Irish Embassy and Enterprise Ireland kickstart Home to Mayo countdown

THE Vice Consul of the recently opened Irish Embassy, Carina O'Brien, and Sean Mulgrew from Enterprise Ireland in Manchester popped down to Levenshulme on Friday to officially open the UK launch of Mayo County Council's Home to Mayo festival in Fred's Ale House in Levenshulme, Manchester.

The month-long festival is one of Fáilte Ireland’s flagship global series festivals and will take place from May 1 to 31.

Said Ms. O'Brien at the launch: “It is great to see Mayo Manchester taking a leading role in promoting the festival and staging their award-winning Mayo Manchester Tradfest during the last week of May. They are planning a tour of Mayo starting in north Mayo in Attymass and Ballina and then staging events in the east, west and south of Mayo, finishing at Ashford Castle in Cong.

“It promises to be a great week of Irish music, song and dance and I would urge you to press the green button now and book your trip home.”

The event featured a taste of the month-long festival. Visitors to the concerts were greeted by Paul Grainger, an Irish piper from the award-winning Fianna Phadraig Pipe Band. They were then treated to an Irish dancing display from the Keegan Academy of Irish Dance.

Live music on the night was provided by Irish singer Niamh Finan along with Joe Keegan and fiddle player Grainne White.

Mayo Manchester are staging one of the flagship events at the Home to Mayo festival with a week of traditional Irish music, song and dance events from May 26 to 31.

Tony Hennigan from Mayo Manchester commented: “It was a lovely evening and we were delighted with the support given to us the newly opened Embassy and Enterprise Ireland in Manchester, Mayo County Council and Tourism Ireland.

“It was great to meet fellow Mayo man Sean Mulgrew from Castlebar, based in Manchester with Enterprise Ireland.”