JANUARY
The Gathering Traditional Irish Music Festival
Killarney, Tel. +353 64 33544, www.thegatheringonline.com
Unfringed & Unfringed for Children,
Limerick
A week long theatrical adventure featuring
the national and international theatre for
adults and children. Contact the Limerick
Tourist Information Office for more information
on tel. +353 61 317522.
Saint Patrick's Day
www.stpatricksfestival.ie/cms/events_it.html
Saint Patrick's Day has become a huge celebration
in the Republic of Ireland and the city
of Dublin has now extended the festivities
to cover a full week. The feast day celebrates
the life of the man who brought Catholicism
to Ireland but is much more than simply
a religious festival - as the Irish Tourism
Board put it - Saint Patrick's Day is the
day everybody wants to be Irish! The tradition
of parades and wild celebration did not
originate in Ireland. The first St. Patrick's
Day celebration was held by the Charitable
Irish Society of Boston, America in 1737.
Today festive parades are held all over
the world and in Dublin you can expect packed
programmes of events including street theatre,
fireworks, music, and exhibitions.
Draíocht Children's Arts Festival
Blanchardstow, Dublin, Tel. +353 1 885 2622
Cork Choral Festival
www.corkchoral.ie
27th April - 1st May 2005
Many performances ranging from classical
peices to contemporary peices. A hugely
popular event with the general public, as
well as the world's top composers, conductors
and choristers.
MAY
Castle Bar Blues Festival
Tel. +353 94 23 111, www.castlebar.ie/events/
Fleadh Nua (May 23-30 in
2005)
Fleadh Nua Information Centre, c/o Ennis
Chamber of Commerce
54 O'Connell Street, Ennis, County Clare
Tel. +353 65 684 2988, Fax. +353 65 682
4783
ceoltrad@fleadhnua.com, www.fleadhnua.com/index1.htm
The Fleadh Nua Festival brings together
concerts, céilithe, music, song and
dancing workshops, and each year thousands
of people in search of traditional entertainment
attend.
Galway Early Music Festival (26-29
May in 2005)
The Secretary, 60 Prospect Hill, Galway
Tel. +353 87 930 5506, info@galwayearlymusic.com,
www.galwayearlymusic.com
The Galway Early Music Festival celebrates
early forms of music and examines a different
theme each year. Check the web site for
details of this years concerts.
Kilkenny Rhythm n' Roots Festival
Tel. +353 56 900 57, Fax. +353 56 900 69
www.galwayearlymusic.com
The finest roots, blues, country, traditional
and roots acts from Ireland will complete
a world-class bill set against the ambiance
of the medieval city of Kilkenny.
JUNE
West Cork Chamber Music Festival
25th March - 2nd April
www.westcorkmusic.ie/Easter2005/quartetweek.htm
Tel. +353 27 52 788, Website: West Cork
Chamber Music Festival
JULY
Anna Livia Opera Festival
St. Stephen's Green House, Earlsfort Terrace,
Dublin 2
Tel. 353 1 661 7544
info@operaannalivia.com, www.annalivia.com
Galway Arts Festival (11-24th
in 2005)
Black Box Theatre, Dyke Road, Galway
Tel. +353 91 509 700, Fax. +353 91 562 655
info@galwayartsfestival.ie, www.galwayartsfestival.com
The Galway Arts Festival is a international
two week celebration of the performing and
visual arts that has enjoyed growing success
since its inception in 1978. The festival
brings a wide variety of international artists
to Galway and showcases local and national
culture.
AUGUST
Ballyshannon Traditional Music Festival
Ballyshannon, Donegal
Tel. + 353 72 51 088, Fax. + 353 72 52 832
This internationally renouned festival has
seen many changes during it’s 25 years.
What originally began as a small town festival
and is now one of Ireland's most popular traditional
music festivals.
Cork Folk Festival
17 Victoria Avenue, Ballinlough, Tel. +353
21 431 7271
An annual celebration of traditional song,
music and dance in Cork.
Festival of World Cultures
Level 3 County Hall, Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire,
County Dublin
Tel. + 353 1 205 4700 Ext. 4025, Fax. + 353
1 280 6969 arts@dlrcoco.ie
The Festival of World Cultures is an international
culture and arts festival of music, dance,
theatre, visual arts, literature, workshops,
seminars and international cuisine.
Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann (26-28th
August in 2005)
Venue varies by year, www.comhaltas.com
At Fleadh weekend, men and women flock to
an Irish town to play, sing, talk and dance
to traditional Irish music. The Feadh is one
of the biggest events in the Irish festival
calender and attracts up to 200,000 over the
three day festival.
Kilkenny Arts Festival
Tel. +353 56 521 75, info@kilkennyarts.ie
www.kilkennyarts.ie
The Kilkenny Arts Festival combines music,
film, theatre, literature and visual arts.
Slane Festival (29 August
2005)
Slane, Co. Meath, Tel. +353 41 988 4400, Fax.
+353 41 982 0847
www.slanecastle.ie
Waterford Spraoi (29, 30, 31st in
2005)
The Studio’s, Carrickpherish, Waterford
Tel. + 353 51 841 808, Fax. +353 51 858 023
www.spraoi.com
Multi Arts festival that features a programme
of international street theatre and music.
The majority of events are held outdoors and
are free to the general public.
SEPTEMBER
Cape Clear Story Telling Festival
Cape Clear Island, County Cork
Tel. +353 28 39 116, stories@indigo.ie
Waterford International Festival of Light
Opera
Waterford Chamber of Commerce, Georges Street,
Waterford
Tel. +353 51 872 639, Fax. +353 51 876 002
Waterford's International Festival of Light
Opera is held in Waterford's Theatre Royal.
The theatre was built in 1788 and its size
and layout makes for a remarkable sense
of intimacy for performers and concert goers
alike.
OCTOBER
Cork Jazz Festival (28-31
in 2005)
www.corkjazzfestival.com
The Guinness Jazz Festival takes place in
the city of Cork during the last weekend of
October each year. The festival is Ireland's
largest jazz event.
Cork Film Festival (9-16th in 2005)
15 Grand Parade, Cork, Tel. + 353 21 454 3210
boxoffice@corkfilmfest.org, www.corkfilmfest.org
Dublin Electronic Arts Festival
5 Moore Street, Dublin 1
Tel. + 353 1 874 6023, www.deaf2002.com
Wexford Opera Festival (20th October
- 6 November 2005)
Box Offce tel. +353 53 22 144, Fax. +353 53
24 289
info@wexfordopera.com, www.wexfordopera.com
The Wexford Opera Festival is a unique opera
festival that has been held in the charming
coastal town of Wexford for the past 50 years.
