Altan performed to a large crowd in Paris.
TO ENTICE our Gallic cousins to come celebrate the 25th anniversary and the year of The Gathering in Ireland, Altan recently played a free concert in Paris.
The popular band brought the sound of Donegal to a free showcase at Faites L’Europe at the Hôtel de Ville de Paris on earlier this month.
They played to a packed audience in the heart of Paris for the event marking the culmination of Ireland’s Presidency of the EU and Europe Day, with EAF, Tourism Ireland and the Irish College hosting an Irish promotional stand with a special focus on Donegal.
The concert in the French capital was hosted by the Earagail Arts Festival in association with The Irish Embassy, Mairie of Paris, Failte Ireland and Donegal County Council.
Festival Director, Paul Brown, said: “The free gig by Altan, right in the centre of Paris was such an important opportunity to promote Donegal, the festival and other Gathering events to the French market. Such was the demand for information on Donegal and the festival not one item of publicity material was left at the end of the two-day promotional stand at the Hotel de Ville (the mayors’ office in Paris).
“I’d like to thank everyone involved in the event from the members of Altan to Meg Laffan and Laura Dagg at the Irish Embassy in Paris to Tourism Ireland in Europe and Donegal County Council and especially to Jody Ackland, the co-ordinator who made it all happen.”
This special concert, was a promotional taste of one of the biggest events in Irish traditional music this year at the festival, as Altan join forces with Clannad on Saturday July 13 at the Festival Marquee, Carrickfin, for one of the Donegal flagship events of The Gathering.
Tickets for Clannad & Altan with Fidil and The Henry Girls, priced €35.50 (5 for €150) from the box office at An Grianán Theatre, Letterkenny Tel 074 9120777 or via www.eaf.ie