Londonderry festival showcases best in Ulster-Scots
The Apprentice Boys Maiden City festival in Londonderry on August 6-13 once again showcases the very best in Ulster-Scots culture. This includes home-grown talent in music and dance.
The Ulster-Scots Agency is a major sponsor of the Maiden City Festival. The festival also receives funding support from DCAL (departure of culture, arts and leisure), DSDC (department of social development), Derry City Council, and the Irish department of foreign affairs.
The Maiden City Festival kicks off with the home sounds that have travelled the world and lie at the root of what is popularly known as Bluegrass. From the home of Bluegrass, from Tennessee and North Carolina, the Josh Goforth Trio will be heading a list of great bands playing around the Walls of Londonderry on Saturday August 6.
John Trotter keeps in tune for dancers Donna Best (left) and Valerie Moore, from the Crimson Fiddler Players.
Joining Josh and the boys are the innovative Bluegrass Boogiemen from Holland, the unique talent of the Niall Toner Band, joined by Woodbine, Rough Deal String Band, Northern Exposure and Acoustic Grass.
On the Saturday evening music lovers will head for the Ulster Suite at the Tower Hotel for a night of great music from the Josh Goforth Trio, Bluegrass Boogiemen and the Niall Toner Band. Meanwhile, the biggest line-dancing extravaganza on the summer calendar will take place in the Apprentice Boys Memorial Hall with the best of the North West and beyond.
On Wednesday August 10 at the Memorial Hall, there will be the now traditional Highland Gathering. Organiser of the Highland Gathering, James Kee, believes that this year's Maiden City dance competition will be the largest yet and hopes to see the same interest from Ulster, Scotland and even Canada that was shown in 2004.
Entry is just £1 per dance, and must be registered with the organiser Sollus School of Highland Dancing by July 27. For more information contact James Kee, 251 Victoria Road, Bready, Londonderry BT82 0EB, or either phone/fax on 028 7184 1636.
On Wednesday evening, Bready Ulster- Scots group will provide the skirl of the pipes, the beat of the drum and the widely acclaimed Sollus Highland Lassies, along with the Herbie McFarland Folk 4 and Robert Watt and Emma Culbert will provide pipe and accordion music.
During the week the Verbal Arts Centre will be hosting lunchtime Ulster-Scots music and verse. Throughout the week, the Ulster-Scot Foundation Course will be delivered at the WF Marshall Summer School, which, this year, will include a unit of learning being delivered in Belfast.
Final details of the Festival and Summer School events will be announced in the Festival leaflets which will be inserted in regional papers in early July. Keep an eye too on the Festival's website www.maidencityfestival.com for times and locations.