Visitors from as far away as Italy, Spain, China, and America were in Spiddal last weekend for the annual Féíle na Ceardlainne festival and reunion to celebrate 30 years of Ceardlann Spiddal Craft Centre.
Festival goers were able to have a go at pottery making, willow weaving, friendship bracelet making, jewellery making, zumba, salsa, hula hooping, a sing-along with Batsheva, and even go for a discovery walk and talk with herbalist Sinéad Keane, and a shoreline discovery with marine biologist David McGrath (with support from GMIT ).
There were demonstrations in glass art and card making, and a puppet show and bouncy castle for younger festival goers.
Live music was enjoyed under the Galway Community Circus tent with the Molly Hicks, and on the Sunday rain did not stop Ceann Golam from performing, with the ‘Walls of Limerick’ set and waltzes danced in the rain.
Saturday saw current and former members and friends of the Ceardlann gather to celebrate the centre’s 30th anniversary and remember founding member, the late Jesus Modia.
A documentary, Jesus, Mary and Joseph by MacDara Ó Curraighin, was screened, the audience heard a poem written by Joe Steve Ó Neachtain, and Martina Goggin read an email that had been received from Jesus Modia’s family in Spain. Memories and stories were shared and many bought pictures and paper clippings to help take a trip back down memory lane.
