New York, June 5, 2019 – 34 million Americans claim Irish heritage and it’s with this in mind that Ireland is launching a global festival series to celebrate our great culture. After a successful pilot program in 2018, a range of fantastic events will take place in Ireland encouraging people with Irish roots, and those who simply enjoy Irish culture, to come and celebrate what it means to be Irish.
Tourism Ireland is delighted to be joined by the Consul General of Ireland and colleagues from Ireland to launch events taking place in Limerick and Donegal this Fall including the Richard Harris International Film festival, Donegal Connect and I.NY.
Billy Condon, Vice President Marketing Tourism Ireland USA said
“We are delighted to join with Consul General Ciaran Madden and our colleagues from Failte Ireland in launching this exciting new Irish cultural offering. The links between Ireland and the US are many and we hope these new energetic and contemporary festivals will encourage those who hold Ireland dear to join us and to travel to Ireland to celebrate our shared love for all things Irish.
Mr Condon continued,
It has never been easier to get to Ireland and the Global Festival Series is yet another great reason to make the trip. Last year we welcomed almost 2 million visitors from North America to the island of Ireland. We are confident that our strategy for growth, extensive marketing programme combined with more airline seats, and competitiveness of the vacation experience around the island of Ireland, will deliver further growth through year end and into 2020.”
In September and October, Donegal will play host to a number of special festivals and events that will be of particular interest to friends and family who want to experience Ireland at its seasonal best. The North West will host Donegal Connect which will feature world renowned Donegal artists playing at iconic venues throughout the county, Donegal plays being performed, a range of business, investment and skills symposia with key speakers to walks, runs and island visits. Aer Lingus have supported the initiative with special reduced airfares for flying to Donegal Airport from anywhere in the USA.
Irish Consul General Ciaran Madden, “
The Global Irish Festivals series offers a wonderful opportunity for all of us to celebrate what it means to be Irish. Culture is an enormous part of Irish identity and the projection of that identity globally. As a nation we are renowned for our writers, actors and artists, so what better way to connect with the warm heart of Ireland than by attending some of these festivals to enjoy the very finest traditional and contemporary culture and heritage that Ireland has to offer.”
Further south along the Wild Atlantic Way, Limerick City and County Councils are collaborating with I.NY and Richard Harris International Film Festival on ‘Global Limerick’. I.NY explores and celebrates the relationship between Ireland and New York.
The Richard Harris International Film Festival actively promotes and encourages emerging and independent film-makers and artists to choose Limerick for movie production.
Ciara Sugrue, Head of Festivals, Fáilte Ireland said: “
The Global Irish Festival Series aims to motivate those abroad to reconnect by visiting their home county thus enabling local communities across Ireland to deepen connections with diaspora around the world. The initiatives in Limerick and Donegal will offer a host of events from sport to music and film. The Global Irish Festival Series is the perfect way to experience the Wild Atlantic Way this fall, and we look forward to welcoming our diaspora home to enjoy these great festivals and events.”
The festival series was officially launched with a special performance by Chris Byrne, a legend in the Irish American music scene in New York. Sensing the energy brought on by a new wave of Irish immigrants in the early nineties, he gave up his day gig as a New York City cop in the Times Square precinct. Chris started the band Paddy A-GoGo with Eileen Ivers and Pat McGuire and released the acclaimed album
Keep It Reel. He went on to form the band Seanchai and The Unity Squad and now a trad band called The Lost Tribe Of Donegal.
For more information on Global Irish Festivals check out
www.wildatlanticway.com/globalirish
If you are interested in an interview or receiving more information on Global Irish Festivals please contact Ruth Moran at Tourism Ireland, telephone 212 418 0832 or email rmoran@tourismireland.com