Limerick town prepares to host two festivals this weekend
WHAT could be better than a long autumnal walk during the day topped off with a night of music and song?
For the second year in a row, the Ballyhoura Walking Festival is collaborating with The Joyce Brothers Music Festival, which complements and enriches the walking programme with its own jam-packed schedule.
The walking festival is on this Friday to Sunday, October 7 to 9 in Kilfinane. Established as Ireland’s first-ever walking festival 26 years ago, it provides an opportunity to explore some of Ballyhoura Country’s stunning scenery.
Many of the walks are led by members of the Ballyhoura Bears Walking Club who have in-depth knowledge of the area and its heritage, history, flora and fauna. They are suitable for all abilities, from the enthusiastic well-equipped walker who relishes a challenge, to the gentle rambler out to enjoy pleasant walks.
Some of the highlights are a moonlight walk to Castlegale, a breathtaking sunrise walk to Seefin, walk in the Footsteps of Fionn MacCumhail, and a mystical yoga walk. The cultural food fair, organised by Kilfinane Community Council, will keep people well fuelled on Saturday at Ballyhoura Apple Farm from 1.30pm.
In tandem is the Joyce Brothers Music Festival, which promises a weekend of music, song, history and workshops. It celebrates the wonderful legacy and remarkable lives of brothers PW and Robert Dwyer Joyce, natives of Glenosheen, who were renowned for collecting and documenting Irish music and songs.
This Thursday’s opening night in Kilfinane features a celebration of the history and life of the Joyce Brothers through music, song, dance, chat and the magic of Des Dillon and his puppets, while artists and local historians Teresa O’Doherty and Angela Hennessy will each give an insight into the history and importance of the Joyce brothers and their collections.
It continues through to Sunday with a host of events including a concert with Hup na Houra on Friday.
Also on Friday is the relaunch of a book on the life of the longest-serving Church of Ireland Bishop of Limerick – Charles Graves, Bishop of Limerick, and his place in the Celtic Revival.
Author Gerard O’Carroll will speak about Alfred Perceval Graves, son of Bishop Graves, who was a songwriter and song collector, and friend for over thirty years of Patrick Weston Joyce. Like with the walking festival, everything is linked together.