Swinford hosting bumper Síamsa Sráide Street & Arts Festival to celebrate 40 years
THE Síamsa Sráide Street & Arts Festival in Swinford is celebrating its 40th anniversary in style this August bank holiday (August 2-7).
All are invited to Swinford to enjoy a range of events for all the family, creating lasting memories and reminiscing on some old ones from festivals past.
This is a celebration of 40 years of ceol, spraoi, craic agus cómhra.
The celebrations kick off on Friday, August 2, with the official opening at 8.30 p.m. in The Gateway Hotel, with a commemorative evening with original founding members and snapshots of past events through stories, images and an archival display.
MC for the evening is Henry McGlade of the TV Ireland show and guests will enjoy musical interludes, international and Irish performances with Rob, Rory and Alannah Thornburgh.
Events on Saturday, August 3, include the indoor market in Swinford Cultural Centre, a family fun day hosted by Swinford GAA Club, the Time to Shine talent contest hosted by the Swinford Railway Players, and also a youth ceili.
Swinford Courthouse is the venue on Saturday (11 a.m.) for the Irish premiere of the award-winning documentary We're Not Making Gone with the Wind. Charting the story of Noreen Cooke who left Swinford in the 1950s to forge a new life in London, this 40 minute documentary will be screened every hour from 1 until 6 p.m.
Sunday, August 4, features free children's entertainment in the cultural centre, a seisiún ceoil na nóg with CCE in the White House, Lovefest 24 - live music, also in the White House, with a free open air concert with John McNicholl from 10 p.m. to midnight.
Bank holiday Monday morning kicks off with the Michael Comer commemorative historic walk and talk of Swinford, with a family fun children's cycle, and also fun on Chapel Street later in the day hosted by the White House.
History buffs will be intrigued by The Revolutionary Women of East Mayo and South Sligo 1918-1923, an exhibition and presentation in Swinford NS by Ann Leydon and students from St. Joseph's Community College, Charlestown, at 2 p.m. The display will also be available to view in Swinford National School during the course of the festival.
Later in the day, Meet the Diaspora is presented by Tom Purdy (USA) and Carmel McEvey (Australia) when Mayo descendants share inspirational thoughts on connecting with their Irishness in The Gateway Hotel.
The historical pagaent The Humours of Mayo takes place in the cultural centre at 8.30 p.m., presented by Swinford CCE and friends.
And the Monday events don't end there! There's a performance of the Wizard of Oz to be enjoyed, as well as a ceili in Julians.
Tuesday, August 6, is Heritage Day. This day has it all - music, workshops, stalls, drama and lots of free open-air music throughout the day and into the evening, finishing up with The Conquerors that night.
The Old Harvest Fair Day takes place on Wednesday, August 7 - always a big favourite. Again, browse the street stalls, enjoy some drama and music, including the youth busking competition, a fun run and rás, and dance into the night with Michael English.
For full details on events, pick up a festival brochure in local retail outlets or see https://siamsasraide.ie/.
Síamsa - a brief history
SWINFORD'S Síamsa Sráide Street & Arts Festival was inaugurated in 1984 to celebrate International Youth Year.
Initially it was a one-day festival but was enlarged to a five-day event after four years.
The festival is always held over the August bank holiday and finishes on the traditional Old Harvest Fair Day - the first Wednesday of August.
Síamsa Sráide was the original street festival in the west of Ireland. Over the past four decades it has developed into a movement, not just a festival.
Síamsa Sráide translates to ‘fun on the streets’ and that is exactly what this festival successfully achieves each year.
The activities throughout the festival promote history, heritage, arts and crafts, music, youth, Gaeilge, sport, tourism and enterprise. It continuously raises the profile of this vibrant east Mayo town.
Its success down through the years has been recognised by numerous awarding bodies including National Pride of Place, First Active Bank Award for Tourism, Most Renowned Traditional Irish Culture Festival in East Mayo by Mayo County Council, Awards of Excellence by Mayo 5000 and Mayo Naturally, Mayo Diaspora Award and Mayo Association of Dublin Meitheal Award, Mayo Emigrant Liaison Committee’s Irish Diaspora Award and Mayo People of the Year Award.