In the summer of 1989, Donegal hosted the first ever Earagail Arts Festival, with 20 events hosted in 7 different locations. Now in its 21st year, the Festival, unique in its geographic diversity with over 100 events in 36 locations has become one of the leading arts festivals in Ireland. With thanks to you, the audience, the artists and all those who have contributed to the development of this “iconic” summer festival, we proudly celebrate this milestone birthday with a programme that takes us back to our roots and the true meaning of festival.

And so we bring the festival to the street with a major summer carnival parade through the streets of Letterkenny, created by the Inishowen Carnival Group and led by the New Orleans Hot 8 Brass Band, culminating in Ladder 13’s Village Fête at Letterkenny Town Park.

Alongside an array of internationally renowned artists including Bassekou Kouyate, Mary Black and Waterson Carthy, the Festival in 2009 showcases Donegal’s own rich cultural and artistic heritage with performances by The Stunning and Quarterdeck as well as homegrown artists paired with some surprising invited guests. Theatre presentations take on a very distinct festival feel with a hark back to the days of the great rural ballrooms in Dancing at The Ballroom of Romance; fine dining, comedy and theatrics combine in Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience and Fishamble’s award winning Forgotten takes a brief tour around the county.

From Inishowen to Falcarragh, works by Hungarian and Irish modernists compliment new exhibitions by a variety of local, national and international visual artists. And we’ve expanded our literary programme hosting two very special literary days of workshops and readings in the fantastic surroundings of Glenveagh Castle and Rathmullan House.

Bearing in mind we want you to enjoy as much of the Festival as possible, we have maintained ticket prices at rates lower than the national average across a range of shows from Culdaff to Letterkenny through to Dungloe.

Come and join the party!

Réamhrá

Tá sé fíche ‘s a haon bliain anois ó chuireadh an chéad Féile Ealaíne an Earagail i láthair, le clár beag néata d’imeachtaí spreagúla thart fá Sliabh an Earagail, ó Ghaoth Dobhair go Leitir Ceanainn. Ó shin i leith, tá fás is forbairt milteannach tagtha ar ar bhFéile seo, a chuirfidh níos mó ná 100 imeachtaibh i láthair i 36 láthreacha, i mbliana. Ba mhaith linne buíochas ó croí a ghabháil daoibhse uilig, idir muintir an phobail is ealaíontóirí, a thug tacaíocht dó is a ghlach páirt sa toghra seo, thar na blianta . Tugann muid cuireadh daoibh uilig bheith páirteach linn sa cheiliúradh ar leith seo ar theacht in aois na Féile.

Ag croílár na Féile i mbliana, beidh paráid carnabhal samhraidh againn trí sráideanna Leitir Ceanainn. Cuirfidh Grúpa Carnabhal Inis Eoghain an ócáid le chéile - le cabhair is tacaíocht ó ghrúpaí ó chuile pháirt den chondae – agus ag barr an pharáid beidh togha New Orleans, an Hot 8 Brass Band. Críochnóidh an ceiliúradh uilig i bPáirc Leitir Ceanainn le aonach carnabhal de chuid ghrúpa Ladder 13 na Gaillimhe.

Ina dteannta sin beidh Bassekou Kouyate againn ó Mali na hAifrice Thiar, beidh Waterson Carthy ag teacht anall ón mBreatain agus beidh Mary Black ag ceol in Inis Eoghain agus i nDún Lúiche, don chéad uair. Ó thaobh na drámaíochta de, beimid ag féachaint siar ar thraidisiún na hallaí damhsa tuaithe sa phobaldráma ‘Dancing at The Ballroom of Romance’, ag meascadh greann agus greim bí i ‘Fawlty Towers : The Dining Experience – dráma a d’éirigh go hiontach mhaith leis ag Féile Dhúin Éadainn anuraidh – maraon le dráma ar leith de chuid Fishamble Theatre agus Pat Kinevane – Forgotten - a thagann go Dhún na nGall don chéad uair.

Ó thaobh na físealaín de , beidh sraith taispeántaisí ar leith againn ón Ungáir maraon le seóanna úra ó rogha d’ealaíontóirí áitiúla is beidh dhá lá liteartha againn ag Caisleán Ghleann Bheithe agus ag Teach Rath Mhaoileáin.

Tuigimid fosta go bhfuil brúanna airgid ag goill ar chuile dhuine sa lá atá inniú ann is dá bharr sin, táimid ag coinniú praghasanna ár dticéidí uilig i bhfad níos lú ná in aon áit eile sa tír.

Bígí linn mar sin ag ceartlár an cheiliúradh!