Archival film footage from Co. Mayo during Westport Arts Festival

 Draíocht Mhaigh Eo - Archival film footage from Co. Mayo has been obtained from the Irish Film Institute. The film footage is silent, and with funding received through DEIS, the traditional arts funding scheme of the Arts Council of Ireland, a new piece of music was commissioned to accompany the film. This music has been composed by two Westport residents: Achill native and Pipe Major of the Clew Bay Pipe Band, Des Cafferkey, and Bartholomew de Boer, originally from Poland, producer and engineer at the Clew Bay Recording Studio.

The archival film footage includes a variety of scenes, and dates from the 1920s up until the 1970s. It includes “Turas na Cruaiche” - a pilgrimage to Croagh Patrick in 1959, pilgrims to Knock in the 1950s, along with several other gatherings in Westport and its surrounding areas: Market Day in Westport, Corpus Christi parade, currach racing at Old Head and much more. It shows footage of Mrs. Morrison carding and spinning wool on a spinning wheel in Thallabawn in 1977. The film finishes with 'Whaling Afloat and Ashore'  - the oldest surviving fully-crafted documentary made in Ireland, which was made in Mayo.

The film footage will be projected onto a big screen and will be accompanied by the newly composed music, which will be performed live on the night by a band of local musicians. This promises to be a very special event.

The show will be performed in the Town Hall Theatre, Westport, on the opening night and the closing night of the Westport Arts Festival: Wednesday, 30th September & Sunday, 4th October, both shows at 8.00pm. Tickets for the opening night are at a special rate of €10, and they will be €15/12 for Sunday night.

Tickets are available through the Town Hall Theatre Box Office.

http://westporttownhall.ticketsolve.com/shows/873540353/events?show_id=873540353

For more details about Draíocht Mhaigh Eo, contact Freda on 087-9872868 or Michael on 087-6896944