Thursday is warming up...

Well we're only getting started and so far it's been a good start. Today the sun came out and Drogheda looked fantastic.

I went to collect the rest of my tickets from the Box Office @ Highlanes and could not resist a trip in to the gallery to see the Flicks exhibition (admission free and runs 7 days until Sun 21 June). It is very impressive how film takes over such a huge space so well.

J. Tobias Anderson's "Sliced Classics" dominated the upper and lower gallery and really set the tone and atmosphere but I think my favorite was Martin Healy's "Little Devils", a three-screen installation was a little erie!

I'm looking forward to the installations of Flicks also at the Droichead Arts Centre and also the Railway Station. If you have any comments or feedback let us know.

Today we also had two shoes for Children and Families at the Little Duke by Nico Brown & Martin Brunsden. Seashore show (which I didn't see but by all accounts is going down very well) and Instant Orchestra. I hope to have reviews on those tomorrow for you.

This evening it's SJ McArdle at the Droichead Arts Centre and I'm on my way there now .. more tomorrow!

Wednesday at the Arts Festival...

Wednesday is opening night and we kick off the festival with a focus on the Visual Arts...

"Flicks - the cinematic in art" is curated by Cliodhna Shaffrey and uniquely takes place in three venues in Drogheda, Highlanes Gallery, Droichead Arts Centre @ Stockwell Street and Drogheda Railway Station. Flicks brings together work of nine artists who draw on and are inspired by film to create new original works of high imagination.

Later this evening at 8pm in the Droichead Arts Centre, Stockwell Street Theatre why take in a screening of a classic Hitchcock film, North by Northwest, which features in the visual arts exhibition Flicks.

Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason star in this 2 hour masterpiece of intrigue and suspense interlaced with black humour

Admission is 6 euro available from the Droichead Ticket line 041-9833946 or if there are tickets left at the door.


I for one will am looking forward to the opening at the Highlanes this evening and I look forward to seeing you there at at 6:30.

Festival Time!

Well here we are at last - the first day of the 5th Annual Drogheda Arts Festival ...

Tonight is opening night and with the help of our followers on Twitter we aim to keep a record of this year's festival in a truly unique way.

Our many followers including Kelly McKenna, SJ McArdle, Shane Murphy, Sian Moloney and will be tweeting and sending photos to us and within 24 hours I hope to have them compiled and and published here on the blog for all to see.

So get your glad rags on and hope to see you tonight at the grand opening in the Highlanes Gallery at 6:30 for the official opening of the Festival and the first event: "Flicks, the cinematic in art".

PS there are some tickets for various events being raffled on http://www.mumstown.ie/competitions/ ... check those out before the raffle closes!

Music, Music, Music - Spoilt for Choice!

I've just been reading over the programme again trying to decide what I have to miss this weekend as I can't fit it all in!

Seriously though I think we are spoilt for choice this weekend, take music events alone...


Thursday we have our own SJ McArdle who is just back from Germany where he was touring with Reamonn.


Friday "The Rest is Noise: the Music of Alexander Knaifel" at St Peter's Church of Ireland includes performances from The Callino Quartet, Oleg Malov piano, Elizabeth Cooney violin, Elizabeth Wilson cello, Joachim Roewer viola, Patricia Rozario soprano. Another fantastic world call comtempory music event brought to the Drogheda Arts Festival in association with Louth County Council Arts Service and Louth Contemporary Music Society.


Friday also sees Mercury and Choice prize nominated singer songwriter Fionn Regan. Fionn is in the studio at the moment so lets hope for some previews of the upcoming album.

Saturday you hear the Tangos, Chacareras & Milongas from South America with Lunfardia at the d hotel.


At the Star and Cresent, External Sounds present, "Sister Brother Music Lover" featuring Super Extra Bonus Party. This band from West Dublin and Kildare bring there upbeat eclectic blend of indie and hip hop to the Drogheda Arts Festival - high-octane enough for you? Bring it on!

Sunday continues the Festivals commitment to Irish traditional music with Donal O’Connor (fiddle) & Martin Meehan (flute) at 1pm while at 3 Irish traditional singer and flautist Nuala Kennedy performs a range of material from across the Irish and Scottish traditional music repertoires.


...and we're not finished there ... at 8pm in St Peter's Church of Ireland don't miss the The Funeral Band! With the legendary piping of Liam O' Flynn, the fire of Sean Keane's fiddle-playing, the angelic voice of Rita Connolly, the ebullience of Seamus Begley's West Kerry box style, the keyboard craftsmanship of Rod McVey, the flair of Artie McGlynn's guitar, the drive of Noel Eccles - percussion maestro, the band supported by the musicianship and arranging talents of composers Neil Martin and Shaun Davey.... This is The Funeral Band!


Legendary UK DJ Norman Jay is in The Purple Room, Star and Crescent - doors 11pm - need I say more?


Monday does not disappoint either with Eliza Carthy (2 time Mercury Prize nominee) plays Stockwell Street Theatre. Having recorded with artists as diverse as Paul Weller, The Wainwrights, Billy Bragg, Nick Cave and Joan Baez Eliza Carthy brings a world class folk experience to Drogheda.


Can't wait.

A Memory from the 2008 festival

I was searching for images relating to this year's festival when I came across this blog from a guy called 'Shardul' of New Zealand. He had a lovely entry documenting the Traditional Day at Milmount in 2008.

http://www.shardul.co.nz/2008/11/03/a-delightful-day-in-drogheda/

It includes some video of piper Ronan Browne and flute player Martin Doyle ... enjoy!

Seeking Volunteers to blog and tweet for the Arts Festival

To document this years festival and to help let others see how diverse and fun the arts festival is we are looking for volunteers to spread the word on Facebook, Twitter and blogs to promote and document the build up and happenings at this years festival. 



If you have any spare time and are good with email, a camera, blogs, twitter, etc why not volunteer to contribute and add to online PR for the Arts Festival. 

Please pass to people of all ages and disciplines, not technical knowledge required - just a commitment to make a difference and tell the world about our incredible Arts Festival! 



Interested? Will you be in Drogheda on the May bank holiday weekend? Why not email us and take part

P.S. Please use tag drogartsfest on your blog or tweet with #drogartsfest

5th Drogheda Arts Festival

Drogheda Arts Festival returns to the banks of the Boyne for six days of the finest in performances, readings, exhibitions, workshops and fun. From the 29th of April to the 4th of May, Drogheda becomes the arts capital of Ireland, with an exciting line-up of local, national, and international artists. Drogheda Arts Festival is a wonderful opportunity to dip your toe into the wide world of creativity, offering the well-known and well-loved alongside the unknown and the soon-to-be-loved.

You can find out more about upcoming events and the schedule at the main Drogheda Arts Festival website, and we'll be blogging here with updates and photos from the events during the festival, so keep an eye on us here for all the latest!