about the festivalLiverpool is a vibrant and culturally rich city. Its cultural wealth and diversity developed over 800 years with major inputs from our long established Black, Chinese, and Irish communities, produces an exceptional multi-cultural identity which is both national and international. The city has been awash with Irish music and culture particularly since the arrival here of half a million Irish people during the first half of the 19th century and before. However, in more recent times Liverpool's Irish identity had diminished; the city seemed reluctant to promote its unique links with Ireland and to acknowledge its Irish heritage. A few years ago, even the city's established Irish Centre was forced to move from its historic location in the city centre. Happily, that situation has been reversed with the St. Michael's Irish Centre revitalised, with Irish music sessions thriving once more and with other forms of Irish culture regaining their appropriate place in city life. The appreciation and celebration of the unique links between Liverpool and Ireland were primary motives for the creation of the Liverpool Irish Festival in 2003. The idea was to create a permanent, annual, event to celebrate Liverpool's Irish heritage. It would include performance, participation, entertainment and education in Irish traditions, music, literature, theatre, and art and reflect their significance in defining Liverpool's culture as a great European city. The ambition was that the Festival would develop to take its place among the world's leading arts and music festivals. In late 2002 John Chandler returned from a trip to the Ennis Trad Festival in County Clare with those ambitions in mind. Within a few months the Festival Society had been formed as a charitable company whose purpose was the advancement of the arts and the education of the public in these, particularly those originating in Ireland. The original members of the company were; John Chandler, Frank Downes, Owen Hagan, Patricia Lacey, Clive Pownceby, Ed Murphy, Phil Hayes and Sean McNamara. With grants totalling £12,500 from the Arts Council, the Liverpool City Council, the Liverpool Culture Company, 'Awards for All' and the Holt Trust, the inaugural Festival was held over four days in October 2003. It produced over twenty, largely musical, events headlined by local singer/songwriter Anthony John Clarke and the traditional band, 'Garva', with Tom Paulin heading a strong line-up of poets. The 2003 Festival attracted considerable acclaim and virtually exhausted its Board, who had produced most of the events themselves. Undaunted, however, the Board persevered and produced a more substantial series of events lasting over 10 days the following year, headlined by Christy Moore's appearance at the Philharmonic Hall, which had now become a partner organisation. By 2005 the Festival had secured its status as one of the Liverpool Culture Company's regularly funded organisations and it was able to recruit a part-time Festival manager for the first time. Dinesh Allirajah co-ordinated nearly sixty events throughout that October with Christy Moore again returning to Liverpool to headline alongside such events as the National Theatre production of Brian Friel's 'Translations' at the Everyman Theatre and the premiere of Pearse Elliott's film, 'The Mighty Celt' . In 2006 the Festival was similarly managed, jointly by Ema Quinn and Sara Parker, who helped deliver over sixty events over three weeks in October, including performances by Van Morrison, plays by Donal O'Kelly, and Jimmy McGovern in conversation with the BBC's Roger Phillips at FACT. By now the Festival was drawing in audiences in excess of 15,000 and hundreds of participants. Most of the participants were involved in the schools programme, co-ordinated by Becky Quinn, which has been a major feature of the Festival since its inception. The
Festival Board has had various members since 2003 including Terry Coyne, Jackie
Skinner, Dave White, Moira Potier, Jake Roney and Becky Quinn. Simon Glinn, the
Executive Director of the Philharmonic Hall took over from John Chandler as Festival
Chair in 2006. Earlier this year John reassumed the Chair with Simon remaining
on the Board, now joined by the current members: Mark D'Arcy, Pammi Bann, Jon
Brown, Dr. Ann Hoskins, Geraldine Moloney-Judge, Dr. Ian McKeane, Dr. Vic Merriman,
Patrick Morrison, Steve Waterhouse and Tony Birtill |
