Countdown to big summer of music and culture with Earagail Arts Festival

Donegal’s premier summer extravaganza, Earagail Arts Festival, is looking forward to present a packed programme for all ages, with a fascinating series of performances scheduled from July 12-26.

With a family-orientated, participatory and engaging programme from the Gaeltacht islands off the West Donegal coast to East Donegal and the Inishowen peninsula, and Donegal Town for the very first time, Earagail Arts has something for all ages and backgrounds.

The festival features an expanded programme of circus, street arts performances and camps as part of its annual Wild Atlantic Weekends, returning to Castlefinn, as well as a brand new location in Gaoth Dobhair, at Ionad Cois Locha in Dunlewey.

As a not-for-profit charity, which aims to make arts more accessible to everyone, the annual festival continues to keep its prices as low as possible and offers discounts when it can!

Be sure to keep an eye out on discounts throughout the programme, including the newly-reduced family prices (only €30 for a family of five) for the circus shows in Castlefinn, Gaoth Dobhair and Letterkenny.

On Sunday 13th and Monday 14th July, No Fit State presents its high-impact, high-skill circus production, Bamboo, at Castle Grove Country House outside Letterkenny.

Inhabited by world-class circus artists and acrobats, Bamboo is a meaningful, joyful circus performance with live music, comedy and amazing feats of strength and agility, using only bamboo and human bodies.

Spend another afternoon in the company of some of the most extraordinary death-defying aerialists, hilarious comedians and mind-boggling acrobats Ireland has to offer, when Tumble Circus plus Dr Jones & Professor Barnard Medicine Show appear in the Big Top at the CPI Centre, Castlefinn for the first Wild Atlantic Weekend from Thursday 17th July until Saturday 19th July.

Then, from Thursday 24th July-Saturday 26th July, the Wild Atlantic Weekend rolls into Gaoth Dobhair and its brand new location of Ionad Cois Locha Dunlewey, where Tumble Circus and Mo Cheol an Sorcas will be the stars of the show.

Earagail Arts Festival presents a stellar line-up of music, from international DJ Big Cheeks (Rwanda), Session Americana (USA), The Truffle Valley Boys (USA), Lord Of The Isles & Ellen Renton (Scotland) and Irish artists such as Lisa Lambe & Steve Cooney, Maighread agus Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, Réalta, The Outcasts, Inishowen Gospel Choir, Duke Special, The Henry Girls, Aobha Ní Aragáin, Paul Harrigan & Cairde, The Pox Men, The Breeze and Ramper.

The festival line-up features a host of theatre, dance and spoken word events, with highlights including The Journals Fleadh in Rathmullan and Ramelton, a free evening of spoken word and song, Oíche Airneáil Ghleann Bheatha, in The Glenveagh Inn, An Tearmann, free performances by contemporary Irish dance company Ériu/Na Mic Ua gCorra and solo performer Kristyn Fontanella on Gola Island, Lisdoon Nirvana, the new play starring Frankie McCafferty, and The Human Library® in Letterkenny.

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Earagail Arts Festival is delighted to be working with RAMP - Rathmullan Music Project and Irish Aerial Dance Fest, which will also present an exciting line-up of events in July, including the EAF co-commissioned hip h’opera, H.O.M.E.

As well as fantastic live events, the festival also showcases an extensive visual arts programme, working with Artlink Fort Dunree, Donegal County Museum, An Gailearaí, Crolly Distillery, An Grianan Theatre, and Regional Cultural Centre. The visual arts programme will showcase the work of both established and emerging artists from Ireland and beyond.

Visit eaf.ie for more information.