Comhaltas: Irish Festival of Oulu September 2010

Irish Festival of Oulu

Irish Music has travelled far afield and many songs tell of how far the singer is from clare or Tipperary or how rocky the road may be to Dublin. Depending on where in Ireland you begin, a journey of approximately 3000kms in the direction of Lapland will bring you to one of the more unusual modern Centres of Irish music, the city of Oulu in Northern Finland. With the Artic Circle within a reindeer’s roar of the city, it is not your typical place for an Irish cultural festival, but for the world’s northernmost Comhaltas Branch, it has been an annual occurrence attracting thousands from near and far to enjoy the best of Irish music, dance and culture.
South sligo music will be represented by the band Misneach, who perform regularly as part of Ceoltóirí Coleman Session group at Ceoláras Coleman in Gurteen, County Sligo. The group, featuring the likes of PJ Hernon, Michael Hurley, Junior Davey, Brian Lofthouse and Philip Duffy will also give Beginner, Intermediate and Master Workshops at the Festival.
Local talented Trad bands with names such as Cascade, The Brogues and The Soap Pig interact and perform alongside their Irish counterparts offering an artic flavour on traditional Irish Music.
In addition to top class concerts by Misneach, Altan and Beoga there will be sessions, Workshops, a weekend dance course, Irish Film and Poetry and a solo theatre performance by Tom Crean.