the Atlantic Ocean solo, will talk about what it was like to undertake and survive such an endeavour; Mike Jones, who kayaked solo around Ireland this year and rowed across the Atlantic as part of a crew of six; Feargus Callagy, the freediver who can hold his breath underwater for five minutes; and Stephen ‘Jock’ Read who has spent time in the remote jungles of Papua New Guinea hunting for unexplored caves.
Also speaking will be Risteard Ó Domhnaill, the film-maker who directed the award-winning The Pipe, looking at the Shell To Sea controversy in Rossport.
Music
Tomorrow and Saturday will also see live gigs from Benny Smiles, who will be performing his particular brand of funky electronica; bluesman Nicolas Timothy; Limerick rockers Protobaby; jazz-folk singer-songwriter Daniel Scannell; six piece folk band In The Willows; and Mayo’s Social Welfare, whose influences include Kings of Leon and Biffy Clyro.
Also playing will be Willow Sea, who recently released the debut album Across The River And Into The Trees. The album features instrumental music ranging from snappy pop tunes to darkly extended synth odysseys; Autonomous I, a band Duke Special has called “wonderful”; Galway’s The Depravations, whose music Aoife Barry of The Irish Times called “gentle folky sounds with harmonies to swoon over”; and Cork electronic musician REID, who has been compared to Mmoths and Toby Kaar.
For more information see www.whatifwhynotfestival.com
