THE annual Liverpool Irish Festival kicks off this week – boasting a busy virtual programme “celebrating the connections between Liverpool and Ireland”.
Announcing the event, which takes place over 10 days between October 15 and 25, the organisers confirm: “In a year of change and turbulence, the Festival explores exchange through art, conversation, music and history, how it connects communities and crosses borders.”
“The series of events examine how exchange has played out through conflict, cultural exchange and artistic practice, while diverse conversations expose dual-heritage lives, reconciliation and collective trauma,” they add.
Irish presenter Patrick Kielty headlines the programme, with the special event Hard Histories, Positive Futures.
Kielty, whose father was killed by paramilitary gunmen in 1988, interviews representatives from Northern Ireland’s Commission for Victims and Survivors for the piece.
A separate event sees award winning former CNN correspondent Mike Chinoy discuss his new biography of Kevin Boyle, co-founder of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association.
In Are You With Me? Kevin Boyle and the Rise of the Human Rights Movement the author explores Mr Boyle’s role in creating the intellectual argument for the Good Friday Agreement and his actions as advisor to Mary Robinson.
In a new Meet the Maker series, the Festival introduces online audiences to artists, creators and crafters of Liverpool and Irish heritage, for a knowledge exchange and Q&A.
Biographer Carmen Cullen; writer, poet and historian Greg Quiery; Réamonn Ó Ciaráin, a leading expert in Cú Chulainn and Gaelic translation and musician Terry Clarke-Coyne are all due to create individual online events exploring and celebrating their art.
On Sunday, October 18, the Institute of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool will host their Festival event – Adrian Duncan: Exchanging Places.
The artist and author will discuss his work and ideas of being an Irish artist abroad for the free livestream event, which takes place on Facebook from 5-6pm.
For full details of Festival events and the schedule click here.
See More: Liverpool Irish Festival, Patrick Kielty
