Fantastic selection of exciting events for bilingual festival
Some of the highlights for this year's Féile an Fhómhair
FÉILE an Fhómhair 2024, Carlow’s popular autumn bilingual festival, has an amazing programme of events lined up.
Organised by Glór Cheatharlach and running from 27 September to 6 October, the festival celebrates all things environmental and autumnal ‘as Gaeilge agus as Béarla’.
There’s music and song, sean-nós dance classes and workshops, bilingual table quizzes galore, an Irish language film, the schools’ art competition as well as set dancing and autumn walking weekends.
There are walks and talks and lots of opportunities to speak Irish, including Comhrá @ Lambert’s on Wednesdays and other everyday settings.
Féile an Fhómhair will kick off at 10am on Friday morning, 27 September, in the Éire Óg clubhouse with Tráth na gCeist/Table Quiz for post-primary schools. Later that evening, Setanta Ceatharlach, Club Iománaíochta agus Camógaíochta will host a table quiz ‘as Gaeilge’ in Presentation College for the club’s under-12, U14 and U16 members.
The Seven Oaks Hotel is the place to be on the opening weekend of Féile an Fhómhair, when dancing enthusiasts from Donegal to Tipperary and Galway to Wexford will travel for the Carlow Set Dancing Weekend. This event runs from Friday to Sunday 27-29 September with workshops each day and a céilí mór each night.
Set dancing classes with Syl & Liz will take place on Saturday and Sunday mornings, while a free sean-nós workshop will be given by champion dancer Irene Cunningham on the Saturday at 12.30pm.
Young people are invited to take part in the many events being planned for them during the festival. As well as three table quizzes there will be a trip to the cinema with Glór Cheatharlach in association with IMC Cinema @ Fairgreen securing exclusive screenings of the award-winning Irish language film . Suitable for primary school pupils in fifth and sixth classes, the film with subtitles will be screened at IMC Cinema at 11am on Wednesday and Thursday mornings 2-3 October. School bookings must be secured in advance with Glór Cheatharlach.
Meanwhile, pupils in third and fouth classes will get the opportunity to learn some basic sean-nós steps when champion dancer Irene Cunningham, sponsored by Conradh na Gaeilge, will visit six primary schools as part of this year’s Féile an Fhómhair offering.
The ever-popular autumn art competition for primary schools will run throughout the festival, when pupils in first to sixth classes are invited to create a painting or artwork on the theme of An Fómhar and prizes will be awarded to the best efforts in each class category.
An autumn concert in the GB Shaw Theatre at Visual on Saturday 5 October will feature a variety of local talent, including Mary Darcy, Nicky Kealy, Carlow Community Choir, Carlow Ukulele Players, John Candy, The Duettes and Holly Harmon as well as baritone Maksym Lozovyi from Ukraine.
The second weekend of Féile an Fhómhair will focus on the great outdoors, with 16 walks organised by Carlow Tourism. Walkers, both seasoned and those not so experienced, will enjoy the popular Autumn Walking Weekend, which will feature a whole raft of talks, walks and hikes over the three days.
There are events to suit varying levels of ability, but the leisurely bilingual Sunday afternoon walk along the Barrow Track from Milford to Carlow on Sunday 6 October at 2pm is particularly suitable for those new to the walking scene. A courtesy bus will depart from the Liberty Tree at 1.30pm to the start point. There’s no charge, but advance booking to 059 9130411, 087 2857048 or info@carlowtourism.com is essential.
The festival programme is available from Glór Cheatharlach and on facebook.com/glor.cheatharlach, while printed copies of the brochure can be picked up at Carlow Library, Carlow Tourism, Lambert’s Coffee House and Visual.
Bí páirteach agus bain taitneamh as Féile an Fhómhair ‘24. Enquiries to 087 2857048, 085 1340047 or email emma@glorcheatharlach.ie.
