CULTURE Féile na Tuaithe celebrates country life

Castlebar keeps it country for Féile na Tuaithe


This weekend, May 21-22, Castlebar will be buzzing with country life, as Féile na Tuaithe will be in full swing.
The free, fun-filled weekend festival, which takes place in the grounds of National Museum of Ireland –Country Life, Turlough Park, runs from 12pm – 5pm each day. Now in its 7th year, this family favourite attracted 25,000 visitors last year.
This year, Féile na Tuaithe boasts a wonderful line-up of craft, art, traditional skills, entertainment, artisan food and more.
Adding to the buzz, quite literally, is a new addition: bees. Westport, Ballina and Connemara Beekeepers Associations will have a stand at the festival for the first time – very fitting, as The Federation of Irish Beekeepers’ Associations (FIBKA) has designated 2011 the Year of the Honeybee. There will also be a sizeable representation from the FIBKA.
The display, themed ‘From the Honeybee to the Table’, will include live bees in observation hives and the many types of hive that are in use today, including those used in sustainable beekeeping. There will also be a flashback to beekeeping in the past with the making of straw skeps. The equipment involved in the process of honey from comb to honey jar will also be on display. Festival goers will not only learn about the craft of beekeeping, but also about the dwindling honeybee population and the importance of the bees for pollination and agriculture.
Many craft demonstrations to delight old and young will be on display, including basket making, wood turning, pottery and harvest-knot making. Festival favourites, the Fanzini Brothers will make a return, and for animal lovers, there will be displays from the West of Ireland Spaniel Club and Eagles Flying.
Entries for the ‘Capture Country Life’ photo competition are rolling in. Entries will be accepted up to 12pm on Wednesday, May 18. To enter the competition, email entries to feile@museum.ie, with Feile Photo Comp in the subject line of the email. Also include the photo title, your name, address and contact details. To vote, visit www.facebook.com/feilenatuaithe and ‘Like’ the photograph you want to win.
Free shuttle buses will ferry people to the festival from the library in Castlebar every half an hour, from 11.30am to 4.30pm, on Saturday and Sunday. Buses will also be returning from Féile to the library throughout both days. No parking will be permitted in the grounds of Turlough Park. However, there will be limited on-street parking along the N5 road and limited parking facilities will be available in Castlebar town. 

For more information on Féile na Tuaithe, go to www.museum.ie or find Féile on Facebook www.facebook.com/feilnatuaithe.