Liverpool Irish Festival celebrates cultural and historic links with Ireland
Liverpool Irish Festival takes place this month with 10 days of celebrations marking the best of Irish music, theatre, art, writing, comedy, food and drink and film-making.
The festival, now in its 16th year, runs from October 18-28 and features around 60 events at venues throughout the city.
Talks, screenings, performances, debates and tours will take place, along with a Family Céilí at Liverpool Irish Centre on October 28.
Music highlights include Ye Vagabonds at the Philharmonic Hall Music Room on October 18; a gig by Kila at Arts Club in Seel Street on October 19, marking their 30th anniversary and the only performance in the UK this autumn, and The Hot Sprockets at the Music Room on October 20.
Above: The Morning After the Life Before. Top: Ye Vagabonds
Performance includes Joanne Ryan’s multi award-winning Eggsistentialism at the Royal Court Downstairs on October 19; The Morning After the Life Before at the same venue on October 20; David O’Doherty at the Everyman on October 24; Kitty – a play about Kitty Wilkinson – at Liverpool Medical Institution on October 25, and Lizzie Nunnery’s new play To Have to Shoot Irishmen on October 25-27 at the Everyman.
An exhibition featuring photographs of the traditional Irish traveller community, titled It’s The Travelling Life, is being staged at The Brink in Parr Street until January 7.
Meanwhile Indiecork Film Festival presents New Irish Shorts at Picturehouse at FACT on October 22, and New Irish Shorts From Women on October 23, while the Celtic Animation Film Festival returns to Liverpool, with screenings at the Everyman on October 26.
It's the Travelling Life. Photo courtesy of Liverpool Irish Festival
This year Liverpool Irish Festival and Writing on the Wall celebrate 30 years of Féile an Phobail, an arts and culture festival in Belfast. A new book, Féile Voices at 30, is an unprecedented book of community memoirs uncovering the fascinating story of a nationally and internationally significant cultural and political festival.
The talk, around hope, arts and the community features Dr Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh, Dr Michael Piece and Professor Phil Scraton and takes place at Bluecoat at 6pm on October 22.
Liverpool Irish Festival also joins forces with Liverpool Literary Festival for two events - Sebastian Barry in Conversation with Prof Roy Foster at the Victoria Gallery and Museum on October 20, and Eamonn Hughes talking about Van Morrison’s Belfast at the same venue on October 21.
For more details on the whole programme visit the festival website HERE