On its 15th anniversary, Féile Iorrais proves that its recipe for success is to host a diverse range of events to suit every taste and age group, all around the Barony of Erris.
The International Folk Arts Festival kicks off on Friday, July 16, with energetic carnival music in the form of Cachimbo, a percussion and vocal group steeped in the traditional music of Cuba, Brazil and Puerto Rico. They will perform in Eachléim on Friday, July 16, at 9pm.
The following nine days will see an eclectic whirlwind of contributions from artists and performers including Thali, a Swiss jazz group with South Indian influences; Catmelodeon, a msucial group that includes the lead singer from Dervish, Cathy Jordan; Fíbín, an award-winning Irish-language theatre company from Connemara; Tonos, an Irish music duo; renowned sean-nós dancers the Devane Family; James Rae, a songwriter from Merseyside; Anxo Lorenzo, a piper from Spain; and American folk musicians Sara Grey, Ben Paley and Kieron Means. ‘First Intent’ an exhibition by Galway-based Mary Foudy O’Halloran will also be on show in the Áras Inis Gluaire gallery for the duration of the festival.
Other events include workshops (samba drums, sean-nós dancing and folk music) and an international cinema season, which presents some fantastic films from around the world, including ‘Let the Right One In’ a cult teen vampire film awarded Best Film at last year’s Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, and ‘The Night of the Hunter’, a truly compelling, haunting and frightening movie starring the incredibly versatile Robert Mitchum.
Venues all over North West Mayo – from the National Park Visitor Centre in Ballycroy to the Community Centre in Cornboy – will stage the various events of the festival, many of which are free.
To find out more about Féile Iorrais, log onto www.feileiorrais.org, email feileiorras@eircom.net or call 097 81079. Event details can also be found on www.errisevents.com.
