Big Days Out @ NAFCo
Women of the Fiddle Day
Friday June 29th
Regional Cultural Centre/An Grianán Theatre, Port Road, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
Showcasing some of the most prominent women in traditional music internationally the Women of the Fiddle Day includes workshops, talks and performances.
11am-1.00pm Fiddle/accompaniment workshops Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas (Scotland/USA) and Jenifer and Hazel Wrigley (Orkney) Regional Cultural Centre, Adm. Free
1.15pm Lunchtime Concert: Fiddle Belles featuring Nollaig Ní Chathasaigh and Arty McGlynn and Zoe Conway, Regional Cultural Centre, Adm. Free
4.00pm Mary Anne Kennedy (BBC) In Conversation with the String Sisters, Regional Cultural Centre, Adm. Free
8.00pm Concert: Women of the Fiddle featuring the String Sisters (Liz Carroll, Liz Knowles, Liz Doherty, Catrioan MacDonald, Annbjorg Lien and Emma Hardelin with David Milligan, James Mackintosh, Conrad Ivitsky and Tore Bruvell), The Wrigleys (Orkney), Nancy Kerr and James Fagan (England/Australia) and Andrea Beaton, Janine Randall, Dawn and Margie Beaton (Cape Breton, Canada). An Grianan Theatre, Adm. €15/€13
10.30pm Festival Club Friday with the Henry Girls, An Grianan Theatre Foyer, Adm. Free
Donegal Fiddle Day
Saturday June 30th. Bus departs Derry at 10am (return time who knows!!).
£25 incl. lunch and concert
Experience the craic and culture that surrounds the Donegal fiddle tradition on a bus tour through south-west Donegal. With tour guides Martin McGinley and Dermie Diamond and featuring performances along the way from Donegal legends, the Campbells. Includes the Strathspey Stories Concert and Pass the Fiddle Session in the Highlands Hotel, Glenties pus lunch and a sceening of the documentary on John Doherty, Fiddler on the Road.
Fiddles on the Foyle – Family Day Out
Saturday June 30th (10.00am-8pm) Queen’s Quay, Derry/Londonderry Adm. FREE
Performances by youth groups from Derry, Donegal, Scotland, Sweden and Newfoundland/ More Strings Attached/ premiere of newly commissioned piece 100 Fiddlers at 55° North by Neil Martin performed by fiddlers from the NAFCo International Youth Camp. Fiddle Art, Come and Try sessions, fiddle train, face painting … a fiddle-themed fun day out for all the family in association with Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.
From 10am: NAFCo collage. Art workshop where you can paint, stick or colour your own piece of the NAFCo puzzle!10:30 – 12:00 Come & Try Fiddle session Anyone who has ever wanted to try their hand can drop in, pick up a fiddle and have a go …
12:00 – 13:30 Kids Keilí -Come and have a dance!
2pm Premiere performance of ‘100 Fiddlers at 55° North’ by Neil Martin
14:00 – 15:30 Fiddle Hat art workshop. Using every day household items and recyclable products you can let your musical creativity go wild as you create your very own fiddle hat – which you will be able to wear for the rest of the day. With acclaimed artist Linda McCann http://www.fizzypopfairies.com/fizzypop.html16:00 – 17:30 Come & Try Bodhran session
Canada Day
Sunday July 1st , Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal 1.15pm
Adm. FREE
Celebrate Canada Day with a concert featuring Winnipeg’s bluegrass girlband Oh My Darling and the Pierre Schryer Trio (Ontario).