City's rub of the green
THE magic of Ireland will cast a spell on Manchester next month when the Irish Festival returns for the 13th year.
Irish eyes will be smiling throughout the fortnight-long festival which celebrates the best aspects of Irish art, dance, comedy, culture, music and sport in Manchester.
The highlight will be the huge street parade which will wind its way from the Irish World Heritage Centre in Cheetham Hill to the town hall on Sunday, March 9.
More than 100 floats from Irish associations across the north west are expected to attend.
Levenshulme village - which is home to Britain's biggest Irish community outside London - is set to rival the Temple Bar area of Dublin when it stages its 10-day music festival called `Tradfest'.
This will feature more than 100 traditional and contemporary Irish musicians, singers and dancers at venues across Levenshulme.
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Another highlight will be the Young, Gifted and Green Irish Music and Dance Charity Concert which will take place at the Lowry Theatre, Salford, on March 8, in aid of Francis House Children's Hospice, Didsbury.
Performances planned for St Patrick's Day on March 15 include Innisfree at the Union, Lyra Celtica in M19 and James O'Connor in Hennigan's Sports Bar. His namesake Tim O'Connor will launch his new single at M19 on March 16.
Other Irish acts appearing in Manchester in March - although not linked to the Irish Festival - include Westlife at the M.E.N. Arena and both Clannad and Van Morrison at the Bridgewater Hall.
The festival's president, Coun Pat Karney, said this year's event looks sure to be the biggest and best so far. He said: "Over the past 12 years we have developed the festival into the biggest in Britain and one of the largest in the world.
"Famous names and outstanding artistic talent will be performing at venues across Manchester throughout this year's festival which will mean that it is better than ever before."
Manchester Irish Festival runs from March 7, to March 20. For more information log onto
www.manchesteririshfestival.co.uk
Published: Mon, 04 February, 2008
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