With a little over five weeks until opening, the line-up for Boyle Arts Festival 2019 is almost complete and the official programme will be launched in just a few weeks time.
(By Brendan McGee)
With over 50 events, including an impressive mix of live music, visual arts, opera, drama, film, comedy, interviews, workshops, storytelling, children’s events, poetry, readings and much more, Boyle is the place to be this summer!
Boyle Arts Festival will open on July 18th and run until July 27th.
Tickets for the majority of our events are now on sale through www.boylearts.com
Some of the big names to watch out for in the live music genre include The Riptide Movement, The Blizzards, Tommy Fleming, Kieran Goss with Annie Kinsella, Mary Coughlan, The Whileaways, The Swing Cats, Charlie McGettigan with Paul Harrington, Mules and Men, Flo McSweeney, Fiachra Trench and Carmel McCreagh. Watch out for gigs by local bands Fleetwood Craic and The Martyrs and exclusive album launches from Pete Higgins and Mossie Martin.
The classical music programme will include ‘Storyteller: Fairytale to Tearjerker’ with soprano, Emer Barry, tenor Eoin Hynes, pianist Niall Kinsella and violinist Lynda O’Connor, a very special performance of ‘La Boheme’ by the Harlequin Opera Company in the grounds of Boyle Abbey. The RTÉ Contempo Quartet will be joined by the Choir of St. Joseph’s Church for a unique concert in the Church of Ireland. Also look out for classical music performances by Michael McHale and Patrick Rafter during BAF 2019 along with our acclaimed series of lunchtime and coffee concerts.
A specially commissioned tradional piece entitled ‘Portal’ will celebrate the first 30 years of BAF, with a performance by Cathy Jordan, Vincent woods, John Carty and Siobhán Cleary on July 20th.
The beautifully restored King House will as always, house the centrepiece of Boyle Arts Festival – the main Visual Exhibition. Curated by Paul McKenna, the theme this year is ‘Legacy – 30 years of Boyle Arts Festival’ and the exhibition features almost 100 of the very best artists from all over Ireland. Several other exhibitions, including the highly acclaimed Local Artists Exhibition, will take place during the Festival and details will be available in the programme and local press.
Watch out for interviews with David Norris, Carole Coleman, Horslips legends – Jim Lockhart and Barry Devlin, spoken word events with Pat McCabe, Eoin McNamee, The Naggin of Knowledge, Moylurg Writers, Paul Connolly, Jane Clark and Brian Leyden, local interest readings, lectures and guided tours from Frank Tivnan, Barry Feely, Mary Timoney and Tony Conboy.
There will be outrageous comedy from Alison Spittle, drama from John McManus, Beezneez Theatre Company and The Breffni Players.
For children there will be hip-hop, fashion and art workshops, storytelling with Maria Tivnan, drama from Beluga Theatre, the always popular Exploration Dome, Town treasure trails and lots more.
For more information on Boyle Arts Festival 2019 please visit www.boylearts.com email [email protected] Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Boyle Arts Festival is supported by The Arts Council, Local Sponsors, Roscommon Co. Council and Fáilte Ireland.
