Féile an Fhómhair ’25, Carlow’s popular autumn bilingual festival, has an amazing programme of events lined up. Organised by Glór Cheatharlach and running from 26 September to 5 October, the festival celebrates all things local and environmental.
There’s music and song, concerts and performances, talks and workshops, sean-nós dancing, table quizzes, an Irish language film, the schools’ art competition as well as the set dancing and autumn walking weekends. There will be walks and talks and lots of opportunities to speak Irish in every day settings including Lamberts Coffee House, Moka Café and Teach Dolmain.
Féile an Fhómhair will kick off on Friday morning, 26 September with a bilingual Spraoicheist for primary schools at 10am in Éire Óg Clubhouse. Later that evening, St. Mary’s Church of Ireland will be the venue for an event reflecting on the life of Ernest Shackleton and the polar explorer’s Carlow Connections in music and song with narration by John McKenna
A very special event on the festival line up is a concert entitled “Choirs for Gaza – Ceol na gCór” when several parish and community choirs and vocal groups will combine for an evening of songs, hymns and psalms 'as Gaeilge' while the reflection will be given by the Poor Clare Sisters. The concert will take place in St. Clare’s Church, Graiguecullen on Thursday, 2nd October at 7.30pm and is being organized as a token of solidarity with the people of Palestine. Donations will be accepted on the night with all proceeds going towards the relief of hunger and suffering in Gaza.
The Seven Oaks Hotel is the place to be on the opening weekend of Féile an Fhómhair when dancing enthusiasts from Donegal to Tipperary and Galway to Wexford will travel to Carlow to enjoy a feast of set dancing at the annual and extremely popular Carlow Set Dancing Weekend running from Friday to Sunday, 26-28 September. There will be workshops each day and a Céilí Mór each night with dancing to such well known outfits as the Abbey, the Brian Boru and the Johnny Reidy Céilí Bands. Beginners as well as seasoned dancers are all welcome to the event with set dancing classes given by Syl & Liz on Saturday and Sunday mornings while a free Sean-Nós workshop will be on offer from champion dancer Irene Cunningham on the Saturday at 12.30pm.
Siúl agus Scríobh is anovel creative writing session on Sunday morning, 28th September led by Róisín Sheehy. Participants will meet at 11am at The Moka Café, Haymarket R93 F224 followed by a walk along the banks of the River Barrow. The workshop will focus on journal writing. It will be facilitated ‘as Gaeilge’ but fluency is not required and participants are welcome to write in their preferred language. Advance booking on 089 4592436
Events galore for young people
Young people are invited to take part in the many events being planned for them during the festival. As well as table quizzes for primary and post primary students there will be a trip to the IMC Cinema @ Fairgreen for exclusive screenings of the award-winning Irish language film “Fidil Ghorm”. Suitable for primary school pupils in 5th and 6th classes as well as for post primary students, the film with subtitles will be screened at IMC Cinema at 11am on Monday and Tuesday mornings, 29th and 30th September. There will also be a public screening of the film on Tuesdayevening at 7pm. The ever-popular autumn art competition for primary schools will run throughout the festival when pupils in 1st to 6th classes are invited to create a painting or artwork on the theme of An Fómhar and prizes will be awarded to the best efforts in each class category.
Ceiliúradh 35 will continue the 35th anniversary celebrations of Carlow College of Music. The concert will feature three past students Eva Kavanagh soprano, Natalie Connolly on oboe and Gillian Daly on piano with conductor Majella Swan and will be held in Cobden Hall, Carlow College on Wednesday, 1st October at 7.30pm. Admission is free but donations to Éist will be welcome.
The second weekend of Féile an Fhómhair will focus on the great outdoors with a total of sixteen walks organised by Carlow Tourism. Walkers, both seasoned and those not so experienced, will enjoy the popular Autumn Walking Weekend which will feature a whole raft of talks, walks and hikes taking place over the three days.
There are events to suit varying levels of ability but the leisurely bilingual Sunday afternoon walk along the Barrow Track from Maganey to Carlow on Sunday, 5th October at 2pm will be particularly suitable for those new to the walking scene. A courtesy bus will depart from the Liberty Tree at 1.15pm to the start point. There’s no charge but advance booking is essential to 059 9130411, 087 2857048 or info@carlowtourism.com
An Gairdín Beo, Carlow’s popular community garden, will mark the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness by hosting Autumn’s Bounty Day on Saturday, 4th October from 10.30am – 3pm. There be workshops on seeds and seed harvesting, community music and singing facilitated by Angela Keogh, a guided tour of the Cosmic Walk and a lively session with the Carlow Ukulele Players.
This year’s Féile an Fhómhair festival really has an amazing range of events. The full festival programme is available from Glór Cheatharlach and on facebook.com/glor.cheatharlach while printed copies of the brochure can be picked up at Carlow Library, Carlow Tourism, Lamberts Coffee House and Visual.
Bí páirteach agus bain taitneamh as Féile an Fhómhair ‘25.
Enquiries to 087 2857048, 085 1340047 or email emma@glorcheatharlach.ie