On the island of Ireland, we love a festival. Whether you’re looking to try some local food, listen to a bit of jazz or meet your favourite author, you’ll find something to suit. Here are just a few happening around the island in April…
For tasty food that comes with a memorable experience, take a look at the
West Waterford Festival of Food. This highly rated festival in
County Waterford has been going since 2008, and this year it will run from 14 to 16 April. There’s a huge sense of community and lots of fantastic food. Expect sunrise yoga with breakfast, food photography workshops and biscuit-decorating classes amongst many other exciting opportunities. Their
digital magazine contains information on who they are and past festivals, as well as this year’s festival schedule and prices.
County Galway is well known for its festivals too, and many of Ireland’s most famous events take place in this lively county, but a special one is most definitely the
Inishbofin Arts Festival, which will run for three days from 14 to 16 April on the gorgeous island of Inishbofin. There will be music, dancing, crafts, visual arts, poetry, workshops and much more. You won’t want to miss their line-up of talented musicians including Joshua Burnside, Síomha, Rónán Ó Snodaigh & Myles O’Reilly and Clare Sands.
Literature lovers should head for the
Cúirt International Festival of Literature, from 18 to 23 April. Held in the
Galway Arts Centre in Galway city, Cúirt is one of Europe’s oldest book festivals and celebrates writing in all forms. Expect poetry masterclasses, new writing showcases, workshops, conversations and music – it’s a great opportunity to get excited about and inspired by literature.
The
Cork International Choral Festival in
County Cork was founded in 1954 and is not to be missed! From 26 to 30 April, you have the opportunity to attend a range of concerts, as well as exciting national and international music competitions. The festival’s goal is to keep developing choral music on the island of Ireland by showcasing musical talent and encouraging amateur choirs to compete for the
Fleischmann International Trophy. The
City of Derry Jazz Festival is a much-loved music event in Northern Ireland’s beautiful Walled City. Artists attend from all over the world to perform in over 70 venues across
Derry~Londonderry. The jazz festival is a celebration of “the city’s rich musical reputation, its unique history and the abundance of local jazz talent on its doorstep”. This year, performances and events will run from 27 April to 1 May.
Established in 1999, the
Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival was an attempt to revitalise
Belfast’s north city centre through culture and arts. Since then, the success of the festival has grown, and it now hosts over 150 shows in over 30 different venues. From 27 April to 7 May, you can enjoy a mixture of affordable and free events including comedy acts, musicians and storytellers.
Does our community have any favourite festivals in April?