Destination Events

The 2010 Manchester Irish Festival
Presently until 21st March 2010
www.manchesteririshfestival.co.uk
Fly direct from Galway to Manchester today!

Manchester will celebrate its fifteenth Irish festival with a two week extravaganza featuring two hundred events, staged at forty nine different venues throughout Greater Manchester.

Councillor John Flanagan the co-chair of the Manchester Irish Festival said "The festival will feature Art, Culture, Comedy, Community, Dance, Music, Sport and Theatre events, making it one of Europe's biggest Irish Festivals.
We have tried to include something for everyone to enjoy in the community and a warm Irish welcome awaits all our visitors.  This year's festival looks to be our biggest yet and we would like to thank all our committee members, volunteers and sponsors for all their hard work."

Opening weekend highlights include on the opening night on Friday 5 March, an Irish Blues Festival is staged in Levenshulme as part of the area's two week tradfest. While Irish Country star Stephen Smyth appears at St Kent's in Fallowfield. On Saturday 6 March, the award winning 'Young, Gifted & Green' stage their annual show at Manchester Town Hall for The Christie Cancer Hospital and a Clancy Brothers Tribute night takes place on the same evening in Levenshulme.

The Saint Patrick's weekend celebrations start on Thursday 11 March with the Magner's sponsored Comedy Festival, followed by a special tradfest concert featuring Donegal's ‘The Henry Girls' on Friday 12 March. Coronation Street's newest Irish star - Kieran Cunningham makes his debut on the famous cobbles on the same night and then appears at a special concert on Saturday 13 March. The big gig of the weekend takes place at the MEN arena when Dublin's ‘Jedward' appear as part of the X-Factor Live tour.

The giant annual St Patrick's festival parade takes place on Sunday 14 March in the city centre along with the Irish Festival market (12-14 March). While Davey Arthur & the Fureys, appear on Tuesday 16 March. St Patrick's Day itself is filled with events all over the city, which range from special all day traditional Irish music sessions to black tie dinners and special Irish club nights.

The closing weekend of the festival is still packed with events with a special Irish family night in aid of the Niall Melon Trust taking place on Saturday 20 March. While the closing night concert on Sunday 21 March features ‘The Dubliners' at the Lowry.

Manchester Irish Festival Market
The famous Manchester Irish Festival Market will be held in Albert Square, outside the Manchester Town Hall on Friday 12th March, Saturday 13th March and Sunday 14th March 2010.

It will feature the very best in Irish art and crafts and foods bringing you a real opportunity to sample a small taste of what Ireland has to offer.  The market starts at midday

Useful Links:

Manchester Airport Information

Timeout Guide to Manchester