Big festival for east Mayo this summer
Stop the clocks, turn off your phones, Big Maggie's coming to town with William Shakespeare, writer Joseph O'Connor and pianist John O'Conor. Matt Molloy's returning home, as is world champion Irish dancer Ronan Kelly, with Lúnasa in the Cathedral and Brolly in the soup. Again!
Paintings by leading West of Ireland artists will show at Mulligan's Main St, young bands competing in Molly's, an Ableton Live workshop at Willowbrook, Daithi & Elaine Mai at The Castle, buskers in the streets, Word a Day at Dillon's Door, an art and poetry trail all over town, free arts/dance/wellness workshops for kids, and more and more and more....sure where else would you be going?
So, cancel all plans for everything from August 5 to August 13 when the BallaghDream Arts Festival happens, with something for every audience at 'the way through the little oak wood', better-known as Ballaghaderreen.
Everyone needs a break. Let yours begin with Ballaghaderreen Players’ production of John B Keane's monumental 'Big Maggie’ at St Nathy’s College on August 5 and end the following Sunday with London’s Pilgrim Players version of Shakespeare's `Midsummer Night's Dream’ in the open-air at Edmondstown House.
In between, renowned traditional Irish group Lúnasa interrupt an international tour to perform in Trad Night at St. Nathy's Cathedral with Ballaghaderreen man Matt Molloy and Sean Keane of the Chieftains who will be joined by another local man, dancer Ronan Kelly, as well as acclaimed fiddle players, sisters Cora and Breda Smyth (they’ve been all over the world with Lord of the Dance, Michael Flatley!), returning to their mother’s hometown.
Thursday, August 10, will be Classical Night at the Cathedral with Ireland's leading pianist John O'Conor, accompanied by cellist Ailbhe McDonagh, as well as Chloe Ewing and soprano friends performing well-known arias.
Writer Joseph O'Connor, whose latest work `My Father's House’ has been topping best-seller lists, will take part in Literary Night at St Nathy's College, accompanied by St Nathy's Cathedral choir. He will be interviewed by a member of the Ballaghaderreen Book Club. The evening will include award-winning Galway poet Mary O'Malley, performing and reading from her well-received collections.
On Friday, August 11, GAA pundit, newspaper columnist and barrister Joe Brolly will be joined for a discussion on Championship 2023 and Connacht football at St. Nathy's auditorium by local heroes John O'Mahony, Andy Moran, Seanie McDermot.
The Battle of the Bands final will be in Molly's, Barrack St, on August 10, with Live Electronica from Daithi & Elaine Mai (supported by Death Milkshake) at The Castle, New St, on August 11 and, to help round things off on Sunday evening August 13, Noni Stapleton will explain how her boyfriend fell for a heifer, in `Charolais’ (don’t ask, she’ll tell!).
Where else would you be going?
Ticketing details and a full festival programme at: www.ballaghdreamartsfest.ie