60s street party, musical legends, film and theatre for Skibb Arts Festival

A 1960s street party, a tribute to Black and Fergus O’Farrell and appearances by Glen Hansard, Eddi Reader and Mike Hanrahan are all highlights of this year’s Skibbereen Arts Festival.

The festival, which runs from July 22nd until August 3rd is the eighth year of the event and features theatre, music, art, writing and performances of all kinds, for young and old.

Dog Tail Soup with special guest Glen Hansard will perform a tribute to musicians and songwriters Fergus O’Farrell and Colin Vearncombe, who passed away earlier this year.

Scottish superstar Eddi Reader will also perform, and traditional fans will be delighted to see the combination of Brendan Begley & Mike Hanrahan.

Theatre highlights include the ‘4 Plays in a Day’ event with four exciting new plays including Stephen Jones’ ‘From Eden’; Lee Coffey’s ‘Leper + Chip’ and Irene Kelleher’s ‘Mary and Me’.

There’s also a very unique ‘Stroll with Shakespeare’ with five scenes from five plays in five unusual venues around town.

 Poetry and spoken work highlights include readings, discussions and presentations by writers including Theo Dorgan, Liz Nugent, Claudia Carroll and Martina Devlin while West Cork-based photographer 

John Minihan will give an illustrated talk of his encounters with Samuel Beckett. 

The festival will also show a series of beautiful and thought-provoking films and documentaries from around the world, including

an exclusive screening of the recently-completed ‘Rebel Rossa’,

Steven Riley’s Listen to me Marlon; Laurie Anderson’s Heart of a Dog and an outdoor screening of cult classic Quackser Fortune has a Cousin in the Bronx.

For children, there will be a screening of the very first Walt Disney version of Snow White.

 The work of over 50 artists will also be on display, including works from the Angela Flowers Collection at Downeen;  Rita Duffy’s Souvenir Shop, the international archaeology and sculpture symposium Umha Aois and a performance of Karen Power’s Instruments of Ice by the Quiet Music Ensemble taking place amongst John Kelly’s exhibition of large paintings produced in Antartica.

The festival will open with a free 1960s ‘Street Party’ including a world premiere performance of some Beatles classics by a version of ‘Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band’ put together specially for the occasion.

 The programme also features nature and history walks and workshops for all ages.  

The launch will take place on Tuesday night, July 12th at the Riverside restaurant in Skibbereen, at 7.30pm.