Memorable Inish – an island festival forges unique identity

Sunday's walk on Inishbofin, taking in the island's archaeology, history, topography and wildlife, attraced 113 people. They heard local historian Tommy Burke give an overview of Bofin's past, inluding St Colman's association with the island where he established a monastery in the 7th century.

placeholder image — Sunday's walk on Inishbofin, taking in the island's archaeology, history, topography and wildlife, attraced 113 people. They heard local historian Tommy Burke give an overview of Bofin's past, inluding St Colman's association with the island where he established a monastery in the 7th century.

Something rare and special took place on Inishbofin last weekend during the island’s second ever Inish Festival.

Whether it was discovering the treasure that is Kilchreest singer-songwriter Larry Beau, or hearing actress Olwen Fouéré talk about her life and growing up in nearby Cleggan, this was a festival full of surprises.

The four-day event also gave musicians, poets, film-makers and artists a chance to meet and discuss ideas – that’s one of the main aims of Inish: Island Conversations, according to its founder, Peadar King, who hails from Inishbofin.

Stunning weather and scenery provided the backdrop for the amazing mix of music, documentaries, talks and readings – a marked contrast to last year’s festival, when it rained incessantly.

Fine weather, being so rare in Ireland, could have discouraged audiences from attending events in Bofin’s community centre – which possesses one of the darkest halls in Ireland. But it didn’t.

Locals and visitors attended sell-out concerts, including a double bill from Canada’s Doug Paisley and Portugal’s Elisa Rodrigues, with Pedro Vidal on piano.

From closer to home, Máirtín O’Connor, Garry Ó Briain and Cathal Hayden joined forces with the ConTempo quartet for an evening where trad music met classical to resounding approval. Friday night’s concert from the high-energy, fun and excellent Whileaways, was preceded by an unusual show featuring four-singer songwriters. Jack L, Steve Wall, Doug Paisley and Larry Beau took turns to perform some of their own compositions, giving the stories behind them. It was a mellow and revelatory evening, and fascinating to watch the various ways in which the performers engaged with the audience.

Over four days, Inish hosted film screenings and panel discussions, exploring themes of identity, emigration and island life. Atlantic, Richie O’Donnell’s crowd-funded documentary on the impact of the fight for oil, gas and fishing resources on coastal communities, resonated with audiences as did A Turning Tide in the Life of Man. Filmed over eight years, it followed small-time fisherman John O’Brien in his quest to protect that island and local people’s fishing rights.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.