Just over a week to go until the 2nd instalment of the Tuatha Dé Danann festival and I just want to flesh out information for people about the event as the pieces of the puzzle start fitting into place. I would ask people who are going to the event to book their tickets ASAP and not leave it till the last minute - BOOK TICKETS HERE.
People who cannot attend but would like to make a small contribution to the costs of hosting this event can do so via the Buy Me A Coffee Link CLICK HERE.
My rationale for running events like the Tuatha Dé Danann and others is a simple one: A sense that in some way the gathering of people, minds and spirits assembled needs to happen for the particular moment we are living in. For that reason no two events I have ever run have been identical. Primarily, because the world we live in today is not the one we lived in six months ago, a year ago, or the world of the pandemic years. It seems to me the world is speeding up and the lifespan of a moment is shrinking. So, in short, there is ever more anxiety about running these kinds of things in case I get them wrong. Because of a worry of a price to be paid for getting them wrong and I am not talking about the financial price.
But, specifically, for this moment of time, I’m conscious, personally speaking, of an imperative to create a positive energy collectively to counter-act the darkness we find in the world around us. So, in this regard, the crowd are every bit as important as all who are contributing their expertise, voices and music on the stage. As it is the synergy between the two that I hope will create something worthwhile, pure and lasting. Long after the events of the day.
Or that is the hope at least.
Some Updates:
John Waters will be hosting a conversation in the mid morning with Dr. Anne McCloskey & Barrister Una McGurk entitled:
The Yarragh & the Arrah!
Can a culture reboot in a time of mass indifference?
As previously stated Louise Roseingrave will be hosting a spiritually themed conversation with Fr Sean Sheehy in the morning section of the event.
I’ll be hosting separate conversations with the actress Jeananne Crowley & Thomas Sheridan.
Máire Nic Oireachtaigh will be presenting fun and practical workshop on re-introducing the Irish language back into our everyday language. A little can go a long way.
Later, in the evening Stephen Sutton will be playing a set of Irish music and song mixed with some of his own original creations in our second location - an old style thatched pub - a close walk from our host location in Ballybrittas.
The events in the pub will be kicked off with Caoimhe Hogarty & Copper Alley. The Staunton brothers will be providing a musical backdrop to proceedings through-out the day, evening and night.
Fingers crossed all goes well and I hope to have chance to chat with some of the readers of this substack on the day!
Background
Tuatha Dé Danann Festival
Just a short note to readers to advise the 2nd Tuatha Dé Danann festival will be taking place on Saturday, September 28th at a location near the Laois/Kildare border. Exact location and line-ups will follow in due course.
The rationale for this year’s event and probably any future ones I run, will centre around re-seeding important aspects of “ Irishness” outside of the mainstream. The primary focus this year will be on Irish music, Irish mythology & legend, the Irish language and examinations of Irish spiritual traditions. With a few surprises thrown in for good measure.
The Irish language is a nettle we must grasp and make a commitment to start speaking again, even in a small way, I feel. Even a simple “ Dia Dhuit “ vibrates much higher than a “Hey” or “Hello” I would argue. Now, I say this as someone who is in no way fluent in the language’s use. But, to entertain notions of success we must make it a fun experience and an oral based tradition. So, perhaps, we start with a few words and phrases as Gaeilge flecked into our everyday conversation and move from there. So, if you have a current vocabulary of five words and at the end of your life that vocabulary is thirty words then that is progress in my book. I feel the revitalisation of the Irish language must happen outside of government and state control and should be a people centred enterprise.
On the day, I would be hoping to encourage people along with the guest speakers and performers, to set up their own localised, decentralised versions of Tuatha Dé Danann and we hope to have plenty of conversation with those attending on how this might be done. But, basically A Tuatha Dé Danann can take place in a kitchen, garden shed, under a tree, in a field, or with a few neighbours in the bog.
The day itself will be focused on relaxation, networking and a little learning with plenty of music and craic go leor to complement the speakers. This year will also involve a group walk to a second location (country pub) a short distance away where one of the talks will take place along with more Irish music.
The Tuatha Dé Danann will be a full one day and evening event with kick off at approximately 11am and probably running until the neighbouring cows come home. There will be camping and camper-van facilities on-site for the Saturday night for those interested. Similar to last year a full late afternoon/evening meal will be included in the price.
Event Tickets will be 75 euros per person.
Event Tickets with overnight camping will be 90 euros per person.
So, if you’d like register your interest please email me on lynbrook1973@gmail.com or text me on Whatsapp 085 1214347.
Hup Ya Boya!