The Dubliners and Sinead O’Connor are among the acts performing at this year’s Manchester Irish Festival,  The two-week Irish festival, now in its 17th year, brings more than 200 events – covering everything from music to literature, film to sport – to scores of venues across the city. More than 200,000 people from all over the world attend the events, taking place this year between Friday, March 2, and Sunday, March 18. The centrepiece will be the festival market and entertainment marquee, in Albert Square for four days from March 8.
City centre festivities will culminate on March 11 with the St Patrick’s Day parade. The event, run by the Irish World Heritage Centre, is the biggest in the UK with more than 70 floats representing every county in Ireland.
Musical highlights of the festival include a 50th anniversary concert by The Dubliners, at Manchester Opera House on Wednesday, March 14. The following night Sinead O’Connor will play a festival concert at Manchester Cathedral. Other highlights include: The ‘I Love Mayo’ Photography Exhibition, an exhibition of photos documenting Mayo’s festivals and tourist attractions, at the Union Inn, Levenshulme and the UK debut of Ivernia – the Manchester-based Irish music orchestra, at Manchester Cathedral on March 11.
Much of the action over the two weeks will take place in the pubs of Levenshulme – home of Britain’s biggest Irish community outside London. Levenshulme will hold its own, two-week ‘Trad Fest’ – with 22 mostly free music, dance and comedy concerts.
A special traditional Irish music concert in aid of a film on Michael Davitt will be held on Friday, March 2, at the Irish World Heritage Centre in Manchester. The concert includes performances from Debbie Garvey, Steve Johnston, Dónal Maguire, Mike McGoldrick, Emma Sweeney and special-guest, singer Dick Gaughan.
Kevin Fitzpatrick, one of the festival organisers, said: “The festival line-up is one of out biggest yet, it is packed with events from intimate film screenings, to huge shows which run alongside the festival at venues such as the Manchester Arena.”
www.manchesteririshfestival.co.uk