July/August

Friday (29/7/2011)

  • Official start with the “seven masters/Heroes”
  • 7 masters in form of giant puppets representing the 7 disciplines.
  • Simple Dramatical enactment symbolizing the initiation of the Festival.
  • Céilí on the Street in Cúil Aodha
  • Set Dancing night in the Abbey Hotel
  • Sessions in the local pubs as required.

Saturday (30/7/2011)

10:00am Program of archive films of local material. (For centuries, the area has been a Mecca for folklore and music collectors)
2:00pm Forum on Sean Ó Riada’s legacy including intimate memories of him. (Panel of speakers to include his friends and contemporaries locally)
4:00pm Liturgical concert in Séipeal Chuil Aodha with Choir from Maynooth seminarians and Cór Chúil Aodha.
7:30pm Vespers in Séipéal Chuil Aodha with the priests and seminarians of Maynooth
8:00pm Cruinniú na Laoch. An photographic exhibition opening in Arus Eamon Mac Suibhne. (Old photographs/pictures of the Heroes Past of the people and the area – poets, singers, revolutionaries, historical figures, sports-people, artists, community leaders and changers of lives stream at home and around the world)
Reception afterwards community teas, songs and stories in the Arus.Céilí Abbey Hotel, Sessions in pubs.

Sunday (31/7/2011)

11:00am Mass with Cúil Aodha choir broadcast on radio worldwide and streamed on Internet. Music composed by Seán Ó Riada
Cór Chúil Aodha invites representative forces from Maynooth Seminary to join them in singing the Mass first publicly performed outside Cúil Aodha in 1967 in Maynooth with the then Professor of History an t-Ollamh Monsignor Tómás Ó Fiach.
12:00am The ‘pilgrimage” to Cathair Crobh Dearg and back leaves Cúil Aodha. This is a journey on foot over land up to the mountains called Dhá Cíoch Danainn (The Paps – associated with the Tuatha Dé Danainn and last place of pagan worship in Ireland) and Cathair Crobh Dearg which are associated with the ancient Festival of Lughnasa with the finishing point at the main event field in Cúil Aodha.
2:00pm Our place of work (Director Pádraig Ó hAoláin –ex CEO Údarás na Gaeltachta)
2:00pm The small industrial unit, its role in Irish society today and its development in the future here. High tech/ highspec/ High quality/ High Craft. Low pollution/low intrusion/low dependence.
4:30pm “Tabhacht na Meithile san lá inniu.” A lecture and Q and A on the role of community work-groups in today’s Ireland and the World as we start the second decade of a new millennium.

An Aeríocht

The Venue – is an outdoor field in the Cuil Aodha glen where the Tuatha Dé Danan made their last stand against the Celts. It is on the banks of the Sulán river, the only male river in Ireland. (catering, seating and refreshments etc. on site)   There will be a small stage / pavilion in the centre facing the setting sun.

8:00pm The gathering of artists for parading to the Venue
8:30pm Parade of the Artists in their disciplines  (Aosdana, Acadamh Fodhla, Universities etc invited to participate)
Parade led by bands etc led by the Irish Army band (other bands invited and all bands welcome.)
9:15pm The release of Chinese lanterns into the dusk skies with wishes and evocations.  System of pre-ordering one’s own lantern etc available on website in the months beforehand.
9:21pm Sunset at site release of Lanterns etc
9:30pm 60 minute sequence from the storytellers and raconteurs (This includes the journalists as the modern day equivalent)
10:30pm Pavilion turned northwards some degrees.
10:45pm Sequence of the poets
11:45pm Pavilion turned clockwise/sun-wise some degrees
12:00am Sequence of the actors
1:00am Pavilion turned clockwise/sun-wise some degrees.
1:15am Sequence of the dancers.
2:15am Pavilion turned clockwise/sun-wise some degrees.
2:30am Sequence of the singers.
3:30am Pavilion turned clockwise/sun-wise some degrees.
3:45am Sequence of the musicians.
5:00am Final turning of Pavilion and readying of glass lenses and Torch/beacon.
5:21am Sunrise.  Combined youth and other orchestras play Mise Éíre to the rising sun which the pavilion is now facing. The suns rays (weather permitting) used to light Torch/Beacon. Some minor celebration and Tea, toast and jam etc Disperse

 

Monday Lá Lughnasa (1/8/2011)

12:00pm Lecture in Memory of John Moriarty (philosopher)  “Invoking Ireland”.
2:00pm Lecture in memory of Seán Ó Riada “ I gCuimhne Sheáin Uí Riada”.Sessions in local establishments
12:00pm With a flare, Sounding of Horns and flag waving the big “Cluiche Caid” (Ancient form of Gaelic football)
2:00 Hurling Event.
There will be puppet shows and clowns and side shows available and placed around Cúil Aodha and Baile Mhuirne at suitable spaces for the day.

 

October

Friday 30/9/2011

  • Start of wind down of Festival with Reception in Arus Éamon Mac Suibhne.
  • Official listing of all festivals and events that took/will happen, during the year.
  • Ceremony of Awards / recognition to people who have done much to further Irish Culture during the last seven years. Low key song, story and musical evening in informal concert.

Saturday 1/10/2011

10:00am “The future of Ireland” a conference of futurologists on where-to Ireland in the next 7 years?
Session 1 industrially, administratively (including the launch of the proceedings of the August Symposium on small industry)
12:30pm Lunch / break
2:00pm Opening of exhibition on the August Festival (in various art forms)
3:00pm Session 2 Talk The Future of Ireland Culturally
7:00pm Concert of Liturgical music – Monks of Glenstall and Cór Chúil Aodha in Séipéal Chúil Aodha.
9:00pm Céilí in Arus Mhic Shuibhne, Set Dancing in Abbey Hotel.
Sessions in pubs.

Sunday 2/10/2011

11:00am Aifreann 2
Commemorative Mass (Aifreann 2) broadcast worldwide on radio. Cór Cúil Aodha invites the Monks of GlenStall to join them in singing Sean Ó Riada’s second Mass originally commissioned by Glenstall Monastery in 1969 (Streamed on internet)
2:00pm Farwell to Lughansa ceremony starts in Hall  (Cuil Aodha)
2:15pm Storytellers
2:30pm Poets
2:45pm Actors
3:00pm Dancers
3:15pm Musicians
3:30pm Singers
3:45pm Sportspeople
Finish at 4:00pm Announcement that this event will be next held in seven years in 2018

An Coirm / The Concert

8:30pm Major and only concert – Árus Eamon Mac Suibhne, finishing 12:45 stroke of bell to mark time of passing of Sean Ó Riada and the singing of the final parting song by all. Closing sequence and quenching of torch

 

Monday morning 3/10/2011

11:00am Quiet and short laying of wreath ceremony on the grave of Seán by Ruth Ó Riada
pm