15th Crawley Irish Festival
Southgate Playing Fields will once again play host to the annual Crawley Irish Festival on Sunday 29 August 2010. Celebrating its 15th year, the Festival is a fantastic day out for the whole family, and a chance to enjoy the very best of Celtic and Irish entertainment and culture. With over 6000 festival-goers expected at this year’s event, it’s not to be missed – so be sure to save the date!
What’s on offer?
Every year the festival offers a wonderful array of entertainment, music, sport and dance – and this year is no exception! Mayor of Crawley, Cllr Lee Burke will be joined by Sky Newscaster Enda Brady to open the show, which includes;
Live Music: The Dome stage will showcase some of the biggest Irish acts including Borrowed Time, Martin Ruddy, Sean Cannon of Dubliners fame, who will appear with his son Robert Cannon. Pat Nugent and Mustang and Kathy Durkin Meanwhile, the Traditional Stage welcomes some of the best traditional and folk acts from around the UK and Ireland including The London Lasses, Dun the Veil, Crannog, Celtic Crunch and Flying Toads .
Live Dance: Crawley is the proud home of two wonderful Irish Dancing Schools – The O’Brien School of Dancing and the Andromeda Edmonds School of Dancing. The Open Dance competition provides a great opportunity to showcase the very
best of young Irish dancing talent in the South East. And if you fancy yourself as the next Michael (or Stavros) Flatley, you can join in with the Ceili & Set dancing.
Live Sport: The 2010 Festival will play host to a GAA friendly, as popular North and South London teams battle it out in Gaelic Football and Hurling matches. The Main Bar will also offer live and televised GAA matches, so you won’t miss out on any of the
action!
All-Round Family Fun: A dedicated children’s area, run by staff from Waterlea Adventure Playground will keep the kids amused for hours! Storytelling, face- painting, magic shows and fairground rides will provide all-round family fun!
Affordable family fun: The organizers are committed to keeping admission prices low, offering a great value day out for the whole family. Admission costs just £5 for Adults and £2 for concessions including senior citizens and NUS card holders. Under-16’s accompanied by an adult get in for just £1.
Save the date!
The festival is a fantastic day out for the whole family – and with a licensed bar on site and a wide selection of food and refreshment stalls, it’s an ideal bank holiday treat! So come and join the fun at the Crawley Irish Festival on Sunday 29 August, from 12 noon at Southgate Playing Fields in Crawley.
How to find us
Map: http://www.celtic-irish.co.uk/festival/directions/
SatNav Postcode: RH10 6HG
By train: Southgate Playing Fields is a ten minute walk from Crawley Train Station
Want to help out?
The Celtic & Irish Cultural Society is a small group of committed volunteers who work together to organize and run the Festival. If you’re an enthusiastic team player, and you’d like to help out at this high profile cultural event, please get in touch. From event promotion to set up, fundraising to stewarding, we’ll find a role that suits you! Contact us here http://www.celtic-irish.co.uk/contact/ or call John Nolan on 01293 513189 for more information.
***ENDS***
Notes to the Editor
- The Celtic and Irish Cultural Society (CICS) is a community organisation run entirely by volunteers. New volunteers are always welcome.
- CICS organises a number of major events in Crawley, including the Crawley Fleadh, the St Patrick’s Day Parade and the annual Crawley Irish Festival, to celebrate Celtic and Irish culture in the South East of England. CICS also organises a number of cultural and educational activities including Irish Language classes and musical and dance workshops.
- Photos from the 2008 and 2009 Crawley Irish Festivals can be downloaded from the following links. Please credit the Photographer, Tracey Herald, for any photos used.
- The work of the CICS is supported by the Irish Government through the DION fund, which is designed to promote the continued contribution of Irish people in Britain to British society. CICS is also delighted to receive funding and support from Crawley Borough Council, West Sussex County Council and a number of local businesses.
- Further details about the Society’s work are available from http://www.celtic-irish.co.uk or by calling John Nolan on 01293 513189
To find out more, get directions and more visit http://www.celtic-irish.co.uk/festival