|
Highlights
Thursday 28th July
The Celtic Tenors
Friday 29th July
Official opening in Scariff Harbour
Mad for Road
Abba Delicious
Saturday 30th July
Family Fun Day
Edna O'Brien Lecture series with author and poet Dermot Bolger
Wine & Cheese tasting with Peter Ward of Country Choice
Mundy
Sunday 31st July
Boat Tours
Young Anglers’ Competition
Skydiving Display
Vintage Garden Fair
Busking Competition
Jim and Dr Nick
Paddy Casey
Merriman Céilí Band
PLUS: canoeing and kayaking, climbing wall, water balls,
art, traditional skills and creative writing workshops, American truck drive,
horse and wagon tours, pony rides, guided walks, Irish dancing displays,
storytelling, arts and crafts fair and much more
The Festival - a brief history of the story so far...
Launched in 2003, the annual Waterways Ireland Scariff Harbour Festival is an open-air, street-based event showcasing the many attractions and amenities accessible from Scariff. Its aim is to promote the leisure and pleasure potential of Lough Derg, the inland waterways and the East Clare countryside both among local people and visitors from further afield. The three-day festival, which takes place over the August bank holiday weekend, offers a varied programme of activities, arts, music and entertainment inspired by the “lake” theme.
In recent years Scariff Harbour, the festival’s focus, has been redeveloped and expanded by Waterways Ireland, a North/South implementation body set up under the Good Friday Agreement. Scariff now boasts a top-class marina facility for pleasure boats, anglers, sailing people and other water recreation enthusiasts. During the festival in 2006, the new Waterways Ireland regional office overlooking the harbour was officially opened by Minister Síle de Valera.
The festival seeks to highlight Scariff’s role as the “southern gateway” to the inland navigable waterways by forging a special relationship with corresponding towns in Northern Ireland to which Scariff is now linked through the waterways system and by promoting cross-border exchanges at the political, cultural and community levels.
Festival 2011 Highlights
As it enters its ninth year, the festival continues to develop and to attract ever-growing numbers of people.The festival offers a range of activities, events and entertainment highlighting the many attractions of the area and catering to all ages and tastes.
Boat tours of the Scariff River and Lough Derg have proved perennially popular in previous years with a seemingly never-ending demand by the public to get a chance to experience the river and lake firsthand. Canoeing and kayaking and wall climbing are also on hand for the more actively inclined. Angling displays and events, including a cross-border young anglers’ competition, highlight the angling potential of the lake and waterways. Walks are organized in cooperation with East Clare Way from the centre of Scariff, offering lake views and a chance to learn more about the history, culture and natural environment of East Clare. Local arts and crafts also figure prominently, with a chance to see displays of traditional craft-making.
The Waterwyas Ireland Scariff Harbour Festival prides itself on being a family-focused event. With this in mind the Family Fun Day was added to the programme in 2007 and has proved to be a huge success. This year the event will be held again, with additional activities to appeal to an even wider audience. Attractions will include the Giant Slide, Bouncy Castle, Quaser, Bungee Bull, Milkin’ Cows, Rock n Roll Gladiator. There will be a Circus Skills workshop and performance by Belfast duo Jim and Dr Nick. Other entertainment for the kids will include a drumming workshop, creative writing and art workshops, pony rides in Scariff Riverside Park and a Skydiving display with world-class sky divers who will jump from 4,000 ft in a dizzying display and land with pinhead precision in Craven’s field. Spectators will have the opportunity to talk to the parachutists and see their equipment close up.
A festival is not complete without music, and once again the programme will feature a mix of genres from jazz and folk to traditional music.
This year's headlining act in the Sacred Heart Church on Thursday 28th July are The Celtic Tenors. Signed by EMI in 2000, the Celtic Tenors, (Matthew Gilsenan, James Nelson and Daryl Simpson) have established themselves as the most successful classical crossover artists ever to emerge from Ireland. With their fifth album being released in 2009, the Celtic Tenors continue to "re-invent the whole tenor idiom" (Phil Coulter - composer of "Remember Me"), by pioneering a new style of 'cool' never before seen on the classical stage and by breaking the traditional stuffy tenor mould.
The Celtic Tenors
With a total album sales worldwide, including compilations, of over one million, and a full international touring schedule, the Celtic Tenors have topped the charts in the USA, Canada, Germany, the UK and Ireland. This performance in the beautiful setting of the Scared Heart Church is not to be missed. Tickets (€20) are now on sale at O'Meara's Pharmacy (061 921 028) and Rodgers' Bar & Off-Licence (061 921 012).
Saturday 30th July will see legendary Irish singer/songwriter Mundy play a free concert on the Fair Green. Hailing from Birr, Co. Offaly, Mundy has established himself as one of Irelands best known singer/songwriters since he released his debut album Jellylegs in 1996. 24 Star Hotel, Mundy's next album in 2002 album, contained the song "July", an ode to the joys of the Irish summer, which gained heavy airplay throughout the summer months, and is Mundy's signature tune. Along with 'July' the album contained 'Mexico' and with both receiving extensive radio play and some huge Irish festival appearances, 24 Star Hotel has gone on to triple platinum status in Ireland.
Mundy
In May 2004, Mundy released his third album, 'Raining Down Arrows', which entered the Irish album chart at number 1. The album has since gone platinum in Ireland. His album Live & Confusion at Vicar Street, Dublin released two years later contains all his best known songs such as "Gin & Tonic Sky", "Mexico", "July", "To You I Bestow", "By Her Side" and "Love & Confusion". The album also contained an encore of "Galway Girl", with a later studio version of the track reaching number 1 in the Irish Singles Chart in April 2008.
In 2008 Mundy continually guested with Sharon Shannon's Big Band alongside Damien Dempsey and Shane MacGowan, turning up at The Glastonbury Festival as well touring Ireland and the UK.
2009 saw Mundy release his fourth studio album, Strawberry Blood, with Irish producer Joe Chester, and a number of tracks mixed with UK producer Andy Bradfield. The album featured contributions from Shane MacGowan and Gemma Hayes. The album went into the Irish charts at No.14. Mundy has just released a new album "Shuffle" in May of this year. It contains Mundy's tribute to some of the great American songwriters with his own unique versions of classic tracks.
Sunday night on the Fair Green always provides entertaining, free, open-air music and this year is no exception. Dublin born Paddy Casey is one of Irelands best singer/songwriters and his apperanace for a free concert on Sunday 31st July in Scariff is sure to be a highlight of the evening. Paddy released his first album Amen (So Be It) in 1999. He played a range of different instruments on the album and the track Winter's Fire featured Mundy as a guest guitarist. Sweet Suburban Sky surfaced the following year on the soundtrack to the award winning US TV teen drama Dawson's Creek. Paddy received nominations for Best Irish Songwriter and Best Male Singer at the Hot Press Awards.
Paddy Casey
Casey returned in 2003 with the multi-platinum album Living, which spawned the Irish chart hits Saints and Sinners, The Lucky One (in 2003) Bend Down Low and Want It Can't Have It (in 2004). In 2004 he won his first of two consecutive Meteor Irish Music Awards for Best Irish Male. 2004 saw Living confirmed as the highest selling Irish album of the year and the year ended with a sold out performance at Dublin's RDS. In 2005, Casey headlined a concert at the Heineken Green Energy Festival and also supported U2 on their Vertigo tour, performing in Ireland, Scotland, and Norway. Paddy recorded his third studio album in Hollywood. Titled Addicted To Company (Part One), it was released in Ireland on September 7, 2007, and in the US on April 1, 2008.
For up to date information contact Christina on 061 921 685 / 087 265 1259 or visit the information stand on the Fair Green throughout the weekend.
Links
.jpg)
The Celtic Tenors website
Mundy website
|
