A packed weekend of music, arts and family activities is planned at Scotch Hall Shopping Centre as part of the first ever Saint Patrick’s Music and Arts Festival.
The event will feature a wide range of performances, workshops and free activities for children and families. Thanks to the support of Scoil Aonghusa there will also be a Gaeilge Hub downstairs in the centre with a strong focus on promoting Irish language and culture.
Inspired by the energy and enthusiasm of Seachtain Na Gaeilge, the hub will run from 12.00 to 4.00 each day. Activities organised by the school include a Ceilí Disco, a Pop Up Gaeltacht and a Leprechaun Treasure Hunt where every child who enters will receive a treat. Larger prizes and vouchers will also be drawn at random throughout the day.
Waterstones will host readings in the Gaeilge Hub while the Omniplex will screen Irish language movies. Art and craft workshops will also take place on Saturday and Sunday from 1.00 to 3.00.
Sunday promises to be a special occasion for families when Saint Patrick returns up the River Boyne at 6.00 followed by a fireworks display at 8.00.
Alongside the arts activities there will be a full programme of live music. Festivities begin at 12.30 on Saturday March 14 with the Drogheda Male Voice Choir under musical director David Leddy. Founded in 2013, the group are well known for their annual Christmas Special in the TLT and have also performed in the Royal Albert Hall and for Pope Francis.
At 3.00 the Loving Life Choir will take to the stage. In just a few short years this group of young adults has grown from their first performance in 2019 to appearing on last year’s Late Late Toy Show, promoting inclusion and diversity through music.
Traditional Irish music and dancing will follow at 4.00 when Comhaltas Drogheda perform. Founded in 1951 to promote Irish language and culture, the organisation, under the leadership of Lolo Robinson, played a key role in Drogheda hosting Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in 2018 and 2019 which attracted more than 750,000 visitors to the town.
The first day of music will conclude with a performance from the Starlight Dance Academy inspired by this year’s parade theme Once Upon a Panto. The academy offers classes in drama, ballet, jazz, commercial, lyrical and tap dance for children aged three to eighteen and recently won the Best Emerging New Business award at the local Chamber of Commerce Awards.
The LMFM Roadcaster will also be at Scotch Hall Shopping Centre from 12.30 to 2.00 with spot prizes for visitors.
Sunday Outdoors Gig-rig @ The Riverside.
On Sunday and Monday the music moves outdoors to a gig rig at The Riverside beside Scotch Hall Shopping Centre, where a range of local bands will perform.
Sunday will see well known Irish balladeers Rapscallion headline the evening at 7.00. Earlier performances will come from Conor Judge and Friends, The Unit, The Fuzzy Papers and the all female band Femmes Forte. The performances begin at 2.00 with Brazilian martial arts group Capoeira Arte.
Monday Outdoors Gigrig @ The Riverside.
Music continues on Monday starting at 4.00 when Kelley McArdle and her Karma Dance Crew open the show. The group are currently fundraising for a trip to the world championships.
They will be followed by local entertainer Declan Garry, known as The Faa Side. Next to perform will be Ellen O’Reilly and her all girl three piece band The Hit Queens who have performed with artists such as Una Healy and Moya Brennan and appeared on stages including the National Concert Hall and the 3Arena.
The evening will finish with a performance from The Wednesday Gang, a seven piece band known for their blend of folk, rock and roll and blues. Capoeira Arte will also perform again during the evening.
Tuesday Outdoors Gigrig @ Saint Peter’s Church, West Street.
The celebrations continue on Tuesday when West Street will remain closed until 4.00pm to allow a post parade concert at Saint Peter’s Church. Music will run from 1.30 to 4.00.
Rapscallion will perform once again. The band, one of Drogheda’s most loved acts for almost two decades, reunited last year for the Leinster Fleadh and will perform again for the festival.
They will be followed by Phil Kermode and Friends with a lively set before the Loving Life Choir return to the stage under musical director Jade Quinn assisted by Aodhamair Reilly.
Following the parade there will also be free family entertainment from 12.00 to 4.00 in Scotch Hall Shopping Centre including performances from Drogheda Comhaltas and the Robinson School of Irish Dancing.
The Drogheda Festival Committee thanked sponsors, including Fitz Scientific, Louth County Council, Drogheda on the Boyne Tourism, and Drogheda BIDS as well as local service providers An Garda Síochána, Boyne Fisherman’s Rescue and Recovery, the Irish Coast Guard, Order of Malta and Louth Volunteers who together help make the weekend one of the biggest family events of the year in Drogheda.
