Clifden Arts Festival presents range of events to entertain audiences of all ages

Date Published: {J}

In the times we are going through, the arts seem to be the door to go through,” according to Clifden Arts Festival’s Director, Brendan Flynn as he prepares for the 34th annual festival, which runs from Thursday, September 15 to Sunday, September 25.

Highlights of the event include a multi-media tribute to the explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, entitled Nearest the South Pole; concerts from Cherish the Ladies, Cór Chúil Aodha, and Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill and the Irish Chamber Orchestra, and comedy from Republic of Telly’s Dead Cat Bounce.

The programme for Clifden’s festival was launched in the town’s The Station House Hotel on Monday night by poet Michael Cody and “has a good cross section”, says Brendan, adding that the educational aspect, where artists visit local schools, continues to be central.

The literary programme includes readings from Presidential candidate, Michael D Higgins and Ireland Professor of Poetry, Harry Clifton with Leanne O’Sullivan.

Poets Dermot Healy, Tom Paulin Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill and Louis de Paor are also taking part, as are Eiléan Ní Chuilleanán and Macdara Woods, who as husband and wife, are great pioneers for modern Irish poetry.

Playwright and novelist Thomas Kilroy will read from his work on September 17 at 4.15pm in the Station House, while Hennessy New Irish Writer of the Year and local Clifden woman, Siobhán Mannion will read on September 22 at 6pm in the Station House Hotel.

Allegra Huston, whose memoir, Love Child: A Memoir of a Family Lost and Found, was published in 2009, will read at 4.15 in the Alcock and Brown Hotel on September 22. Raised by film maker John Huston as his daughter after the death of his estranged wife, Ricki Soma, when Allegra was four, she subsequently found out that her real father was the English-born aristocrat John Julius Norwich.

The Irish Chamber Orchestra make a welcome return to Clifden for concert with fiddle player Martin Hayes and guitarist Dennis Cahill. That’s on September 16 in St Joseph’s Church at 8pm.

Meanwhile, the RTÉ Vanburgh Quartet, one of Europe’s most successful string quartets, will visit fresh from their recent 25th anniversary celebrations. They play on September 22 at 8pm in the Church of Ireland. Another major attraction to the Clifden Arts Festival this year is The Alan Kelly Gang who will perform with Scottish singer Eddi Reader, previously of Fairground Attraction. They play on September 19 at 10pm in the Station House Theatre.

Pianist John O’Conor also returns, playing on September 23, as do the formidable Cherish the Ladies who are mostly based in America, where they are recognised as one of the most engaging ensembles in the history of Irish music. Featuring Claddaghduff’s Mirella Murray on accordion, they play on September 20 in the West Connemara Leisure Centre at 8.30pm.

The festival will also welcome Cork’s renowned Cór Chúil Aodha choir with Peadar Ó Riada, who are on their first visit to Clifden Arts Festival.They play on September 24 at 9pm in Clifden’s Church of Ireland.

The sensational 13-year-old Andreas Varady who has been playing the guitar since he was four years old will lend a touch of jazz to the event on Tuesday, September 20 at 10pm in Griffin’s Bar.

There is also a strong traditional and sean-nós programme featuring Breanndán Begley, Tommy Peoples and Laoise Kelly, along with sean-nós group The Listeners.

Like every other year, schools in and around Clifden are at the heart of the Community Arts Festival, where the vision was nurtured and became a reality. From Monday, September 19 to Friday, September 23 the schools will play host to a number of different events which will help to educate and encourage students to appreciate the arts.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.