BY RÓISE COLLINS
A new Irish language festival, An Focal Beo, is set to kick off in Letterkenny next week.
Irish language development co-ordinator for Letterkenny, Bairbre Uí Chathail, said the festival is a celebration of the richness, the imagination and the beauty of the Irish language. The festival has been created for people of all ages, backgrounds and all abilities.
“Irish is a language for the whole community so we are trying to connect as widely as we can,” she said.
The festival is starting on Friday, May 5 with a meal in the Yellow Pepper. This offers an opportunity for people to get together in a nice informal situation, to have some craic and conversation.
The meal will be followed by a session of stories and songs with award winning story teller and singer, Gearóidín Breathnach, upstairs in The Cottage Bar.
On Saturday, May 6 there will be a writing workshop. In the morning Réaltán Ní Leannáin will explore the art of prose. She will delve into the process of going from reflecting on your own experience and transforming it into something else.
In the afternoon Dubhán Ó Longáin will look at poetry, he will explore where our inspiration stems from as well as the more technical processes such as editing and writing. Both workshops will offer those attending to put pen to paper and do a bit of writing themselves.
“It doesn’t matter what experience people are coming with as long as they have a high degree of fluency in Irish,” Bairbre explained.
If you wish to attend the writing workshops please contact the Líonra Leitir Ceannain office.
On Sunday, May 7 there will be a ‘Ciorcal Comhrá’ in the Líonra Office after the 10am Irish language mass in St Eunan’s Cathedral. This is very much about building a sense of community and connection, Bairbre explained.
On Wednesday, May 10 there will be a special private screening of An Cailín Ciúin in Century Cinemas. Tickets are available on Eventbright or through the Líonra office.
This will be followed by a ‘Ciorcal Comhrá’ in Backstage Bar and Grill.
During the week Gearóidín Breathnach will also visit residents at St Eunan’s Nursing Home and the National Learning Network for some more song and storytelling.
On Saturday, May 13 there will be a story sack workshop in Letterkenny library for families. This will give families the opportunity to get creative and build up a bag of props that is all connected to the lovely story of ‘Rita agus an Dragún’.
As part of the festival there will be a poetry treasure hunt running throughout 16 shops in Letterkenny, where participants find quotes from four famous Donegal poets.
Anyone who finds all 16 lines of poetry will be entered into a draw for a €100 prize voucher.
If you would like more information on the exciting events being hosted or if you would like to book a space, contact Bairbre Uí Chathail on (074) 9127479.
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