Earagail Arts Festival: 9th - 24th July 2011

I am delighted to introduce the 23rd Earagail Arts Festival, a festival that is growing in both excellence and quality, year after year. This unique festival celebrates all that is great about Donegal music, theatre, visual arts and our native language. It provides a perfect forum to showcase Donegal's great artistic identity and wide ranging talent as well as celebrating cultural diversity - a festival that is truly inclusive. The Earagail Arts Festival is an event which we can all be proud of and it is my great honour to be associated with the festival this year.

Is cúis áthais domsa 23ú Féile Ealaíne an Earagail a chur in bhur láthair. Is féile í seo atá ag dul i bhfeabhas agus ag dul ó neart go neart, bliain i ndiaidh bliana. Is ceiliúradh í an fhéile faoi leith seo ar an cheol Chonallach, ar an amharclannaíocht, ar na hamharcealaíona agus ár dteanga dhúchais. Is ardán den scoth í d'ealaíona agus d'ealaíontóirí cumasacha an chontae agus ceiliúradh ar an ilghnéitheacht chultúrtha – cuirtear fáilte roimh chách. Is féidir linn ar fad a bheith bródúil as Féile Ealaíne an Earagail agus is onóir mhór é domsa a bheith bainteach leis an fhéile i mbliana.

Cora Harvey, Mayor / Méara

Made In Donegal - the spotlight of this 23rd Earagail Arts Festival shines on the theatrical backdrop of the county, from award winning new thespian blood to internationally recognised dramatists and unique Irish language theatre. As well as unleashing exceptionally entertaining urban dance onto the streets of Donegal, the festival hosts a truly global celebration of music. From legendary West African afrofunk to folk infused indie roots and Americana; from the Bollywood brass of Rajasthan and Donegal's acclaimed traditional musicians, to the street sounds of Chicago's hippest musical export. As always, stunning visual arts, spoken word and a series of major outdoor spectacle events for all the family will fill your festival diary. Good times .... born, bred and Made In Donegal.

The Earagail Arts Festival Team

Introduction / Réamhrá
Déanta i nDún na nGall – sa 23ú bliain seo d'Fhéile Ealaíne an Earagail beimid ag díriú ár n-airde ar an amharclannaíocht sa chontae. Beidh stiúrthóirí agus aisteoirí nua againn a bhfuil gradaim buaite acu cheana féin, mar aon le drámadóirí a bhfuil cáil idirnáisiúnta orthu, agus drámaí uathúla i nGaeilge. Le linn fhéile na bliana seo, cuirfidh damhsóirí uirbeacha den scoth siamsaíocht iontach ar fáil ar shráideanna Dhún na nGall, mar chuid de cheiliúradh ar an cheol domhanda. Beidh afrofunk as Iarthar na hAfraice le cloisteáil, ceol indie agus Americana a bhfuil rian fágtha ag an cheol tíre orthu, agus ceol práis Bollywood as Rajasthan, le cois ceoltóirí traidisiúnta Conallacha a bhfuil neart gradam bainte acu agus ceol sráide thar a bheith nuálach ó shráideanna Chicago. Mar is gnách, beidh amharcealaíona iontacha, an focal labhartha agus imeachtaí móra faoin aer againn don teaghlach ar fad. Am den scoth … Tagtha ar an saol, tógtha agus déanta i nDún na nGall.

About Earagail Arts Festival

Earagail Arts Festival is a bilingual (Irish and English language), multidisciplinary arts festival which takes place every July throughout County Donegal on the North West Atlantic seaboard of Ireland. The 23rd festival will take place between 9th and 24th July 2011.Last year's festival hosted 160 events and installations in 40 venues, spread over 20 towns and villages. Over 36,500 attended the festival during 16 days and nights in and around Mount Earagail overseeing the unique landscape of this magical county.

The Earagail Arts Festival is a venue-based music and arts festival with eclectic and alternative music, visual arts, circus and theatre programmes alongside spoken word, film, family and children centred events. We bring inspiring performers to this captivating European frontier, showcase artists from the area and provide opportunities for cultural exchange. We employ a range of venues from purpose built theatres and galleries, to village halls and outdoor venues created for the occasion, serviced by professional technical crew and production management. The level of genuine positive feedback from artists and audiences alike is testament to our core belief in ensuring the best quality experience for everyone.

Celebrating the best in international and local artists has produced a rich vein of collaborations and partnerships including Toumani Diabate and Liam OMaonlai, Donal Lunny and Cor Thaobh a Leithid, The Henry Girls with The Fox Hunt, Victor Gama and An Cosan Glas, Inishowen Gospel Choir and Moya Brennan. From movie screenings in forests and castles to innovative theatre,street arts and circus in gardens, parks and state of the art venues, our unique programme reaches out across County Donegal, so wherever youre staying youll be able to enjoy a feast of entertainment located in the heart of one of Irelands most outstanding areas of natural beauty.

Winner of Carlton Best Programme Award 2009 Association of Irish Festivals & Events