Donegal Global Irish Festival

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Donegal Global Irish Festival invites our county men, women and children to ‘come home’ from Scotland this Octobe

Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Séamus Ó Domhnaill, today launched the Donegal Global Irish Festival. Part of the new Global Irish Festival Series, a joint initiative between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Fáilte Ireland, the festival is being organised by Donegal County Council and aims to encourage our diaspora to return home to visit Donegal.

Announcing the programme for the Donegal Global Irish Festival, Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council, Cllr Séamus Ó Domhnaill said:

“We are delighted Donegal was selected as one of just two counties along the Wild Atlantic Way to participate in the pilot Global Irish Festival Series and we very much look forward to welcoming home friends and family from Scotland over two weekends this Autumn”.  

Speaking about the festival series, Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciaran Cannon, said:

“The new Global Irish Festival Series will enable local communities to further build upon diaspora networks, deepening connections around the world and encouraging those abroad to return home. By improving engagement with the diaspora through new channels, we hope they will feel affirmed and valued as a part of the global Irish diaspora, and in particular, connected to the county of their heritage.”

Fáilte Ireland’s Head of Festivals, Ciara Sugrue, said:

“The Global Irish Festival Series is a very exciting initiative and we are delighted to work with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to pilot it along the Wild Atlantic Way. We have worked in partnership with Donegal County Council to facilitate these unique events to motivate diaspora to reconnect by visiting their home county.  The local community through Frances Boyle from Maghery Le Chéile has been a huge support in shaping and delivering the festival in Donegal and as the festival is taking place in the ‘shoulder season’ outside of summer, it will support tourism operators throughout the county to trade for longer”.

As part of the Donegal Global Irish Festival, a ‘Genealogy and Traditional Music Weekend’ will run from 19th to 22nd October. A number of interactive sessions dedicated to generations of Herring Gutters, Tattie Hokers and Tunnel Tigers who left Donegal early in the twentieth century in search of new lives in Scotland will take place at Maghery Community Centre on Saturday 20th October, with a group of Scottish Irish traditional musicians, who are travelling from Scotland for the weekend, performing a special concert at An Chúirt Hotel that evening. The weekend will also include offers of visits to Arranmore Island and Glenveagh National Park as well as opportunities for visitors to enjoy local walks, golf or water-based activities.

“Looking to the next generation of diaspora, we are particularly excited about a Gaelic Football blitz we have organised during the October Bank Holiday Weekend” added Cllr Ó Domhnaill.

“We have invited an underage team from Glasgow the Tír Chonaill Harps to take on C.L.G. An Clochán Liath on Saturday October 28th.  The blitz will be followed by an exclusive coaching session with Donegal County Players and later in the afternoon the players will take to the waves at Maghery Coastal Adventures, weather permitting. The players and accompanying family will enjoy a well-earned prize-giving dinner at The Waterfront Hotel that night. Creating memories of trips home to Donegal from an early age will help us to engage with our diaspora on a deeper level so that we can all look forward to more regular visits”, he concluded.

To find out more about the Donegal Global Irish Festival Series see, http://www.donegaldiaspora.ie and www.wildatlanticway.com/globalirish

All are welcome - events are free of charge, but booking is essential via info@donegaldiaspora.ie or by phoning 074 9160735.