Minister backs the Tradfest
THE newly appointed Minister for Community and Rural Affairs, Michael Ring, has given his backing to the award-winning six-day Mayo Manchester Tradfest.
The week-long festival of traditional Irish music, song and dance has teamed up with Destination Westport and will be heading to Westport during the festival, which runs from August 3 to 9 this summer.
Overall, the Mayo Manchester Tradfest, taking place at venues around the county, will feature more than 500 performers in over 100 events.
Westport-based Minister Ring commented: “I warmly welcome the Mayo Manchester Tradfest to Westport the 7th of August. This promises to be a wonderful night of music and dancing, and will have something for everyone to enjoy. This event has been very successful in past years and I wish to compliment all involved in the organising of it. I wish Mayo Manchester Tradfest continued success for the future.”
Tony Hennigan from Mayo Manchester added: “It's great to get the support and endorsement for the festival of the new minister. We have been working with him since 2012, when he asked us to become tourism ambassadors for the hugely successful 2013 Gathering. We are delighted he has been appointed on to the front bench of the newly formed government cabinet.”
The Mayo Manchester Westport 250 gala concert on August 7 at Westport Town Hall Theatre, kindly sponsored by Rosgal Civil Engineers, Manchester, will mark the 250th anniversary of the town and features the award-winning trad band Flat Out. They will be joined by the Fianna Phadraig Pipe Band, Joe Keegan from TV show The Voice and dancers from the Keegan Academy of Irish Dance, plus Dennis McCalmount and special guests. Tickets are €10 before the end of June or €15 after from the theatre box office on (098) 28459 or online at www.westporttheatre.com.
As well as the gala concert, the festival will finish up at Matt Molloy's pub in Westport on Wednesday, August 9. Elsewhere, there will be a concentration of events around Ballina in north Mayo plus an open air event on Main Street in Castlebar. For more information about the Mayo Manchester Tradfest, visit www.mayomanchester.com.