Liverpool Irish Festival #LIF2018 newspaper by LivIrishFest

liverpoolirishfestival.com

MUSIC STRIKES MORE THAN A CHORD 81 Renshaw 3pm

Liverpool Irish Centre 2.30pm

TUE 23 oct

WED 24 oct

THUR 25 oct

FRI 26 oct

SAT 27 oct FAMILY DAY MOL 10am–5pm

THE BIGGEST SHOW IN THE COUNTRY

SUN 28 oct

SOUTH LIVERPOOL HERITAGE WALK St Lukes 10am–12pm

Royal Court Downstairs 11am-1pm

11AM 1PM

LAMB

2PM

IRISH CRAFT Beer Festival Handyman's 2–6pm

YOUR WORLD WORKSHOP

FREILING THE MUSIC

81 Renshaw 3pm

Bluecoat 1–3pm

TG 4 Liverpool Irish Live Playalong Everyman 2–5pm

Empty Spaces atGeorge Henry Lee's Building 3pm

SOLD OUT

Architectural migrations

THE JAMES Connolly READER

CELTIC ANIMATION FESTIVAL

RIBA North 1pm–on

The Florrie 1–2.15pm

Everyman 1–5pm

TG 4 Liverpool Irish Live Playalong

RESPONDING TO ROBERT TRESSELL: A PANEL

Everyman 2–5pm

LMI 2–4pm

FAMILY CEILI Liverpool Irish Centre 2–5pm

COUNTESS MARKIEVICZ AND THE VOTES FOR WOMEN CAMPAIGN IN BRITAIN & IRELAND ISM 2.30–3.30pm

TG 4 Liverpool Irish Live Playalong

4PM

Playhouse 2–5pm

FREILING THE MUSIC

IRISH HERITAGE WALK

3PM

Scotland Road meeting point 1–3pm

The Guilty Feminist

OUTPUT 2–4pm

MON 22 oct

#LIF2018’s musical headline is Kíla. Supported across the programme by other music acts. Continues on page 3.

12PM

11AM 12PM 1PM 2PM

SCOTLAND ROAD WALK

4PM

3PM

Victoria Gallery & Museum 10–11.15am

IRISH CRAFT Beer Festival Handyman's 12–4pm

PRIVATE VIEW: OUTPUT REVEAL

KÍLA Arts Club 7pm–10pm

Victoria Gallery & Museum 6–7.15pm

Baggage

Royal Court Downstairs 7–9pm

8PM

Royal Court Downstairs 7pm–on

THE HOT SPROCKETS Phil Music Room 8pm–on

YE VAGABONDS

THE MORNING AFTER THE LIFE BEFORE Royal Court Downstairs 9pm–on

Film, art and animation

Performance and poetry

We have used some of our public funding to subsidise tickets, removing the administration/fulfilment charge. Thus, when you will pay just the ticket buying for events with the price (+P&P if you decide to have your tickets posted to you). Liverpool Irish Festival is committed to minimising any barriers affecting access to arts and culture. We’d like to thank all of our sponsors for enabling us to work towards providing barrierless access.

Where time and resources permit, we will do what we can to support community members access our events. Anyone struggling to attend events, based on ticket costs alone, should contact us at info@liverpoolirishfestival.com or phone +44 (0) 344 8000 410

THE CORNER BOYS

Liverpool Irish Centre 7.30pm

Lankum

Phil Music Room 8pm–on

O'Neill's 10pm–on

Talks and tours

Community, family & sport

Liverpool Irish Centre 7.30pm

Kelly's 9pm–on

Hooley

KEY

Music & song

THE CORNER BOYS

The Jesse Janes

LMI 5–6.15pm

Lizzie Nunnery interview

A Busy Year

Gallery Shows

To Have to Shoot Irishmen writer and producer talks theatre. Page 6

A look back at #LIF2018 to date. Were you there?

As well as almost 70 events you can also feast your eyes on a further five exhibits...

Page 7

Page 6

Picture House at FACT 6pm

INDIECORK: NEW IRISH SHORTS FROM WOMEN Picture House at FACT 6pm

INDIECORK: FEATURE MAKING THE GRADE Picture House at FACT 8–9.30pm

TWO PLAYS

The Crown Hotel 7–10.30pm

DAVID O'DOHERTY

RAT IN THE SKULL

Playhouse 8pm

St George's Hall 8pm

BRIDGE OF TUNES: NERNADETTE NIC GRABHANN AND MIKEY KENNEY Liverpool Irish Centre 7pm

TO HAVE TO SHOOT IRISHMEN

SOCK IN THE FRYING PAN

Everyman 8pm

Liverpool Irish Centre 8pm

TO HAVE TO SHOOT IRISHMEN

Everyman 8pm

SAMHAIN WITH CONLETH MCGEAERY

STEPHEN JAMES SMITH Phil Music Room 8pm

THE JESSE JANES

Handymann's 9pm–on

Kelly's 9pm–on

10PM

10PM 11PM

This is a musical spectacle, with a support set from Oslo based Irish-American Bill Booth. Funded with Festival Enhancement Funding this is a true highlight of the festival. BOOK NOW!

KITTY

INDIECORK: NEW IRISH SHORTS

11PM

Phil Music Room 8.30pm–on

Victoria Gallery & Museum 5.15–6.30pm

6PM

SEBASTIAN BARRY IN CONVERSATION WITH PROF. ROY FOSTER

7PM

IRISH CRAFT Beer Festival Handyman's 6–10pm

9PM

IRISH CRAFT Beer Festival Handyman's 6–10pm

Eggsistentialism

7PM

6PM

LAUNCH

Liverpool Irish Centre 6–8pm

9PM

5PM

Eammon Hughes 'THE TRAIN AND THE RIVER' VAN MORRISON'S BELFAST

Liverpool Irish Centre 5–6pm

8PM

MEET A Maker

Food & drink

Pages 4-7

MON 22 oct

New Voices WITH ALEX CLARK

In:Visible Women 2018 Central Library 10.30am– 1.30pm

Cunard Suite 12-2pm

Your pull-out festival guide #LIF2018 calendar, map and venue list.

SUN 21 oct

10AM

SAT 20 oct

10AM

FRI 19 oct

IRISH BUILDERS OF MODERN BRITAIN: CALLING ALL IRISH NAVVIES AND NURSES

George Henry Lee's Building 12–2pm

brought to them. From these early beginnings started our arts and culture festival as we know it, within which music plays a key role.

Everyman 2–5pm

5PM

Liverpool Irish Festival 2018 Event plan

thurs 18 oct

PRIVATE VIEW: It's The Travelling LIfe

The Liverpool Irish Festival began life, in the early noughties, with the members of a music circle. How many ideas have sprung from group circles like this is incalculable, but we believe it is fair to say this was one. In this particular music circle sat a number of players -not all with Irish bloodlines or birth rightsjoined by the friendship that Irish music, rhythm and communal play

Corrections to #LIF2018 brochure The following amendments have been made to the programme or to errors cited in the #LIF2018 festival brochure: Page 17: Priorland will no longer headline the O'Neill's Hooley. A suitable replacement band is being found and will be suitably lively and gregarious! We apologise for any disappointment caused. Page 9: paragraph 1 should have read 'mental illnesses of those left behind' Page 21: Both the Responding to Tressell and Kitty events were broadcast as being on Wed 24 Oct. This is incorrect. Both will take place on Thurs 25 Oct. All other details were correct Page 22: The Biggest Show in the Country was listed as Venue TBC and time 3pm. This has changed. This will now be at 11am at the Royal Court, bookable through liverpoolirishfestival.com Page 24: Web address should have read liverpoolirishfestival.com and the times have been amended from 11am-6pm to 1pm-5pm. Additionally, sincere apologies to director Eleonora Asparuhova for the incorrect spelling of her name. Page 31: The Ticket Quarter article featured a typing error- the email address offered should have read info@liverpoolirishfestival.com We apologise for this proofing error.

PLEASE FILL IN A SURVEY CARD TO HELP US IMPROVE LIVERPOOL IRISH FESTIVAL

/livirishfest #lif2018

TG 4 Liverpool Irish Live Playalong Mon 22-Fri 26 Oct 2-5pm

Each day, #LIF2018 will bring you talent from the Liverpool Irish musical community in informal, playalong sets. If you have a bodhrán or a fiddle, a flute or a penny whistle and would like to play along, this is the place for you! Sponsored by Irish language television channel TG 4 and held in partnership with the Liverpool Everyman, this will all take place in the Street Cafe and Theatre Bar. It's free to drop in to play (though you do not have to!) or you can stop in for a coffee, a pint or an afternoon snack, whilst soaking up the sounds of Ireland and skimming through our Materials Library.

GALLERY SHOWS

As well as a feast of events, there's also a number of exhibitions to immerse yourself in, including:

Berina Kelly

Bluecoat Display Centre, Mon 1-Wed 31 Oct

Materials Library, Liverpool Everyman Street Cafe and Theatre Bar, Thurs 18 Oct-Sun Sat 28 Oct (closed Sundays)

Repeal the Eighth Response, OUTPUT Gallery, Thurs 18-28 Oct - open Thurs-Sun, 12pm-5pm only. On opening day the gallery will stay open until 8pm. It's the Travelling Life: Part I, The Brink, Thurs 11 Oct-Mon 7 Jan 2019 It's the Travelling Life: Part II,

George Henry Lee's Building, Thurs 18-Sun 28 Oct.

TAKE YOUR

FREE COPY

Storytelling, family events, theatre, céilís, music, talks, art, poetry and literature, seisiúns, heritage, film, dancing, food and drink.

/livirishfest

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/livirishfest #lif2018

12: Liverpool Everyman Hope Street, L1 9BH T +44 (0) 151 709 4776 E boxoffice@everymanplayhouse.com T everymanplayhouse.com everymanplayhouse liveveryplay

22: Royal Court - Downstairs Roe Street, L1 1HL T +44 (0) 151 709 4321 E boxoffice@ royalcourtliverpool.com W royalcourtliverpool.co.uk royalcourtliverpool royalcourtliv

11: Liverpool Central Library William Brown Street, L3 8EW T +44 (0) 151 233 3069 W liverpool.gov.uk/libraries itsliverpool lpoolcouncil

21: RIBA North 21 Mann Island, L3 1BP T +44 (0) 151 703 0107 E ribanorth@riba.org W architecture.com RIBANorthNAC RIBANorth

10: Kelly’s Dispensary 154-158 Smithdown Road, L15 3JR T +44 (0) 151 222 4693 E kellysdispensary@hotmail.com W whatpub.com Search:”Kelly’s” kellysdispensary kellyssmithdown

20: PictureHouse at FACT Wood Street, L1 4DQ T +44 (0) 151 707 4444 E liverpool@picturehouses .co.uk W fact.co.uk factliverpool fact_liverpool

CHURCHILL WAY

/livirishfest #lif2018

9: International Slavery Museum, the Anthony Walker Centre (NML) Merseyside Maritime Museum, Albert Dock, L3 4AX T +44 (0) 151 478 4499 W liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ism International-Slavery-Museum SlaveryMuseum

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER AT liverpoolirishfestival.com AND SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES AT liverpoolirishfestival.com/feedback

19: OUTPUT Gallery 32 Seel Street, L1 4BE T +44 (0) 777 069 1652 E output@thekazimier.co.uk W thekazimier.co.uk outputgallery outputgallery

VA R

Please refer to our brochure for detailed programme information.

8: Handyman’s Supermarket 461 Smithdown Road, L15 3JL T +44 (0) 151 222 7422 E admin@handmansupermarket.co.uk W handymansupermarket.co.uk handymanbrewery handymanbrewery

K OO

* Toner Quinn’s piece “What Ireland can teach the world about music: The three things that make Irish music different” is well worth a read. Visit journalofmusic.com to read the full article.

7: George Henry Lee’s BUILDING Williamson Square, L1 1AD E info@liverpoolirishfestival.com W liverpoolirishfestival.com/events/venues

18: O’Neill’s Hanover Street, L1 4AG T +44 (0) 151 709 7360 E liverpool-woodst@oneills .co.uk W oneills.co.uk oneillspubs oneillspubs

ULE

/livirishfest

6: Empty Spaces Cinema at George Henry Lee’s BUILDING Williamson Square, L1 1AD E christopher@emptyspacescinema.com W emptyspacescinema.com Empty-Spaces-Cinema emptyspacecine

30: Victoria Gallery and Museum Ashton Street, L69 3DR T +44 (0) 151 794 2348 E vgm.liverpool.ac.uk W vgm@liv.ac.uk UniversityofLiverpool LivUni

17: Museum of Liverpool, National Museums Liverpool (NML) Pier Head, L3 1DG T +44 (0) 151 487 4545 W liverpoolmuseums .org.uk/mol museumofliverpool MuseumLiverpool

Storytelling, family events, theatre, céilís, music, talks, art, poetry and literature, seisiúns, heritage, film, dancing, food and drink

5: Cunard Suite, Cunard Building Brunswick Street, Pier Head L3 1ES T +44 (0) 151 233 0000 W liverpool.gov.uk

29: Ullet Road Unitarian Church Ullet Road, L17 2AA T +44 (0) 151 237 3987 E admin@iccm.org.uk W ukunitarians.org.uk (venue) or iccm.org.uk (tickets) UlletRoadUnitarianChurch UlletRoadChurch

26: The Brink Parr Street, L1 4JN W +44 (0) 151 703 0582 E info@thebrinkliverpool.co.uk W thebrinkliverpool.co.uk The-Brink-Liverpool brinkliverpool

16: Liverpool Playhouse Williamson Square, L1 1EL T +44 (0) 151 709 4776 E boxoffice@everymanplayhouse.com W everymanplayhouse.com everymanplayhouse liveveryplay

Book to see Kíla or any of the bands we have listed at liverpoolirishfestival.com/events

4: Bluecoat Display Centre 50-51 College Lane, L1 3BZ +44 (0) 709 4014 E crafts@bluecoatdisplaycentre.com W bluecoatdisplaycentre.com Bluecoat-Display-Centre theBluecoat

28: The Florence Institute (AKA The Florrie) Mill Street, L8 4RF T +44 (0) 151 728 2323 E info@theflorrie.org W theflorrie.org TheFlorrie TheFlorrie

25: St Luke’s Garden meeting point Leece Street, L1 2TR T +44 (0) 771 432 8415 E ambrosereynolds@bombedoutchurch.com W bombedoutchurch.com StLukesConservationTrust bombedoutchurch

liverpoolirishfestival.com

As well as Kíla, #LIF2018 presents Ye Vagabonds, The Hot Sprockets, The Jesse Janes, Lankum, Wet The Tea AND Socks in the Frying Pan, not mention Liverpool Comhaltas and many more players playing throughout the festival in plays, readings, films, stories and seisiúns. Whilst Liverpool Irish Festival may not be a music festival, it is a festival in which music features heavily!

15: Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room Hope Street, L1 9BP T +44 (0) 151 709 3789 E customerservices@liverpoolphil.com W liverpoolphil.com LiverpoolPhilharmonic Liverpoolphil

Ye Vagabonds

3: Bluecoat School Lane, L1 3BX T +44 (0) 151 702 5324 E info@thebluecoat.org.uk W thebluecoat.org.uk theBluecoat theBluecoat

27: The Crown Hotel Lime Street, L1 1JQ T +44 (0) 151 707 6027 W thecrownliverpool.co.uk crownliverpool CrownLiverpool

24: St George’s Hall St George’s Place, L1 1JJ T +44 (0) 151 233 3020 W liverpoolcityhalls.co.uk/st-georges-hall StGeorgesHall SGHLpool

AY QU

Bringing Liverpool and Ireland closer together using arts and culture.

Music also helps us to transcend location. In a year when we consider migration, music allows us to skip about the world and find connection. It helps us share our stories and give them as gifts. We encourage people to join the story by playing along and feeling the notes with us. We can incorporate it in to our art, writing and daily life. It cross-threads creative cultures and leaves an indelible but gracious mark. From individual homespun plucking to grand orchestral compositions, there is a way in for everyone, whether you choose to sit and listen or work your own way through the grades. Whichever your method, we hope you’ll come and share it with us at one of #LIF2018’s gigs!

14: Liverpool Medical Institution Mount Pleasant, L3 5SR T +44 (0) 151 709 9125 E admin@lmi.org.uk W lmi.org.uk LIVLMI LMI114

NEW

Bringing Kíla to Liverpool has been a mission of ours for some years. This ambitious gig has been supported by Liverpool City Council’s Festival Enhancement Fund and Arts Council England and sees Kíla supported by Oslo based, Irish-American artist Bill Booth. Bill’s cinematic compositions tell us stories of distant shores before Kíla takes us to them with their Irish folk and world music sounds. Formed in 1987, Kíla have now played in excess of 35 countries and in front of such dignitaries as the Dalai Lama and the President of Ireland. We are proud to have them perform as part of #LIF2018 and hope you will come and support them, showing them a warm Liverpool welcome.

2: Arts Club 90 Seel Street, L1 4BH +44 (0) 151 5394110 E info@artsclubliverpool.com W academymusicgroup.com artsclubliverpool ArtsClubHQ

23: Scotland Road meeting point L3 3BB T +44 (0) 785 441 5721 –guide’s mobile number E info@liverpoolirishfestival.com W liverpoolirishfestival.com LivIrishFest LivIrishFest

L PA

Dates for your diary: #LIF2019 will take place 17-27 October 2019. ADD IT TO YOUR DIARY NOW!

Kíla

Toner Quinn*, Editor of the award winning online magazine, The Journal of Music, believes there are three core factors to Irish music, which has made it resilient, sustainable and powerful. He isolated these to spontaneity, its ability to be shared (playing and hearing) and its agelessness. “An eight-year-old playing the simple ‘Kerry Polka’ on the tin whistle will command rapt attention from both musicians and audiences. The standard is not important; the fact that they are expressing themselves is. Musicians do not hesitate to share their knowledge or skills with someone younger, regardless of whether they are their ‘teacher’ or not; it is the way they learned and they instinctively realise the importance of continuing on this act”. During the life of the Festival, we have witnessed countless intergenerational ‘swaps’ at seisiúns, céilís, family days and gigs and hope to see many more.

13: Liverpool Irish Centre Boundary Lane, L6 5JG T +44 (0) 151 263 1808 E info@liverpoolirishcentre.org W liverpoolirishcentre.org LiverpoolIrishCentre LiverpoolIrishCentre

Liverpool Irish Festival is governed by a volunteer Board, chaired by founder John Chandler. To each of the Board Directors, the remaining team offers their ongoing thanks.

The Jesse Janes

1: 81 Renshaw Street 81 Renshaw Street, L1 2SJ T +44 (0) 151 707 1805 E info@81renshaw.co.uk W renshaw81.co.uk 81renshaw 81renshaw

About Liverpool Irish Festival Liverpool Irish Festival is a registered charity (1100126), supported by Liverpool City Council’s cultural investment programme and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland’s Emigrant Support Programme, for which we offer our unreserved thanks. In 2018 we have also received support from Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants and Culture Ireland’s GB2018 programme funds.

MAP & VENUES

All venues are in Liverpool unless otherwise stated. Although we provide event times, please check with each venue for regular opening times.

Liverpool Irish Festival remains open to anyone of any heritage, of age or faith. As our name suggests, we draw references from Liverpool, Ireland and the relationship between, celebrating them in the UK’s only arts and culture led festival. We’re proud to share it with you. So, once more faílte (welcome) agus go n-éirí an bothar leat (and may your journey be successful)!

#LIF2018 Pull-Out GUIDE

Use #LivIrishFest, #LIF2018, #madfortrad, #madfornew and #invisiblewomen to celebrate all aspects of the programme. Start connecting! Tweet us your thoughts, experiences and ideas; Instagram us your pictures; Facebook welcome people to the city and join us in spreading a little áthas (joy)! Subscribe to our enewsletter and tell all your friends!

Why is this? Music helps us to preserve stories, histories and loves; over time it instils pride and speaks to aspects of the human condition that we seem to be interested in at any age. People often ask why Liverpool is so musical. With Ireland’s influence and the breadth of its musical history, perhaps it is hardly surprising. Liverpool’s Comhaltas is as old as the national chapter and regularly wins All Ireland competitions. When we think about the exceptionalism of Liverpool -and Ireland- being able to sing the most complex, most emotive or most politicalsong seems to sit naturally within the psychosocial character of the city. In Ireland’s history, the fight against colonialism frequently generated songs to keep stories –and language- alive. These songs and scores gave communities ways of spending time together, with a role for everyone, and has continued to galvanise groups in common thought and song.

Migration is a part of Ireland’s history, life and future. It connects it to a vital network – physical and digital – and is reflected in the diversity of cultures at home. Migration has led to the variety of its diaspora and Ireland’s global influence on music, literature, dances and perceived character. How have these migrations and immigrations contributed to its politics, its peace process, its developing gender and sexual rights movements and racial tolerance? #LIF2018 explores these questions and more

...from both trad and contemporary styles (and some with a foot in both camps). Kíla are the biggest -in number, critical recognition and output- illustrated by their track record of live and recorded work. Kíla's eight members come from the differing musical backgrounds of trad, classical and rock, resulting in a fresh blend of freewheeling instrumentals, furious jigs and primal rhythms, transcending the traditional boundaries of Irish music. Bristling with passion and energy, their nineteenth album Alive Beo is an exciting trip into the universe of a Kíla gig, with Rónán, Rossa & Colm Ó Snodaigh, Dee Armstrong, Brian Hogan, Dave Hingerty, James Mahon and Seanan Brennan. Having collaborated with renowned artists including U2, The Dubliners, Shane MacGowan, Sinead O’Connor, Glen Hansard, The Corrs, Christy Moore, Damien Dempsey and a host of other artists, Kíla have worked extensively in TV and film, most notably on the soundtracks for animations The Secret of Kells (screened at #LIF2015) and Song of the Sea (screened at #LIF2017).

Fáilte (welcome) to the sixteenth annual Liverpool Irish Festival. This year’s theme is ‘migration’.

Continued from front page..

Welcome/Fáilte

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER AT liverpoolirishfestival.com AND SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES AT liverpoolirishfestival.com/feedback

OUTPUT 2–4pm

The Guilty Feminist

FREILING THE MUSIC

81 Renshaw 3pm

THUR 25 oct

FRI 26 oct

SAT 27 oct FAMILY DAY Museum of Liverpool 10am–5pm

SUN 28 oct

SOUTH LIVERPOOL HERITAGE WALK St Luke’s 10am–12pm

Royal Court Downstairs 11am-1pm

11AM IRISH HERITAGE WALK Bluecoat 1–3pm

IRISH CRAFT Beer Festival Handyman's 2–6pm

YOUR WORLD WORKSHOP Liverpool Irish Centre 2.30pm

LAMB

Empty Spaces Cinema at George Henry Lee's Building 3pm

D S OLU T O

2PM

Scotland Road meeting point 1–3pm

Cunard Suite 12-2pm

Playhouse 2–5pm

WED 24 oct

THE BIGGEST SHOW IN THE COUNTRY

TG 4 Liverpool Irish Live Playalong Liverpool

Architectural migrations

THE JAMES Connolly READER

CELTIC ANIMATION FESTIVAL

RIBA North 1pm–on

The Florrie 1–2.15pm

Everyman 1–5pm

3PM

SCOTLAND ROAD WALK

1PM

Handyman's 12–4pm

PRIVATE VIEW: OUTPUT REPEAL THE eighth

TUE 23 oct

Everyman 2–5pm

TG 4 Liverpool Irish Live Playalong Liverpool

Everyman 2–5pm

RESPONDING TO ROBERT TRESSELL: A PANEL

FAMILY CEILI

COUNTESS MARKIEVICZ AND THE VOTES FOR WOMEN CAMPAIGN IN BRITAIN & IRELAND

Liverpool Medical Institute 2–4pm

Liverpool Irish Centre 2–5pm

International Slavery Museum 2.30–3.30pm

TG 4 Liverpool Irish Live Playalong Liverpool

4PM

George Henry Lee's Building 12–2pm

MON 22 oct

12PM

11AM 12PM 1PM 2PM

Victoria Gallery & Museum 10–11.15am

IRISH CRAFT Beer Festival

4PM

3PM

IRISH BUILDERS OF MODERN BRITAIN: CALLING ALL IRISH NAVVIES AND NURSES

MON 22 oct

New Voices WITH ALEX CLARK

Central Library 10.30am– 1.30pm

PRIVATE VIEW: It's The Travelling LIfe

SUN 21 oct

10AM

SAT 20 oct

10AM

FRI 19 oct

In:Visible Women 2018

5PM

Eammon Hughes 'THE TRAIN AND THE RIVER' VAN MORRISON'S BELFAST

KÍLA Arts Club 7pm–10pm

Victoria Gallery & Museum 6–7.15pm

Baggage

Royal Court Downstairs 7–9pm

THE HOT SPROCKETS YE VAGABONDS THE MORNING AFTER THE LIFE BEFORE

10PM

Royal Court Downstairs 9pm–on This is a musical spectacle, with a support set from Oslo based Irish-American Bill Booth. Funded with Festival Enhancement Funding this is a true highlight of the festival. BOOK NOW!

The Jesse Janes

Community, family & sport Performance and poetry Food & drink

The Crown Hotel 7.30pm

Lankum Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room 8pm–on

Hooley O'Neill's 10pm–on

Talks and tours

Music & song

Liverpool Irish Centre 7.30pm

We have used some of our public funding to subsidise tickets, removing the administration/fulfilment charge. Thus, when buying for events with the you will pay just the ticket price (+P&P if you decide to have your tickets posted to you). Liverpool Irish Festival is committed to minimising any barriers affecting access to arts and culture. We’d like to thank all of our sponsors for enabling us to work towards providing barrierless access. Where time and resources permit, we will do what we can to support community members access our events. Anyone struggling to attend events, based on ticket costs alone, should contact us at info@liverpoolirishfestival.com or phone +44 (0) 344 8000 410

INDIECORK: NEW IRISH SHORTS Picture House at FACT 6pm

INDIECORK: NEW IRISH SHORTS FROM WOMEN Picture House at FACT 6pm

THE CORNER BOYS

Kelly's Dispensary 9pm–on

KEY

Film, art and animation

Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room 8pm–on

THE CORNER BOYS

Liverpool Medical Institute 5–6.15pm

INDIECORK: FEATURE MAKING THE GRADE Picture House at FACT 8–9.30pm

TWO PLAYS

The Crown Hotel 7–10.30pm

DAVID O'DOHERTY

RAT IN THE SKULL

Playhouse 8pm

St George's Hall 8pm

BRIDGE OF TUNES: BERNADETTE NIC GRABHANN AND MIKEY KENNEY Liverpool Irish Centre 7pm

TO HAVE TO SHOOT IRISHMEN Liverpool Everyman 8pm

SOCK IN THE FRYING PAN

Liverpool Irish Centre 8pm

TO HAVE TO SHOOT IRISHMEN Liverpool Everyman 8pm

TO HAVE TO SHOOT IRISHMEN Liverpool SAMHAIN WITH CONLETH MCGEAERY

THE JESSE JANES

Everyman 8pm

STEPHEN JAMES SMITH Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room 8pm

Handyman’s 9pm–on

Kelly's Dispensary 9pm–on

11PM

9PM

Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room 8.30pm–on

6PM

Handyman's 6–10pm

7PM

Handyman's 6–10pm

SEBASTIAN BARRY IN CONVERSATION WITH PROF. ROY FOSTER

8PM

Royal Court Downstairs 7pm–on

IRISH CRAFT Beer Festival

8PM

Eggsistentialism

IRISH CRAFT Beer Festival

9PM

Liverpool Irish Centre 6–8pm

Victoria Gallery & Museum 5.15–6.30pm

KITTY

10PM

LAUNCH

7PM

6PM

5PM

Everyman 2–5pm

11PM

Liverpool Irish Festival 2018 Event plan

thurs 18 oct

Corrections to #LIF2018 brochure The following amendments have been made to the programme or to errors cited in the #LIF2018 festival brochure: Page 17: Priorland will no longer headline the O'Neill's Hooley. A replacement band is being found and will be suitably lively and gregarious! We apologise for any disappointment caused. Page 9: Paragraph 1 should have read 'mental illnesses of those left behind' Page 21: Both the Responding to Tressell and Kitty events were broadcast as being on Wed 24 Oct. This is incorrect. Both will take place on Thurs 25 Oct. All other details were correct. Page 22: The Biggest Show in the Country was listed as Venue TBC and time 3pm. This has changed. This will now be at 11am at the Royal Court, bookable through liverpoolirishfestival.com Page 24: Celtic Animation Film Festival: Web address should have read liverpoolirishfestival.com and the times have been amended from 11am-6pm to 1pm-5pm. Additionally, sincere apologies to director Eleonora Asparuhova for the incorrect spelling of her name. Page 31: The Ticket Quarter article featured a typing error- the email address offered should have read info@liverpoolirishfestival.com We apologise for this proofing error.

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TG 4 Liverpool Irish Live Playalong Mon 22-Fri 26 Oct 2-5pm

GALLERY SHOWS

As well as a feast of events, there's also a number of exhibitions to immerse yourself in, including:

Berina Kelly Bluecoat Display Centre, Mon 1-Wed 31 Oct

Materials Library, Liverpool Everyman Street Cafe and Theatre Bar, Thurs 18 Oct-Sun Sat 28 Oct (closed Sundays)

It's the Travelling Life: Part II, George Henry Lee's Building, Thurs 18-Sun 28 Oct.

Rising Up

Oh what a lovely year! “Dublin at Easter 1916 was a moment of tension and possibility. The characters are all aware they are inhabiting history, looking at political chaos and a big shift of ideas worldwide. Frank and Hanna are committed to Irish independence -but without violence- and [yet] see friends taking up guns. People are diverging in the same way now and with new tensions”. One of the points the play makes is that once the ripple of violence takes hold events can run in chaotic and unexpected directions. “1916 is this key moment when Irish people start to fight. A few years later there’s a civil war and it intensifies on a massive scale. We still live with those ripples today. This play isn’t a polemic and it isn’t tub-thumping, but it makes it clear Britain had a huge integral role in triggering tension. And in 2018 you could say Britain is still misunderstanding and underestimating Ireland. It is an ongoing story”.

To Have to Shoot Irishmen is a new play with songs by Lizzie Nunnery. Inspired by true events, the play and is at Liverpool Everyman from 25-27 Oct. Lizzie Nunnery talks to Laura Brown about the real life couple behind the show and how it resonates in today’s world.

Lizzie is keen not to reveal too much of the story, but her research revealed two important characters who also feature in the play. Sir Francis Vane (highest ranking British officer in the Dublin barracks) and William Dobbin. Sir Francis told Hanna of her husband’s murder and became a highly visible figure after the Easter Rising in Anglo-Irish relationships, though 18 year old William Dobbin, remained much less known.

The roots of Lizzie Nunnery’s new play may have been laid 100 years in the past, but for the playwright, the story begins just a decade ago. “I first came across Hanna and Frank Sheehy Skeffington in 2008”, says playwright Lizzie Nunnery. “I was interested in whether women had been involved in the Easter Rising in Dublin 1916 and if any had been written out of history”. She came across Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, founder of the Irish Women’s Franchise League, Sinn Féin and later Fianna Fáil member and wife of Francis (Frank) Skeffington, who was murdered in the Easter Rising by a British soldier. She took messages, helped with supplies and became a powerful feminist and political voice. The couple’s tragic, yet heroic, story stuck with her. “I found it so ironic and resonant. This man, a pacifist, spent his life campaigning against violence. It was a great opportunity to write about the pacifism of these characters, their feminism and their socialism and their lives”.

(Sir Francis) Vane is a very conflicted character. He also calls himself a pacifist, even though he’s a soldier. William Dobbin has very little written about him, but he is the one who we know stands guard outside Frank’s cell. When Frank is murdered he is drawn into the events that then take place. I was really fascinated by what that boy must have gone through”.

“She is in fact related to Hanna’s cousin. She didn’t tell us until she got the job. She opened the first page and got a shock. It feels like it's meant to be”. It is over a decade since Lizzie’s professional debut, Intemperance, at Liverpool Everyman. The city is in the midst of an interesting theatrical blossoming. “Lots of new independent companies are being formed, like Almanac, partly out of necessity because funding has changed. As artists we reshape ourselves and fill those gaps. So there are great companies like Tmesis Theatre, Paperwork led by Hayley Greggs, Travelled Companions... We’re rehearsing in the Everyman Theatre space and it feels really buzzing with artists, everyone having a chat in the green room. Artists are working out how to take control of the process, not just walking into the building and delivering their small part”.

Marc Vormawah at Kelly's Dispensary

As well as Irish activities, the city has also enjoyed the Liverpool Biennial (biennial.com) and Independents Biennial 2018 (artinliverpool.com/independentsbiennial2018), both running throughout #LIF2018 (do go along!). Alongside open museums, galleries and libraries, we are fortunate to have regular annual activities, such as the Writing on the Wall festival, Open Culture’s LightNight, Africa Oyé, Liverpool Arab Arts Festival and dot-art’s Liverpool Art Fair take place. Yet to come are: • DaDaFest (1 Nov-8 Dec) - Passing • LEAP Dance Festival (2-12 Nov) - Our Dance Democracy

Picking up a pin badge at the Three Festivals Tall Ships Regatta

We celebrated 20 years of the Good Friday Agreement with the Institute of Irish Studies at University of Liverpool and turned the city green for St Patrick’s Day, with the help of many city partners. Just two years on from the Easter Rising centenary it is clear that the pursuit of peace and reconciliation must not be overlooked, especially as borders and European access continues to be scrutinised. The #YesTogether campaign for body autonomy reform also made global news, demonstrating Ireland’s tolerance, liberalism and (majority) wish to align with contemporary (Western) social philosophies. Liverpool celebrated this during a weekend of festivities at the Three Festivals Tall Ships Regatta (see more later). Other events that proved exciting for Liverpool were the Feast of Fire Irish evening on 2 April and Vince Power’s Liverpool Feis (7 July), both demonstrating how Liverpool is being recognised externally for its Irish communities and connection with the island.

Sue Rynhart sings on La Malouine, watched by Captain Roy Kerr and technician Sam

Key to all of these events has been partnership and collaboration. Looking at Liverpool and the cultural calendar we enjoy here, it is evident how much and how often people work together to create these events, bringing together people from the local, national and international arts and culture sector, tourism and hospitality industry, travel and transport sectors, marketing and communications teams and more besides. Liverpool City Council have been a significant force behind driving the cultural offer of the city forward and brokering large scale events, using many of the city assets.

We work with all these festivals and many city venues across the year, directly and in networks that include Creative Organisations of Liverpool (COoL), Connected Irish and British Trading Alliance (BITA). Partnership is critical. We are fortunate to have so many organisations and individuals that have a passion for culture, creativity and sharing. In reviewing what the Liverpool Irish Festival has accomplished this year we recall who we have worked with (see back page) and this offers a glimpse in to what the city is achieving, year-on-year. It also reminds us how our Irish work is embedded in the very fabric of the city, its culture and its programme, so really, we can say “Oh What a Lovely Year!". Of course it is not over yet and we still have almost 70 events to surprise, entertain and teach you things and we’ll look forward to broadcasting pictures of those as we go along.

Other events our audiences may like Regular seisiúns/sessions also occurring during #LIF2018

“I’m fascinated by history when it sparks fiction”, says Lizzie. “I wouldn’t call myself a historian but I love history. I love the gaps you can fill as a writer. We don’t know if William and Frank spoke to each other (even if we know he stood guard outside his cell) but I enjoy imagining what William and Frank might have said to one other. It’s exciting and dramatic”.

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Liverpool Irish Festival partnered with the Smithdown Road Festival in May to showcase a raft of talent, guided by the expert mic of Alan O’Hare (of Only Child fame). Speaking of rafts, next came the Three Festivals Tall Ships Regatta, mentioned above (July), a major event for Culture Liverpool and the city as a whole. The Festival organised 20+features across a long weekend of activities, many on board a Tall Ship called La Malouine. Ahead of the event we commissioned a song from Strength N.I.A celebrating the links between Dublin, Liverpool and Bordeaux – the three cities represented in the Regatta. Atop the bands on deck, we also saw families and locals extolling the brilliance of the George Ferguson and BolgerCunningham Irish Dance Schools and the Celtic Animation Film Festival over at the Martin Luther King Building, opened by National Museums Liverpool. Blessed with sunshine (bar one heavy rain shower which washed the Celtic Knot Ceilidh Band off deck!) the Three Festivals Tall Ships Regatta was a major highlight for the year.

Directed by Gemma Kerr (Hitting Town, Southwark Playhouse) and produced by Nunnery's Almanac Arts, much of the talent is Merseyside based, including designer, Rachel Rooney (recent LIPA graduate) who managed to keep an incredible secret from the team during her two interviews.

There’s a touch of the historian about Lizzie’s research as she teases and coaxes the stories of people long gone. Young William Dobbin, she discovered, was sent to the front and died at the Somme.

1916’s Easter Rising remains the most significant Irish uprising and set in motion an important chain of events. Its centenary commemorations in Liverpool revealed men and women who left their Liverpool homes to fight in Dublin. All four of the characters in To Have to Shoot Irishmen are in the centre of a moment of chaos, personal and political. There is a sense of this being a perfect modern moment to stage the play.

2018 has been a significant year for Liverpool, for Ireland and for the Liverpool Irish Festival. 2018 represents 10 years since Liverpool was awarded European Capital of Culture status, which we celebrated with a year of events that, at that time, was unparalleled. 2008 set in motion a decade of cultural and creative challenges -and growth- leading to the development of a significant city calendar of regular cultural events (such as ours), special events (such as the Giants, whose last visit takes place 4-7 Oct 2018) and a year round programme from city notables including the Everyman and Playhouse, National Museums Liverpool, the Royal Court and many, many more besides.

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To Have to Shoot Irishmen is at Liverpool Everyman 25-27 Oct. Tickets are £10-£20. The final show will be followed by a Q&A. For tickets go to liverpoolirishfestival.com

Thurs 19 & 25 Oct 8pm The Old Bank seisiún Fri 19 Oct 10pm Trad session at PKs (Peter Kavanagh’s) Mon 22 Oct 9pm Trad at The Eddie (The Edinburgh) Fri 26 Oct 10pm Trad session at the Liverpool Irish Centre Sun 28 Oct 7pm Trad session at Kelly's Dispensary

Liverpool Central Library (Hornby Library)

Intimate Power: Autobiography of a City

Tues 14 Aug-Sun 28 Oct Open during library opening times and free to enter.

Mellowtone presents Simon Herron and Kate O’Dempsey

Children’s Portraiture with Whitebox photography

Wed 17 20 Oct 2018 8pm. £5. skiddle.com

Sun 14 Oct 2018 9.30am throughout the day. £25. Email iccfrevents@gmail.com to book your place Ullet Road Unitarian Church

Royal Court – main house

Irish Community Care Fundraising Céilí

MAGGIE MAY

Fri 23 Nov 2018 7pm. £5 iccm.org.uk

12 Oct-10 Nov 2018 £14-£28 royalcourtliverpool.co.uk

Nick Laird: Readings and Conversation

Cream of the Barley concert with Hughie Jones

Wed 17 20 Oct 2018 6.30pm-8pm £4/£3 bluecoat.org.uk

Sat 20 Oct 2018 8pm. £10 westkirbyartscentre.org.uk

Laura Brown is a writer on art, culture and PR based in Liverpool.

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festival FUNDERS

Project funders

Partners

Acknowledgements Artists, writers, contributors, advisors and performers As well as running our own annual festival, the Liverpool Irish Festival collaborates with partners on events through the year. This year included the Smithdown Road Festival and the Three Festivals Tall Ships Regatta. Below are all the artists and contributors we know the names for. Additionally there are team members, crews and personnel we may not know in person, but to whom we are indebted. Thank you all! Anderson, Julian Armstrong, Dee Armstrong, John Asparuhova, Eleonora Barrett, Carrie Barry, Sebastian Bassom, Paul Bigley, Claire Birtill, Tony Blake, Ann Bogue, Keith Booth, Bill Boyle, Davy Brennan, Martin Brennan, Seanan Brophy, Marian Bryson, Sandy Burke, Ciaran Butler-Boycott, Sarah Chandler, John Clark, Bev Collins, Julie Collins, Martin Collinson, Alan

Conally, Andy Cook, Catherine Corbin, Kate Coyne, Aodán Cullen, Timmy Cunningham, Kathleen Daly, Ella De La Puente, Gabrielle Donnelly, Pat Doolin, Maire Doolin, Shea Dunne, Clodagh Durney, Sean Dyson, Chris Exley, Matthew Faloon, Ann Faloon, Sean Feely, Úna Ferguson, George French, Gerry Flaherty, Kath Frances-White, Deborah Frank, Jona Goldup, Trevor Hall, Stiofán Randall Hannigan, Mick Harbinson, Corey Harkin, Cathal Harkin, Shaun Haswell, Richard Hayes, Fiachra Hayes, Shane Heffron, Paddy Herron, Simon Hickman, Prof Mary Hingerty, Dave Hodge, Peter Hodgers, Ciarán Hogan, Brian Hughes, Thomas Hughes, Tommy Hughes. Eamonn Hutchinson, Ron

Jacques, David Joseph, Anthony Judge, Geraldine Maloney Kavanagh, Paul Kearns, Gerard Kelly, Adrian Kelly, Berina Kelly, Chris Kelly, Fiona Maeve Kelly, Franky Kelly, Jude Kenney, Mikey Kerr, Gemma Kerr, Roy Konigs Balfry, Nicole Lacey, Steve Lawless, Elinor Lawlor, Win Little, Alison Liverpool Irish Traveller Community Lloyd, Ben Lynch, Daragh Lynch, Dorothy Lynch, Ian Lynch, Joey Mac Gloinn, Brían Mac Gloinn, Diarmuid Mac Ionnrachtaigh, Dr Feargal MacDiarmada, Cormac MacKinnon-Day, Dr Patricia MacTague, David Maginn, Carol Mahon, James Marshall, John McCusker, Kate McCusker, Mary Rose McDaid, Breege McDermott Long, Muireann McGeary, Conleth McGough, Rory McGrath, Dr Joe McGuigan, Adam

McInerney, Lisa McKernan, Paul McLennan, Tom McNamara, Julie Moore, Rory Morgan, Peter Morrison, Maureen Morrison, Patrick Mulhearn, Ultan Murphy, Con Murphy, Gráinne Murrell, Gemma Naughtie, James Nic Gabhann, Bernadette Nunnery, Lizzie O Donghaile, Dr Deaglan Ó Snodaigh, Rónán Ó Snodaigh, Rossa Ó Snodaigh, Colm O’Brien, Dr Gillian O’Doherty, David O’Donnell, Leeanne O’Donoghue, Mags O’Grady, Dave O’Hare, Alan O’Neill, Robbie Owen, Paul Owen, Steve Owen, Val Pearson, Ed Peat, Radie Piece, Dr Michael Qassim, Afrah Quiery, Greg Raymond, Alan Raze, Villy Richardson, Russell Robertson, Paul Rooney, Sally Ruane MP, The Right Hon Chris Rushforth, Michelle Ryan, Joanne Rynhart, Sue

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Salinsky, Tom Saunders, Andy Scraton, Prof Phil Seddon, James Seymour, Helen Shirlow, Prof Peter Simon, Cllr Wendy Smith, Stephen James Smyth, Lucia Smyth, Maddy Soper, Wayne Spencer, Monica Stephens, Claire Stevens, Simon Taylor, Dr Helen Thomas, Duncan Tiernan, Asst Prof Sonja Tim, BB Tippett, Toni Todd, Stuart Trew, Dr Johanne Devlin Turley, Karen Tyrrall, Gordon Vormawah, Marc Walsh, Emma Wardrop, Ken West, Mike Wright, Alan

Bands #LIF2018, Three Festivals Tall Ships Regatta and Smithdown Road Festival AdLib’s sound team Celtic Knot Ceilidh Band Kíla Lankum Only Child Róisín Bán Roy Kerr and the crew of La Malouine Rum Doodle Socks in the Frying Pan Strength N.I.A The Folk Doctors The Hot Sprockets The Jesse Janes The Mann Island Ramblers Tippin’ It Up Villy Raze Band Wee Bag Band Wet The Tea Wet The Tea Ye Vagabonds.

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Liverpool Irish Festival #LIF2018 newspaper

Articles inside

Funders, Partners and acknowledgements

Other events our audiences may like

Oh What a Lovely Year!

Rising Up - An interview with Lizzie Nunnery

Pull-out guide

Cover story - Music strikes more than a chord