About us
Welcome to this year’s Cairde Festival, our second festival since becoming an independent company in 2008.
Cairde celebrates diversity and community and in this year’s programme we particularly celebrate Sligo - a richly diverse, creative and multi-cultural town. We have collaborated with a number of community organisations throughout the year, with much of this work being showcased during Cairde. The launch of the Catfish Club sees Sligo’s first night club showcasing the talents of new and emerging artists with disabilities and is the result of year-round work involving actors, DJs, dancers, and a range of other performers.
Yes We Know, explaining the mysteries of the world, represents the result of a collaboration with County Sligo Youth Theatre. Other community work presented during the festival includes the raising of Tibetan Flags during Park Fest, which were made throughout the year by over 200 school children and the artists working with Joyn – company for art and therapy.
With these and other projects, locally-based artists and community groups share their creativity with the public and give just a taste of the abundance of excellent artistic collaboration happening in Sligo.
In addition to its local focus, the festival programme also brings a host of national and international artists to Sligo for the week, with highlights such as Cho In Theatre Company from Korea; Indian dance group Dance Ihayami; music from the Balkans with Di Grine Kuzine and Lazik; African groups Motema and Oleku; virtuoso Greek oud player, Haig Yazdjian; and Sligo’s own Túcan. The streets will come to life with the O’Connell Street Party on Saturday 11th July, followed on Sunday by Cairde’s second annual Park Fest.
Our aim is to include as broad a range of artistic spectacle and events to suit as many interests as possible, so we do hope you’ll come along, participate and enjoy Cairde 2009.
The Festival Team
Festival Director Tara McGowan
Festival PR & Marketing Paul Cunningham
Festival Technical Joseph Hunt, Michael Cummins & Peter Davey
Thanks to the continuing facilitation of Blue Raincoat Theatre Company.
Festival Board: Paul Cunningham, Grainne Dunne, Pia Luck, Sarah Jane Leydon, Amy O’Hara, Senator Mark McSharry, Tara McGowan
If you would like to become a volunteer during Cairde please e-mail
Do you appreciate the work of the Cairde Festival? You can make a donation to us via Paypal
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