File na tuaithe set to be a record breaker

IT'S official - Féile na Tuaithe 2015 at the National Museum of Country Life – Turlough Park is going to be the biggest yet, with over 100 attractions, events, demonstrations and stalls for all the family.

The action will cover the entire 30-acre site and upwards of 25,000 people are expected to join in this joyful celebration of the countryside. Best of all - it's all entirely free of charge and it's all taking place from 12 noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday next, May 23 and 24.

Celebrity chefs Catherine Fulvio (Sunday) and Domini Kemp (Saturday) are causing quite a stir and tickets for their demonstrations are booking up fast. Don't be left out as places are limited. Book on the website http://www.eventbrite.ie/o/feile-na-tuaithe-8158517635. There's no charge, but tickets are essential.

Also cooking up a storm at the Féile Demonstration Kitchen are award-winning local chefs Jonathan Keane (The Lodge at Ashford Castle), Stephen Lenahan (Belleek Castle) and Chamila Mananwatta (Mulranny Park Hotel). Tickets are also available for each of these, plus the Slow Food Mayo Cooking With Kids demonstrations.

The world famous Celtic Tenors will play live at Féile na Tuaithe on Saturday. Fresh from an international tour, with more than a million album sales under their belt, this will be a show like no other.

Also playing over the weekend are The Murphy Sisters from Claremorris and the toe tapping Clew Bay Pipe Band as well as the stirring brasses of the Castlebar Town Band.

Féile will be outdoing itself this year with an amazing selection of family fun, fabulous food, creative crafts, beekeeping, horticulture, animals, fairies and scarecrows, and loads of activities for young and old. Beat a drum, try your hand at mosaics, see birds of prey and hear the animal talks, join in sean nós dancing and see if you can visit all the On Sight art installations around the grounds.

Féile is a genuinely free festival: admission is free, a free shuttle bus runs from Castlebar every half hour, and there is free car parking. A marshalled one-way system will operate in Turlough village during the festival.

There are no ATM facilities so if you fancy a little retail therapy at the craft or food stands, please come prepared.

Féile na Tuaithe would like to thank their partners and sponsors: Mayo County Council, Local Enterprise Offices (Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Sligo, Galway, Donegal), Western Development Commission, Bord Bia, The Connaught Telegraph, Midwest Radio, Spear Design, Cashin Print and Baxter.