10 THINGS TO DO DURING THE ST. PATRICK’S FESTIVAL

Tourism NI has put together a list of just 10 of the exciting things to do during the St. Patrick’s Festival taking place in Armagh, Downpatrick and Newry (March 10-20).

  • St. Patrick’s Carnival Procession, Armagh City Centre, March 17. Celebrate Saint Patrick in Armagh with a spectacular display of colour, music, dance and entertainment for all to enjoy. The theme for this year’s procession is Feasts and Wild Beasts so expect the fun, the furry and the fantastical as the parade makes its way from Palace Demesne at 1.30pm, through the city centre and ending up in the grounds of Cathedral Road Recreation Centre.
  • Beoga in Concert, The Great Hall, Downpatrick, March 16. Beoga (Gaelic for ‘lively’) have become one of the most exciting and influential groups in modern traditional Irish music, whose unique sound features the twin duelling accordions of Damian McKee and Seán Óg Graham, pianist Liam Bradley, four times all-Ireland bodhrán champion Eamon Murray and Niamh Dunne on vocals. They will be joined by renowned Irish Dancers including home grown sensation Celtic Storm who have toured the world in various shows.
  • Following in the Spiritual Footsteps of Saint Patrick, Armagh and Downpatrick, March 19. An opportunity to follow in the spiritual footsteps of Saint Patrick, starting at Navan Centre and Fort, through Armagh City to Slieve Patrick, Saul and Downpatrick. There will be a screening of the film, “Footsteps of St. Patrick” during the day as well as a night of traditional music from Cathal Hayden, Donal Murphy and Seamie O’Dowd. Begins at 10.45am with a bus departing Downpatrick at 9.15am. Pre-booking is essential through either Armagh or Downpatrick Visitor Centres.
  • The Ulster Orchestra, St. Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Armagh, March 19. In this special concert, the Ulster Orchestra makes a very welcome return to Armagh, under the baton of Robert Houlihan with two special guest soloists. The evening’s music has been specially chosen to celebrate the relationship between the spiritual and the earthly as reflected in our human experience. Show begins at 7.30pm.
  • An Evening with Patrick, Market Place Theatre, Armagh, March 15. Armagh Cathedral Partnership invites you to an evening of music, story, poetry and prayer at the Market Place Theatre. During the evening, a guest speaker will invite the audience to reflect on Patrick and Ireland Today. It promises to be a very special evening as part of Armagh’s St. Patrick’s celebrations. Admission is free and light refreshments will be served. Show begins at 8pm.
  • St. Patrick’s Landing and Food Banquet, Inch Abbey, Downpatrick, March 13. The re-enactment of St. Patrick’s landing will take place at Inch Abbey, using the River Quoile where visitors will have the opportunity to purchase food from the medieval banquet. Begins at 2pm, with free park & ride available from Down Business Park at 1pm.
  • St. Patrick’s Family Fun Day, The Shambles Yard, Armagh, March 17. Let your creativity flow in the wild beasts craft corner, be entertained by the talent on the community stage or take part in family activities pitting your wits against the last man standing in this fun afternoon for all the family. From 2.30 – 5pm.
  • Celebrate Saint Patrick: Festival Choral Event, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, March 12. This reflective and celebratory event honouring St. Patrick will combine some of Ireland’s greatest choirs with actors, singers and some special guest artists. It is sure to be an atmospheric evening with some world class music. Begins at 8pm.
  • Artisan Food Market, St. Patrick Square, Downpatrick, March 17. The market will offer excellent food produce of local provenance in a traditional style marketplace setting. Make sure to visit and enjoy a tasty treat. From 10am – 6pm.
  • St. Patrick’s Day Concert, Armagh City Centre, March 17. Crowds gathering in the city centre will be entertained by a full programme of music including popular country-blues band, The Nooks, with broadcaster Lynette Fay as MC for the afternoon. Show begins at 12.30pm.

Please note some of the events require pre-booking. For more details on these and other events click on www.discovernorthernireland.com/events, visit your local tourist information centre or log onto www.facebook.com/discovernorthernireland

Jacqueline from whatsonni.com shares her pick of What’s On this week across NI

Down

Join  Downpatrick Racecourse for their first horse racing meeting of 2016 on Wednesday the 2nd of March!  ‘Day at the Races’ fundraising packages available on certain race days to raise some much needed funds for your club or charity.

Armagh

Conal Gallen is back at the Market Place Theatre this Saturday 5th March, with what promises to be his best show yet, jam-packed with over two hours of hilarious jokes, stories and songs which will have you in stitches from start to finish!  Loved by audiences young and old, Conal has proved time and time again why he is Ireland’s funniest man with his hilarious, side-splitting brand of comedy. Early booking is strongly advised.

Fermanagh

Visit Fermanagh’s most popular visitor attractions for FREE! Many of Fermanagh’s visitor attractions will open their doors for free as part of the Discover Fermanagh Open Weekend which takes place 4th to 6th March 2016. The open weekend is the perfect opportunity for you to visit and experience some of Fermanagh’s top visitor attractions, free of charge.

Tyrone

Ed Masters, Ireland’s biggest illusionist, brings  his jaw-dropping new show ‘Life of Illusion’ to the Strule Arts Centre Omagh this Friday 4th March. Juxtaposing traditional sleight of hand magic and big box illusions with mind-boggling predictions and cutting edge escape stunts, this family-friendly show is bound to thrill and amaze audiences of all ages!

Derry

After their hit Stitched Up which sold out at the Lyric, c21 present another satirical, biting comedy from Jenkinson, Love or Money at the Roe Valley Arts Centre Limavady this Saturday 5th Marcy.  Eilis is a forty-something solicitor who’s back in the dating game whilst trying to rebuild her law career. Online she meets Connor and sparks fly, but will she choose love or money? Finance and fidelity entangle in a tug-of-love to keep business – and love – afloat in this hilarious play.

Antrim

Thirteen of Jane Austen’s heroines come to life in “Austen’s Women” this Friday at the Theatre at the Mill, Newtownabbey, boldly revisiting of some of literature’s most celebrated works. Using only Austen’s words, Rebecca Vaughan becomes Emma Woodhouse, Lizzy Bennet, Mrs Norris, Miss Bates and nine other beautifully observed women in critical moments from the major novels (including Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma) and lesser known or unfinished works. Directed by Olivier Award winner, Guy Masterson (Morecambe).

Belfast

Mum’s go Free this Sunday at Belfast Zoo!  Don’t forget to visit all of the animal ‘mums’ at feeding time and to take your mum to the cafe for a free cuppa!
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Full Length Drama Festival

Newtownabbey Full Length Drama Festival returns to The Courtyard Theatre from Mon 14 – Sat 19 March, with a rich selection of exciting plays by amateur dramatic groups from across Northern Ireland and beyond.

The Programme kicks off on Monday 14 March with Rosemary Drama Group presenting   Kindertransport by Diane Samuels.  Between 1938 and the outbreak of the war, almost 10,000 unaccompanied German children were sent by their parents to foster homes in Britain. Many parents did not survive the war. Nine year old Eva ends up in Manchester. When her parents fail to escape from Germany, the child changes her name and begins a process of denial of her roots. Eventually through her own daughter she is forced to confront her past.

On Tuesday 15 March Theatre 3 Newtownabbey perform Lee Blessing’s A Walk in the Woods. A wood on the outskirts of Geneva, two superpower arms negotiators – a Russian and an American – meet informally after long frustrating hours at the bargaining table.  As seasons pass a strong friendship develops between the two men, and when the Russian announces he is retiring, the American looks upon his leaving with both genuine regret and fears about who will replace him.

Wednesday 16 March, Bart Players perform in Rumours. This riotously funny farce centres on the efforts of 8 party guests to spare their unfortunate host, and themselves from scandal. It opens with Ken and Chris who have found their host Charley, a government minister, in his bedroom with a bullet wound to his ear lobe. Neither his wife nor the servant is there. As the other guests arrive, the tissue of lies they weave to cover up the scandalous event becomes more and more fantastic. And then two police officers arrive! 

Thursday 17 March, The Clarence Players will take to the stage in Brighton, a gentle comedy.  Jack, a professional actor, arrives in the Sisters of Calvary Nursing Home having been paralysed in an accident. We follow him on his journey of acceptance of his condition.

On Friday 18 March, Ballyshannon Drama Society performs Old Times by Harold Pinter.  Deeley and his wife Kate are visited by Anna, a mysterious friend pf Kate’s from long ago. What begins as a trip down memory lane quickly becomes something more, as long-simmering feeling of fear and jealousy begin to fuel the trio’s passions, sparking a seductive battle for power?

Belvoir Players round off the Festival on Saturday 19 March with their moving performance of After Dresden by Philip Orr.  The play interweaves the stories of the formation of the Ballycastle based Corrymeela Community for peace and reconciliation with the WW2 experiences of the Corrymeela founder Ray Davey (called Tom Moore in the play) and the murder of a young man in the N.I. troubles in the 1970’s.   A central part of the action outlines Davey’s relationship with the matriarch of a German family, Frau Klein, during his time at Hohnstein.

Why not join us for what promises to be a Festival of moving, funny, at times ironic, and often hilarious productions performed by some of the best community companies performing in Ireland today.

Festival tickets are available in person at one of our box offices, by telephone on 028 9034 0202, or online at www.thecourtyardtheatre.com

Celebs’ Sign-Up Call for Belfast Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games

#proud #SR16 #Belfast

Miss Northern Ireland, Leanne McDowell, and BBC Northern Ireland personalities Lynette Fay and Barra Best are getting behind the 2016 Belfast Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games. They’re calling for people to sign up to run, walk, swim or cycle themselves proud on Sunday 20 March. You can sign up for the Belfast Flagship Mile, Cycle or Swim by visiting www.sportrelief.com/belfast for details on how to register, tips and fundraising inspiration.

BBC Northern Ireland personalities Barra Best and Lynette Fay and Miss Northern Ireland, Leanne McDowell, are getting behind the 2016 Belfast Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games.  They’re calling for people to sign up to run, walk, swim or cycle themselves proud.

No sporting talent? No problem!  It’s all about getting active in a good cause and everyone’s welcome to join in the Belfast’s official Flagship Games on Sunday 20 March.

Whether you’re eight or eighty; a committed athlete or usually more of a couch potato, you can choose your own pace to raise cash and change lives.

Belfast is one of just six cities across the UK chosen to host a 2016 Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Flagship Games and the main Event Village will be at Custom House Square, with activities and festival vibe from 9am through to 1pm.  That’s the starting point for the Belfast Mile which loops around the city centre … tackle just one mile at a walk, jog or run … or go for three or six miles: the choice is up to you! Join host Pete Snodden and warm up with Better Gyms and Fitness Freddie, get on down with the Queen’s Elite Dance Team and enjoy the music and craic!

Queen’s Sport PEC will be the venue for the Swim challenge, with the option to Swim alone or as part of a team over 1.5k, 2.5k or 5k. It’s also the starting point for the Family Cycle which finishes at the Event Village.

Calling on people to get up and get into the spirit of Sport Relief on Sunday 20 March, Barra Best said, “This is fun fundraising and, whatever your level of fitness or ability, there’s an opportunity to have a go, have a laugh and, most important of all, raise money that will help to transform people’s lives.”

Having challenged Barra to go head to head with her in the Mile, Lynette Fay added, “It’s all for a good cause after all. Half of all the money raised by the public for Sport Relief is used to make a difference here at home. The other half is used to transform lives across the world’s poorest communities. What’s not to love?  Get together with friends and family and make this a day to remember!”

Backing the call for sign ups, Eamonn Donaghy, Fund Development Manager at the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, said: “The Community Foundation is delighted to be distributing grants in Northern Ireland on behalf of Sport Relief. We have seen first-hand how these grants can make an amazing difference in communities throughout Northern Ireland, including in disadvantaged or rural areas with poor facilities. We would encourage people to support the Belfast Sport Relief Games in March so that along with Sport Relief, the Community Foundation can help make life that bit better for even more people here.”

To sign up for a Belfast Games event and walk, run, swim or cycle yourself proud, visit www.sportrelief.com/belfast where you’ll find tips and inspiration for fundraising. Registration for either the Belfast Mile or Family Cycle costs: Adults £11, Child £5 and Family £27 (2 adults & 2 children). Registration for the Swim costs £12 for Adults, Concessions* £9.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS & FALL OUT BOY CONFIRMED FOR TENNENT’S VITAL 2016

TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY 11th MARCH AT 9AM

#tennentsvital

Tennent’s Lager and MCD today (4th March) confirmed that Tennent’s Vital is back for 2016 with a red hot line up for Boucher Road Playing Fields on Thursday 25th August.

Taking to the main stage for what promises to be a phenomenal headline set will be Red Hot Chili Peppers joined by special guests, Fall Out Boy.

One of the most successful acts in rock history, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have sold over 60 million albums, including five multi-platinum LPs.  They have six Grammy Awards to their credit, including ‘Best Rock Album’ for Stadium Arcadium, ‘Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group’ for Dani California, ‘Best Rock Song’ for Scar Tissue and ‘Best Hard Rock Performance With Vocal’ for Give It Away …  creating for themselves a worldwide fan base that spans the generations.  The band holds the all-time record for most No.1 singles at Alternative Radio – a total of eleven singles with a combined 81 weeks at No.1. No surprise, then, when the band which came together in LA back in 1983 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.

The US giants of rock  last played Belfast as part of the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2011, and RHCP’s return to Northern Ireland has been hotly anticipated with much speculation on whether singer Anthony Kiedis, bass player Flea, drummer Chad Smith and guitarist Josh Klinghoffer would play Tennent’s Vital.

Chicago’s favourite rockers, Fall Out Boy, made it big on the international stage with a run of amazing albums. Infinity On High hit the No.1 album slot in 2007 and Save Rock And Roll took the slot again in 2013.  American Beauty/American Psycho was their sixth studio album, spinning off three solid chart singles: Centuries, Uma Thurman, Irresistible (featuring Demi Lovato).  The album also includes an alternate version of Immortals, the band’s RIAA Gold, UK No 1 single from the soundtrack of the record-setting Disney movie, Big Hero 6.

Although the Illinois foursome – of Patrick Stump, Pete Wentz, Andy Hurley and Joe Trohman – have been making mega hits for 10 years,  it wasn’t until November last year that they won their first American Music Award for favourite artist.

Brian Beattie, Marketing Director for Tennent’s NI, said:

“It’s fantastic to be announcing we’ve secured The Chili Peppers to headline Tennent’s Vital 2016 – they’re undoubtedly one of the biggest bands in the world with a great reputation for their amazing live shows so we’re expecting big things!  Fall Out Boy is a fabulous addition to the bill and we’re well into negotiations to secure still more big names to make this an amazing Summer of music in Belfast.

“Tennent’s Vital has earned a unique place as a highlight of Northern Ireland’s music calendar and each year we have to up the ante by delivering top international plus fresh home-grown talent. You may feel that 2015 was, literally, a hard act to follow, but 2016 is already shaping up to be something special – all credit to our industry-leading partners at MCD!  And there’s more to come, with further announcements due over coming months.”

Last year’s Tennent’s Vital saw a top line-up including Calvin Harris, Ellie Goulding, The Script and Kodaline play to some 65,000 music fans at Boucher Road Playing Fields, and this year’s event is set once again bring some of the best musical talent on the planet to Belfast for an unforgettable festival experience.

Fans can get their hands on tickets for Thursday 25th August, headlined by Red Hot Chili Peppers and featuring Fall Out Boy, when they go on sale on Friday 11th March from www.ticketmaster.ie. Fans of Tennent’s Lager on Facebook will have exclusive priority access to the Tennent’s Vital pre-sale from Wednesday 9th March – join www.facebook.com/tennentslagerni to find out how to reserve your ticket before they go on sale to the general public.

Ticket Information

Tickets for Tennent’s Vital 2016 – Thursday 25th August at Boucher Road Playing Fields will go on general sale from 9am on Friday 11th March, priced as follows:

  • Thurs 25 August, Boucher Road Playing Fields – Red Hot Chili Peppers and Fall Out Boy: £49.50 including booking fee.
  • Tickets can be secured via Tennent’s Vital’s official ticket partner www.ticketmaster.ie
  • Tickets are also available in person from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide or via the 24hr Telephone hotlines: (NI / UK) 0844 847 2455/ (ROI) 0818 719 300.

Tennent’s Vital is an over 16s event.  However, a parent aged 25 and over can take up to two under 16s to the show.  Parents will be required to show age identification and sign a consent form in order to gain admission on the day. Under 16s must be accompanied by their parent at all times. Bars will operate a strict Challenge 25 policy.

SOLVE YOUR DENIM DILEMMAS

Ladies the hunt for the perfect fitting jeans is often as elusive as the hunt for the perfect man.

Although we think we know what we want, in reality our picker can be somewhat off and we need some expert advice on what is right for us.

Helps is at hand from the Fairhill Centre, as the leading retail outlet brings us the latest 3D body scanning technology and combines it with a free body shaping and styling event.The ‘Jeanetics-It’s All In The Jeans’ event will take place on Saturday 12 from 11am-5pm and Sunday 13 March from 1 pm-5 pm.

Grainne Devine from Fairhill said, “SS16 is a massive season for denim and there is nothing more satisfying than getting a well fitting pair of jeans that will make you look and feel great. Our 3D body scanner will define everyone’s body shapecategorising them in one of five shapes. This is a free event and we encourage shoppers to come along to check out their true body measurements. So many of our stores have denim ranges from Topshop, Miss Selfridge, River Island andNext among others so you will make sure you look hot to trot this season.”

In preparation for the Jeanetics event, here are some denim do’s and don’ts to keep you in style for SS16

  • Avoid over treated pairs. Ripped, whiskered (the ugly white lines across your thighs) and very worn looking are not a good look this season.
  • Watch your length. A little ankle on show is a good thing; a straight pair with material bunched around the ankle is not a popular choice.
  • With footwear think opposites: A slim leg benefits from a chunkier shoe (like a brogue or loafer), a stiletto only really looks modern with a boyfriend or looser cut. Skinny heels and skinny jeans is very Wag. Avoid.
  • Remember is our body shape can change and the style we wore in our twenties doesn’t mean they will still suit us in our thirties. Get the right fit, rather than just going for the latest trend.
  • Keep an eye on the pockets as they can make a real difference in shaping your behind.  A button down pocket will give a curvy J-Lo effect as they will ‘lift’, pocket seams that draw down into a point will give added definition and bigger pockets are also good for balancing.

More information can be found at www.facebook.com/FairhillShoppingCentre

Pots of fun for everyone at St Patrick’s Celebration

Follow the end of the rainbow to Solitude Park on Saturday 19 March 2016 as Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council host a plentiful pot of free fun for everyone with the annual St Patrick’s Family Fun Day.

The Nooks will perform as part of Banbridge's St Patrick's Day celebrations.

The craic gets underway at 2pm and runs until 4pm and features a host of music, activities and entertainment guaranteed to get you in the mood for a sensational St Patrick’s party.

The live music kicks off with the fantastic foot tapping Fireside Folk getting everyone up for a jig and a hoolie before the fabulous Nooks take to the stage with their quirky adaptations of modern and classic rock and pop hits.

Activities on offer for younger revellers include fun inflatables and amusement rides, face painting, balloon modellers, arts & crafts workshops, giant garden games plus a ‘treemendous’ treasure hunt with a difference! For those who fancy creating a bit of a splash, Banbridge Kayak and Canoe Club will be offering ‘come and try’ taster sessions.

Come along and meet the Fizzy Fairy the happy-go-lucky magical woodland sprite and some of her friends including Tight-Fisted O’Lanaghan, Medusa, and Leary Quinn the leprechaun who will be sure to have you craicing-up with their mischievous shenanigans

For further information contact Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council on 028 4066 0609, go to the council website at www.armaghbanbridgecraigavon.gov.uk or follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/armaghbanbridgecraigavon

Something Different Going on in Ards, Comber and Holywood

Alice is considering a short break after Curiously Comber on Thursday 24 March so she nipped into Getaway Travel to speak to Sharon Eadie – Chair of Comber Commerce Group.

Ards, Comber and Holywood will be hosting special free family events over the upcoming Easter Weekend to celebrate the completion and progress of Public realm works, revitalising three of the towns in Ards and North Down.

Alice in Wonderland will help visitors explore Curiously Comber on Thursday 24 March.

The newly refurbished Conway Square will be transformed into Ards Adventure Arena for the day on Friday 25 March.

Hooray for Holywood will see the glitz and glam of ‘Tinseltown’ come to the town on Tuesday 29 March.

Information on all these events can be found at www.visitardsandnorthdown.gov.com

Tinderbox Theatre Company Remounts Award-Winning Playwright’s work for 2016 Tour

This Spring, Tinderbox Theatre Company is proud to see the return of an audience favourite for an intimate tour at select venues across Northern Ireland.

The Virgin Father, written by award-winning playwright Jimmy McAleavey, directed by Michael Duke, starring Stewart Ennis with stage design from Ciaran Bagnall tells a love story about the temptation to believe.

The intense 70 minute monologue gives audiences a glimpse into the life of Joe (played by Ennis) – a normal man who fell in love with and married Mary, the quiet girl in the village who was carrying someone else’s child. Failing to deal with his wife’s delusions about the pregnancy and keeping his son from joining a cult, Joe finds himself being hunted down after the disappearance of his wife.

Written by award-winning playwright Jimmy McAleavey (Monsters, Dinosaurs, Ghosts; Unhome and The Sign of The Whale) – this beautiful yet challenging piece of early work from McAleavey was first shown by Tinderbox in 2009 and has remained an audience and industry favourite ever since. Winner of the Stewart Parker Major Bursary for The Sign of the Whale in 2010, McAleavey’s theatre work has been performed on some of Ireland’s most recognised stages including the Lyric and MAC theatres in Belfast and at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre. Recently, the talented playwright was awarded £15,000 by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland for his impressive contribution to the arts in the region. Previous recipients of this accolade include playwrights Owen McCafferty, Damian Gorman and Carlo Gebler.

Speaking about the tour, Jimmy McAleavey commented:

“I’m delighted The Virgin Father is being remounted at Easter 2016. It’s a play about martyrdom, political conflict and faith – in political ideas as well as religion – so it chimes with the centenary of the Easter Rising. Of course, it’s no coincidence that those particular Irish rebels chose Easter to mount their insurrection.’

Hanna Slättne, Dramaturg at Tinderbox, said:

“The Virgin Father was and remains one of my favourite Tinderbox productions – beautifully written, cleverly directed, perfectly acted and with flawless stage design. The subtle themes of parenthood, faith, childhood rebellion, identity and state oppression are as relevant in 2016 as they were when I first read the script in 2008 and then helped develop it with Jimmy for stage in 2009. This remount of the Virgin Father will give audiences a rare opportunity to experience one of Northern Ireland’s modern classics.”

Tour Dates & Venue Locations

15 March, 8pm
Cushendall Golf Club
£8
028 9043 9313 / Tickets on the door

18 March, 8pm
Down Arts Centre
£12
028 4461 0747 / downartscentre.com

19 March, 8pm
The Playhouse, Derry
£10 / £8
028 71 268027 / derryplayhouse.co.uk

29 March – 2 April, 8pm (3pm Sat matinee)
Lyric Theatre Belfast
£12-£15 / £10
028 9038 1081 / lyrictheatre.co.uk

Damien Dempsey – Irish Band Tour add Belfast, Northern Ireland date.

Damien Dempsey has confirmed a return to Mandella Hall, Belfast on Friday 8th April, as part of his full band Irish tour, having sold out the venue previously in 2014. Tickets are on sale now from all usual Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

Damien Dempsey is a singer and songwriter who has never shied away from politics or history. The songs contained on his six studio albums and numerous live releases are essentially songs about people, the human condition, the Irish identity, if you like. For this special performance Damien will draw upon the repertoire you would likely hear at his infamous Christmas shows but with the addition of specially chosen songs that will reflect the occasion the entire country is marking, in tribute to the men and women of the Easter Rising.

March / April 2016 Irish Tour Dates

Wed 16th March – Róisín Dubh, Galway

Thurs 17th March – Róisín Dubh, Galway

Sat 19th March – Dolans, Limerick

Sun 27th March – Vicar St, Dublin

Fri 1st April – Cork Opera House

Sat 2nd April – National Opera House, Wexford

Fri 8th April – Mandela Hall, Belfast

Sat 9th April – Fusion Venue, Drogheda

Easter 1916 was a seminal moment in the evolution of Ireland from an oppressed society to the celebrated multi-cultural country it is now. It was a turning point of sorts, a strong-willed change in the direction and destiny of the Republic.

In more oppressed times, song and oral tradition was a means of communication and radical thought that could bypass the censorship of the ruling classes. Song, of course, has remained one of the most essential forms of documentation of our lives.

In his songs, Damien examines everyday struggles that affect us all, such as depression, poverty, addiction, but more broadly how the weight of history has burdened the mood and confidence of a creative society – not just in Ireland, but around the globe and throughout history. But as much as he faces up to the grave consequences of these subjects what he ultimately manages to do is celebrate the spirit of defiance and freedom with huge, emotional, boisterous heart-lifting songs. Damien’s sense of empathy, love and community all conspire to create an atmosphere of optimism. His voice is booming and proud. His band bring together the ancient and the modern in a rock-steady groove. Musically, Damien’s journey is one of diversity and collaboration, uniting folk, traditional Irish music, rock, Jamaican music and rap into a melting pot that reflects the journey he has seen his own country embark upon.

Don’t miss Damien Dempsey this spring at the intimate surrounds of the Mandella Hall, Belfast. Tickets are priced £18.00 including booking fee and can be purchased online from www.ticketmaster.ie and all usual outlets including DV8, Belfast. 24 Hr CC bookings from 0844 847 2455.

www.damiendempsey.com