With the Donegal Bay and Blue Stacks Festival just days away now is a great opportunity to check out what’s on during what will be the 18th year of the festival.
Running from Friday, September 28 to Sunday, October 7, the event is set to support artists and engage communities throughout South and South West Donegal, with another packed programme of theatre, music of all kinds, spectacle, literary and visual events and events for children.
Choral Highlights
Reflecting the current popularity of choral singing in the county, the Festival opens with the truly inspiring Ceol le Chéile Donegal Choir of Ages, who will perform at the Abbey Arts Centre, Ballyshannon on Saturday night, September 29, from 7.00pm.
The intergenerational ensemble comprises over 80 children and older people and is led by charismatic, Cashelard-based Choral Director, Veronica McCarron. Veronica memorably led the Choir of the Presentation Secondary School, Kilkenny, to the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent in 2016.
There will be further choral magic with the operatic stylings of the Bluestack Chorale in Donegal Town (St. Patrick’s Parish Centre) on the same evening, while the wonderful Donegal Voices ensemble will be joined by a 15 piece Chamber Orchestra for their performances of Mozart’s ‘Requiem’, in Ballyshannon (St. Patrick’s Church) and Stranorlar (St. Mary’s Church), on Friday and Sunday evenings, October 5 and 7 respectively.
New Theatre
The Festival has excelled in recent years as a platform for showcasing new drama writing in the county. This year, there are three more new works to excite, enthral and entertain local and visiting audiences.
Ballybofey father and son Conal and Rory Gallen’s new comedy special, ‘Off Your Trolley’, commences its nationwide tour at the Balor Arts Centre on Friday and Saturday night, September 28 and 29 while Dunkineely writer and composer Leslie Long’s new musical, ‘At The End of The Day’, can be seen at the Foresters Hall, Killybegs on Friday, October 5 and at Halla An Pharóiste, Cill Chartha on Saturday, October 6.
Well known South Donegal playwright and actress Maura Logue’s new play with music, ‘Síle Molloy’ – featuring a stellar six-piece band – opens at the Sandhouse Hotel, Rossnowlagh, on Wednesday, October 3 and plays the Aparthotel, Bundoran on Thursday, October 4 and McIntyre’s Bar, Ballyshannon on Friday, October 5.
Meanwhile, festival stalwarts Donegal Drama Circle also have new work to share. They will present the first ever full-length performance of Irish Palestinian writer Hannah Khalil’s powerful family drama, ‘Bitterenders’, at the Abbey Arts Centre, Ballyshannon on Wednesday, October 3. The play, in a double-bill with Washington filmmaker Pamela Nice’s ‘Its What We Do’, can also be seen at the Bluestack Centre, Drimarone, on Thursday and Friday night, October 5 and 6.
Literary Afternoon at The Abbey Centre
Writers and book lovers will be making their way to the Abbey Arts Centre on Sunday afternoon, October 7, to meet with two of Ireland’s most popular novelists – Mary O’Donnell, writer of the bestselling 1990s novel ‘The Lightmakers’ and Nuala O’Connor, whose new novel, ‘Becoming Belle’, is attracting immense public and critical attention. Special guest for this event will be well-known Ballyshannon pianist and composer, Niamh Currid.
Music
The Festival’s music programme opens on Friday night, September 28 with a special concert at Glencolmcille Folk Village, featuring virtuoso Breton duo, flautist Jan Michel Veilion and guitarist Yvon Riou. We extend a big Festival welcome also to Derry jazz legend Gay McIntyre, who will perform at Aislann Chill Chartha, Kilcar, two nights later, on Sunday, September 30.
The Ghostlight Sessions complete their first year at the Balor Arts Centre with another intriguing line-up featuring Our Krypton Son from Derry, Donegal singer-songwriters Tommy Callaghan and Dean Maywood, as well as Cork singer, Nathan O’Regan.
This year’s concert at Leghowney Community Hall, on Saturday night, October 6 features the stellar talents of Leitrim singer Eleanor Shanley, of Dé Danann fame, and John Feeley, one of Ireland’s finest guitarists and a peerless interpreter of the music of Turlough O’Carolan.
Fionn Uisce Clear Water Carnival Parade
This year’s Ballyshannon Carnival Parade takes place on Saturday night, October 6. The ‘Fionn Uisce’ parade will be a celebration of the clear waters of the River Erne – a defining feature of the town of Ballyshannon – while the Carnival Finalé will feature a newly commissioned fire sculpture by LUXe landscape theatre and a special lighting-up of the Cathaleen’s Fall hydroelectric power station, courtesy of the ESB.
FREE Festival Programme
The FREE Festival Programme will be widely available throughout the South and South West of the county, from this weekend. Look out for it in local shops, libraries, hotels, restaurants, tourist information points and at all participating venues.
The full Festival Programme is also available on the Donegal County Council website www.donegalcoco.ie
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