Dalriada Festival launches with a taster in Glasgow

A touch of Irish hospitality was the order of the day when the  Dalriada Festival gave Glasgow a taste of things to come when it launched today (10th March 2011) in Glasgow.

With Irish music act, Willie Drennan, tempting food, Irish dancing and sportsmen galore, Glasgow’s lunchtime visitors were given a glimpse of something very special – rather akin to a Highland games. The event itself will take place in Northern Ireland in June later this year.

The P&O Ferries Dalriada Festival will be held in Glenarm Castle Estate at the picturesque village of Glenarm which is on Northern Ireland’s fabled Antrim coast road. The dates are Friday 17th June to Sunday 19th June 2011.

The event is tailored to suit all ages, young and old, giving Northern Ireland and Scotland the chance to celebrate many aspects of their shared culture and heritage.

The Festival is named after Dalriada, which is a Gaelic kingdom on the western coast of Scotland with some territory on the northern coast of Ireland. In the late 6th and early 7th century it encompassed roughly what is now Argyll and Bute and Lochaber in Scotland and County Antrim in Ireland.

The Festival is a mix of food, music and sport and will see an action packed weekend of activity.

Adrian Morrow, Glenarm Castle Estates Manager, says, ‘The P&O Ferries Dalriada Festival is a celebration of our heritage and culture, both Irish and Scottish. This is about involving communities across the area of Dalriada and celebrating all that is good, uniting all traditions across Scotland and Ireland.

‘On the sporting front, the Highlander Challenge ‘World Championships’ will be the main event with games from the hammer throw to the tossing the caber. We’ve also challenged our Scottish cousins with some shinty. There will be Tug-o-War, Tag Rugby, a mountain run, a Rowing Regatta and Poc-fada, a tournament testing the skills of Ireland’s best hurlers.

‘Glenarm, is the southernmost of the legendary nine glens in County Antrim and is renowned for some excellent Irish foods, with smoked salmon and the Estate shorthorn beef and organic lamb. There will be many other fine foods on display.

‘The NEFF Festival of Food will include Jenny Bristow, a well known chef from Co. Antrim, giving cookery master classes, using herbs and vegetables from our very own walled garden.

‘The Festival of Music will also be truly exciting. Today we are delighted to announce and confirm that General Fiasco, the indie rock group from Magherafelt, Co. Londonderry and Duke Special from Belfast with support from Tucan, will play on the Friday night. The Priests supported by Amici and ably assisted by Camerata Ireland Orchestra will play on Saturday night and Sunday sees our gospel concert with Grammy award winning artist, David Phelps, a Gaither vocalist from the legendary American Gaither band.

‘With the addition of Scottish and Irish Dancing competitions, some bluegrass and country music there is truly something for everyone’.

Mags Russell, Director of the Scottish Charity, Dalriada Arts and Culture (DAC), says: ‘Linking up with the Festival organisers on this first Dalriada Festival in Northern Ireland highlights our ancient heritage in modern times.

‘The coasts of both Northern Ireland and the west of Scotland share not only a cultural history but also a rich diversity of landscape and natural heritage. Glenarm Castle, one of the finest settings that Northern Ireland has to offer, will make a glorious location for the Dalriada Festival and we look forward to building on this foundation for the future’.

Mr Morrow continues: ‘Today, we’ve given the people of Glasgow a taste of things to come at the Dalriada Festival, we’ve had a strong man, we’ve had the rowers and a small demonstration of shinty vs hurly with a little Irish dancing as well. We’ve shared our fine food from Glenarm and we’ve heard music from Ireland’s Willie Drennan.

‘This is only some of what is on offer at the Festival and I’d encourage everyone to visit our Dalriada Festival website to find out what else there is.  Come along whatever your taste in music, food or sport, Dalriada Festival has it all’.