Festival Fever Continues this August in Mayo North !
Mayo Manchester Tradfest Returns to Ballina – 2nd – 8th August 2018
Experience traditional Irish music at its best this summer
The Mayo Manchester Tradfest 2018 will be heading to Ballina in North Mayo from 2nd to 8th August. In its sixth year, it is set to be bigger and better than ever. The week long award winning festival is a celebration of Traditional Irish Music, Song and Dance. With over 100 events in total, there will be at least one event to be savoured each day over the course of the week. Events will take place in Ballina and around Mayo. Further event details will be announced as they become available – watch this space!
Mayo Manchester Tradfest 2018 kicks off – 2nd August 2018
The fun at Mayo Manchester Tradfest 2018 kicks off with a live two hour broadcast by Midwest Radio at the Fr Peyton Centre in Attymass at 6pm on Thursday 2 August and continues right through to Wednesday 8th August. The launch broadcast will feature a host of award winning musicians, singers and dancers including Sean Nos Dancers The Ganley Sisters as seen on TG4 TV and RTE TV and one of Ireland’s premier download Country Music artists; Sina Theil.
Headline events at the Mayo Manchester Tradfest 2018
This year the group are bringing over The Fianna Phadraig Pipe Band to celebrate their 70th anniversary as the UK’s longest running Pipe Band. The group are one of the few bands in the world to have been invited to play at both the 50th and 100th year anniversary celebrations of Ireland’s Irish Independence in Dublin.
Another highlight of Mayo Manchester Tradfest 2018 in Ballina is the annual Mayo Manchester Tradfest Gala Concert at the Ballina Arts Centre on Saturday 4 August (doors 7.30pm). This is the show’s sixth concert at the centre and they always sell out, so make sure you get your tickets early. The concert will feature performances by The Fianna Phadraig Pipe Band along with Irish Singer, Dancer and multi-instrumentalist, Joe Keegan from the hit BBC Show, The Voice. Breathtaking Irish dancing and Irish musical performances will feature on the night representing Mayo dancing academies and singers, ‘The Centre Stage Vocal Academy’, Con Murphy and Dennis McCalmont.
The event will be hosted by Alan Keegan ‘The Voice of Old Trafford’ and MUTV presenter from Manchester United Football Club.
To book Mayo Manchester Gala Concert tickets:
Online: Ballina Arts Centre
Cost of tickets:
Early Bird (available until 4 July): €10
Standard ticket (price after 4 July): €15
The top ten events at the 2018 Mayo Manchester Tradfest include:
Thursday 2 August, Live Radio broadcast by Midwest Radio at the Fr Peyton Centre, 6pm-8pm
The festival will be launched in Attymass with a live two hour radio broadcast by Midwest Radio sponsored by Excel Excavations at the Fr Peyton Centre in the award winning Attymass Parish (Ireland’s Pride of Place winners 2017). The free event features a host of performances from award winning musicians, singers and dancers along with a number of VIP guests.
Thursday 2 August, VIP Launch Concert at Breaffy House Resort, Castlebar, 9pm
Castlebar will be rolling out the Green and Red carpet with a special VIP Festival launch concert at 9pm in Breaffy House Resort. The free event feature a host of special guests and performers including the Sean Nos Dancers, The Ganley Sisters as seen on RTE TV, Ireland’s premier download artist, Singer Songwriter Sina Theil, Joe Keegan from the BBC TV show The Voice, Marian Waldron, The Fianna Phadraig Pipe Band and Alan Keegan from Manchester United Football Club plus a host of special guests and performers.
Friday 3 August, Fianna Phadraig Pipe Band 70th Anniversary Concert, Achill Head Hotel, 9pm
During the bank holiday weekend the Tradfest has been invited to visit Achill Island to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Manchester based Fianna Phadraig Pipe Band. The band are hoping to join some of the pipers from the Island’s five world famous Pipe bands in a special outdoor performance at The Achill Head Hotel at 9pm. A Free concert and open session will then be staged inside the hotel with Joe Keegan from the BBC TV Show the Voice and guest musicians from Scoil Acla, the evening is being hosted by Alan Keegan, the Voice of Old Trafford at Manchester United.
Saturday 4 August, 6th Annual Mayo Manchester Tradfest Gala Concert, Ballina Arts Centre, 7.30pm
The Mayo Manchester Tradfest return to Ballina to stage a special 6th anniversary concert on Saturday 4 August which is to be hosted by Alan Keegan from Manchester United Football Club. The concert is being sponsored by the Mayo Association Dublin. It will feature performances by The Fianna Phadraig Pipe Band, the Murphy Moore Irish Dance Academy and the Turley Duggan Academy from Mayo along with Joe Keegan from the BBC TV Show – ‘The Voice’, Marian Waldron, Con Murphy, Dennis McCalmont, the Jiving Juniors as featured on RTE TV’s Late Late Show and The Centre Stage Vocal Academy. Tickets are €10 (Early Bird) / €15. Book online www.ballinaartscentre.com or Tel +3539696 73593.
Sunday 5 August, Mayo Manchester Tradfest Promenade Performance at Westport House, 1pm
The group will be staging a short promenade performance in the grounds of the award winning Westport House at 1pm on the steps of the award-winning stately home followed by a parade to the Grace O’Malley statue.
Sunday 5 August, Mayo Manchester Tradfest Gala Concert at Claremorris Town Hall Theatre, 7pm
Sunday evening sees the group make their Claremorris debut at Claremorris Town Hall Theatre with a host of award winning musicians, singers and dancers from Mayo joining the group in a special Tradfest concert. Performers from Manchester include Joe Keegan from the BBC TV show The Voice, The Fianna Phadraig Pipe Band, Marian Waldron as seen on Sky TV. Performers from Mayo include Joe Beirne of Midwest Radio fame, plus local musicians Peter Gannon, Ann Morley, Rory Walsh, and Declan Burke. The Claremorris based Turley Duggan Academy of Irish Dance will also be performing on the night and the evening is being hosted by Alan Keegan the Voice of Old Trafford from Manchester United Football Club. Tickets are €15 book online at www.townhall.ie or Tel 094 931 0999
Monday 6 August, The Official Opening of Bonniconlon Show, 12 noon
The Tradfest has once more been invited to launch the 2018 Bonniconlon show just after 12 noon, the Agricultural and Gymkhana show is Ireland’s second biggest show and annually attracts over 30,000 visitors to the celebration of rural Ireland and is based just outside Ballina in North Mayo. The Fianna Phadraig Pipe band will lead a parade of VIPs to the stage to officially open up the show.
Monday 6 August, Promenade Performance at Mount Falcon Estate, 2pm
The group visit the Mount Falcon Estate to stage a special Promenade perfornce in the grounds of the 100 Acre Estate based in the heatt of Ballina at 2pm. The Performance will feature a parade by the Fianna Phadraig Pipe Band, followed by performanvces from Joe Keegan and Marian Waldron. The afternoon will be hosted by Alan Keegan, the Voice of Old Trafford at Manchester United Football club.
Tuesday 7 August, Gala Concert headlined by Billow Wood at Matt Molloys, 8pm
The Tradfest returns to the world famous Matt Molloys Irish Pub in Westport. Last year the event which is staged in th Yard Bar Music venue was sold out and this year’s concert is being headlined by the multi award winning Trad band ‘Billow Wood’ who will be joining forces with Mayo Manchester, watch out for the outdoor performance by The Fianna Phadraig Pipe Band on the streets of Westport to kick start the concert. The concert also features Joe Keegan from the BBC TV show -The Voice and Westports David Dee Moore. Guest musicians, singers and dancers are welcome to join in the concert. Tickets are €10 in advance, €15 on the door see www.mayomanchester.com to book online through paypal or call into the venue for tickets.
Wednesday 8 August, MMTradfest Closing Private Performance at Ashford Castle.
The festival is brought to a close with the Mayo Manchester Tradfest closing session at the 5 Star Ashford Castle in Cong for the guests of the hotel only, the group will be visiting Cong village later in the day to perform a flashmob performance in the village for the general public.
For full festival listings visit www.mayomanchester.com/events.
We look forward to welcoming you to Ballina for Mayo Manchester Tradfest 2018 from 2nd to 8th August. Those who love Irish traditional music are in for a real treat.
For further information about Mayo Manchester Tradfest 2018, or to book:
Online: Mayo Manchester website — Twitter
Savour “Ceol agus Craic” at Swinford’s Siamsa Sraide 3rd -8th Aug 2018
Swinford’s summer music and street festival
Síamsa Sráide means “Fun on the Street” (in Irish, or Gaeilge) and Siamsa Sraide is also the name of Swinford’s own summer street festival, now in its 34th year. This year’s Siamsa Sraide Street Festival takes place from Friday 3rd August to Wednesday 8th August and is a week-long celebration of music and fun in market town, Swinford, Co, Mayo. It is an ideal fun family festival with 6 days and nights of FREE entertainment.
Trad sessions, open-air céilí dancing, International Busking Competitions and Heritage Day – you’ll find them all in Swinford. The programme (full details below) includes an extensive children’s itinerary and treasures in the form of history walks and talks, poetry recitals, and sports events. It has a strong, warm and welcoming community focus.
Siamsa Sraide 2018 Festival Swinford – official launch night (15th June)
Mayo Person of the Year 2018, Sister Maureen Lally, will officially launch Síamsa Sraide 2018 on Friday June 15th at 9.30pm in Campbell’s Lounge Bar, Main Street, Swinford. Come along and be a part of the official launch night of this special Festival, now in its 34th year. The event will be filmed by Sky Showcase TV series “The Irish at Home & Abroad” with Henry McGlade.
Siamsa Sraide Swinford 2018 Street Festival – Full programme
Síamsa Sráide Festival is a complete package – a loose collection of cultural, artistic, musical, historical & heritage, sporting and children’s events. You can dip in and out, cherry-picking whichever events that seem fun and interesting to you. The programme depicts regional and cultural variations typical to East Mayo. It is in these differences that Swinford shows its individuality and unique heritage.
For further information about Siamsa Sraide 2018 Festival Swinford:
Online: www.siamsa-sraide.com — Facebook
Email: Joe Mellett at [email protected]
Bonniconlon Festival – Welcome Home Week
3rd – 10th August 2018
Music, Entertainment and Family Fun
In its 2nd year, Bonniconlon Welcome Home Week festival didn’t disappoint last year and promises to grow in strength this year, with a full program from Friday 3rd August to Friday 10th August. Each day the Welcome Home week will host different events and one of the highlights is sure to be the 69th Annual Bonniconlon Show on Monday 6th August.
Bonniconlon Welcome Home Week Festival 2018 – Full Programme
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON BONNICONLON WELCOME WEEK AND REGULAR UPDATES
Check out Bonniconlon Welcome Home Week on Facebook
Ballina Cycling Club Salmon Sportif – 5th August 2018
Three beautifully scenic routes to choose from
Ballina Cycling Club is holding a Cycling Sportive on Sunday the 5th August 2018 starting in Ballina Stephenites GAA club. There are three routes to choose from . . .
The 50km route which starts in Ballina and goes towards Crossmolina and on towards Lahardane at the bottom of the Nephin mountain for the food stop. The cycle will continue towards pontoon around Lough Conn lake. In Pontoon cyclists will turn left for Ballina again enjoying views of Lough Conn.
The 92 Km route starting in Ballina and goes through Crossmolina onto Bellacorick where cyclists will turn left and cycle towards Castlebar and turns left around Nephin where cyclists will meet their first climb. This is a moderate climb. The cycle continues to Lahardane for the food stop. The cycle will continue towards pontoon around Lough Conn lake. In Pontoon cyclists will turn left for Ballina again enjoying views of Lough Conn.
The 120km route takes the same route as the 92km until between Lahardane and Pontoon cyclists will turn right towards Bofeenaun and go over a sharp short climb, cyclists will go through Bofeenaun where they will meet a challenging climb known as the Bofeenaun windy gap, views from here are spectacular. The cycle continues towards Castlebar and turns left for Ballina and travels through pontoon around Lough Conn lake.
All Money raised from this event is going to the local “Garda Anthony Golden Community Park” in Ballina which is a park that is been built in memory of Ballina’s native Garda Anthony Golden who was shot dead near Omeath, Co. Louth on the 11th of October 2015, while on a domestic violence callout in uniform and unarmed.
To book
BOOK YOUR PLACE ON THE SALMON SPORTIF
For More information
Contact: Derek Lynott phone: 0868777329
Email: [email protected]
Location: Ballina Stephenites GAA Club, Stephenites Ground, Lord Edward St, Ballina, Co. Mayo
Challenge yourself at Ballina’s Salmon Run Triathlon – 18th August 2018
Enjoy the friendliest, fastest tri challenge in the West!
Liquid Motion Tri Club is one of the most active tri clubs in the Mayo region and their flagship event, the Ballina Triathlon (officially known as the Salmon Run Triathlon 2018) takes place on Saturday, 18th August 2018.
The Salmon Run Triathlon consists of a 750m swim in the famous River Moy, followed by a fast 20kmBike out and back course to Killala, followed by a flat 5k run to the Quay Village and back.
Liquid Motion is proud that the Ballina Triathlon is renowned as one of the friendliest triathlons of the year. It is also one of the fastest, making it ideal for both beginners and those aiming to post a personal best. And with a great post-race party, you would be mad to miss out!
The event attracts a significant crowd of athletes to the town every year, and is a great morning out for competitors and spectators alike. All details of the event are available below. And for an idea of what the day is like, check out the below video from Gareth McCormack!
Please note: You must have your 2018 Triathlon Ireland membership card or One Day License (ODL – €25) in order to race. Only one member of a relay team is required to have a TI or One Day License. However all members of a relay team will need to sign in. One-day licenses will not be available for purchase at registration. You will not be permitted to race if you register without presenting your TI card or ODL.
Further information on the Salmon Run Triathlon
Sign up for the Salmon Run Triathlon on Triathlon Ireland
Stay up to date with the Salmon Run Triathlon on Facebook
For more information, email Declan Nolan: [email protected].
National Heritage Week 2018 – 18th – 26th
August
What’s on in North Mayo
National Heritage week is a country wide event that takes place over the week of 18th to 26th August with Free events for young and old. National Heritage week is part of European Heritage days which takes place all over Europe and is a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Union, in which over forty countries participate. During the last week of August each year many national and hundreds of local communities participate and organise events. Many of the events are FREE and the programmes aim is to highlight the abundance of great work that is carried out in all the communities and organisations in Ireland to preserve and promote our natural, built and cultural Heritage.
Some of the events taking place to date, ( we will be adding to this as events are announced).
Foxford Woollen Mills
Tours of the working mills Monday 20th, Wednesday 22nd and Friday 24th at 12 noon.
See the mill as it’s run today, where master crafts people create contemporary designs that are sold all over the world. Explore the history of the Foxford Woollen Mill and learn about the techniques that have been passed down through the generations.
It is essential to book for this event as places are limited.
For further information contact
Telephone: +353 (0) 94 9256104
Website: www.foxfordwoollenmills.com
Email: [email protected]
Social Media: Like on Facebook | Follow on Twitter
Yoga Session
Yoga sessions to enlighten and rejuvenate, experience an outdoor yoga session as part of National Heritage Week. These yoga sessions are taking place in historic and scenic heritage locations in Mayo. Refreshments will be served afterwards and the sessions will suit all levels. If weather is inclement yoga will be held indoors. Bring a mat
Dates and Locations
- Sat 18th Enniscoe House, near Crossmolina
- Mon 20th Ballycroy National Park
- Wed 22nd Ballinafad House, near Belcarra
- Fri 24th Jackie Clarke Library, Ballina
- Sun 26th Lacken Strand, near Killala
Admission is FREE, you can book through [email protected]
Please note this event isn’t suitable for children under 12
For further information contact
Website; www.mayocococ.ie/heritage
Telephone; 094 9047684 or 087 7510180
World War II Look out post – 63 at Potacloy
Comhar Dun Chaocháin Teo, Seanscoil Community Centre, Ceathrú Thaidhg
18th August 12 pm – 2.30 pm
Dr Michael Kennedy (R.I.A) will give a presentation on WW” in North May; What defence forces coast watchers saw from Look Out Post 63, this talk will then be followed by a site visit.
FREE admission
Event not suitable for children under 12
For Further information Contact
Telephone; 097 88082 or 087 1251642
Email; [email protected]
Wild Child Day at the Jackie Clarke Collection, Ballina
22nd August 11 am – 5 pm
23rd August 10 am – 5pm
For the all the family young and old enjoy ‘Wild Child Day’ at eh Jackie Clarke Collection. This event is a chance for young visitors to explore the Walled heritage Garden, visit the Bug hotel and see who’d checked in and take part in nature themed arts & crafts. This event is suitable for all ages and is a FREE event.
For Further information Contact
Telephone; +353 96 73508
Wbsite; clarkecollection.ie
Email: [email protected]
For information on all events
National Heritage Week 2018
Atlantic Rhythm’s stunning dance show Tradbeats – 7th August
Choreographed show featuring world champion Irish dancers and musicians
Atlantic Rhythm’s Tradbeats – a rawness of mixed step and sean nos dancing
Entirely written and choreographed by the talented young group, the show draws its themes from the Wild Atlantic Way on which they have all been born and reared, and represents a fusion of all the traditional arts in an uplifting, raw music and dance experience.
Between them, the dancers hold 10 World Champion titles with six of the dancers currently placed in the Top 8 in the world.
With Tradbeats, gone are the rigid hands and wigs traditionally associated with Irish dancing, in their place is a release of a wonderful rawness of mixed step and exhilarating sean nós dancing featuring traditional brooms and barrels, alongside powerful percussion pieces where the shoes do the talking.
Equally talented are the musicians, with numerous Fleadh titles to their credit. They provide a unique accompaniment to the dancers with intermittent uplifting music pieces to get every hand clapping. The new show also features original new tunes composed from entirely within the cast.
Tradbeats will be performed by Atlantic Rhythm in Ballina Arts Centre on Tuesday, August 7 at 8pm. Doors open from 7pm. Tickets on sale now.
Ticket prices: €15/€12/€10 (tickets are available at €10 per person for groups of 10 or more adults booking together)
For further information about Tradbeats or to book:
Ballina Arts Centre, Barrett St., Ballina. Tel.: 096 73593 — Online. Tickets on sale now.
Sheila Moffatt, Director, Atlantic Rhythm Productions. Tel: 087 936 4504
Embrace the outdoors at Foxford Riverfest 2018
Or wander through the RiverFest Village and enjoy food, arts and crafts at your leisure
Foxford RiverFest takes place from August 31st – 1st 2018.
The fantastic annual family-oriented Foxford RiverFest offers a wide range of activities and entertainment for adults and children alike, and is a wonderful, warm celebration of the River Moy and the beautiful surrounding countryside of Foxford.
2018 as usual sees a jam-packed programme of events on offer, including the return of some very popular activities and competitions from previous years, as well as many new events that have been added for 2018. Children’s events feature strongly with face-painting, seed-bombing, duck racking storytelling ,a fish-making workshop, and lots. lots more!
Each evening on the RiverFest Stage there will be live music. After the day’s festivities, why not venture into Foxford and enjoy the atmosphere in one of the many friendly pubs where live music will feature also.
Credit to :Mayo North for Festival Details.
Please contact Ballina Tourist Office 00353 96 72800 if you have any further enquiries.
