EXCITING SCHEDULE FOR FEILE LONDUBH
THIS year’s Feile Londubh, which gets under way this week, was officially launched by writer Jennifer Johnston at the Mermaid Arts Centre in Bray.
Ms Johnston, who is regarded as one of Ireland’s most renowned novelists, was joined by leading jazz guitarist Mike Nielsen, as they launched this year’s festival, which takes place from this Friday, April 13, to Sunday, April 15.
Events begin with ‘Way with Words’ illustration workshop by Oisin McGann at 4 p.m. on Friday. This free workshop is for six to eight year olds and will take place in a mobile library outside the Ashford Community and Heritage Centre.
The free festival launch concert takes place from 7 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. at Nun’s Cross Church and will feature performances by Perfect Friction, composer Elaine Agnew and students of Nuns Cross NS and Scoil Coróine Mhuire NS, poet Nell Regan and students of Coláiste Chill Mhantáin.
A lunchtime concert will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Ashford Community and Heritage Centre, featuring emerging artists Michael Stedman on guitar, Soprano Ava Dodd and Eric Sheeran-Purcell on piano. Admission will be €5/€3.
A writing workshop along the ‘Seamus Heaney Woodland Walk’ led by writer David Butler and naturalist Richard Nairn will be held from 2.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. The meeting point is at Ashford Community and Heritage Centre and, from there, participants will car pool to the Devil’s Glen Woods. The cost of this workshop is €10/€5.
Nun’s Cross Church will play host to the ‘If Music and Sweet Poetry Agree’ concert at 8 p.m. This will feature current Ireland Professor of Poetry Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin and performance
by singer Aoife Doyle, pianist Greg Felton and Cormac Breatnach on the Susato whistles. Admission is €15/€12 or €30 for a family of two adults and two children.
Sundays events begin with baby music workshops hosted by Anna Newell and Eamon Sweeney at Ashford Community and Heritage Centre. These workshops takes place at 10 a.m., 10.45 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. and are suitable for babies aged under one year.
Each workshop is limited to four babies plus one guardian
per baby and the cost of taking part is €7.50 (booking is essential).
Scoil Coróine Mhuire will be the venue for a ‘Fighting Words’ children’s story workshop from 10 a.m. to 11.30 a.m.. This fun and imaginative workshop is free but booking is essential.
Bridge Street Books will present best-selling children’s author Judi Curtain at Ashford Community and Heritage Centre from 12.15 p.m. to 1.15 p.m. Suitable for children aged eight to 12 years, admission will be €3.
From 12.30 p.m. Eamon Sweeney will be holding a ‘Toddler Music’ workshop for two to five year olds at Scoil Coróine Mhuire NS.
The cost is €5 per child and the workshop is limited to 15 children plus guardians.
Tickets are available from Martsworth in Ashford, Bridge Street Books in Wicklow town or from Eventbrite.ie or by emailing feilelondubh@gmail. com.
Feile Londubh is run by Alchemy Music with the support of the Arts Council Ireland.