Eclectic group setting sail for Inishbofin
An exhibition of etchings from celebrated English artist Norman Ackroyd, including some of his iconic seascapes, will be shown during Inish and the artist will give a talk at the festival.
There will be concerts with Portuguese singer Elisa Rodrigues and Canadian songsmith Doug Paisley while Irish musicians Máirtín O’Connor, Cathal Hayden and Garry Ó Briain will team up with the classical quartet ConTempo on the opening evening. The weekend will also feature multi-instrumentalist Poppy Ackroyd, while Swedish pianist Martin Tingvall will close the festival.
Actor and theatre-maker Olwen Fouéré will give a performance, followed by a discussion with writer and broadcaster Vincent Woods. Other writers taking part include Michael Longley, Claire Kilroy, Kevin Barry and Theo Dorgan, while the life and work of poet Máire Mhac an tSaoi will be explored in the film Deargdhúil: Anatomy of Passion. Its director Paula Kehoe will attend
Academics Daniel Carey, Philip Dine and Edna Longley will discuss a range of topics from Shakespeare to Camus and the poetry of Ireland and Scotland over the weekend.
A highlight of Inish will be a walk with archaeologist Erin Gibbons, archaeologist and local historian Tommy Burke, marine ecologist Dave McGrath and bird expert Anthony McGeehan, exploring Bofin’s many facets.
■ Inish runs from June 2-5. Full details at inishfestival.com