West of England Irish CultureFest presents 35 events leading up to St Patrick’s Day

W. E. Irish (formerly known as the Bristol Irish Society, formed in 1989) is a not-for-profit community organisation, connecting and celebrating the many thousands of Irish immigrants who have made Bristol their home.

In the run-up to the St Patrick’s Day Parade on March 19, they will be organising CultureFest, a rich and varied programme of 35 separate events across the city.

From comedy and poetry to literature and film, as well as dance, music, education and ideas, there is an enticing mix of elements that serves to underscore the abundance of talent and influence that the Irish Diaspora have contributed to Bristol.

St Patrick’s Day Parade, CultureFest – photo: W.E. Irish

Venues include Bristol Folk House, which will be hosting the comedy night Craic House – headlined by Michael Legge, the Arnolfini, and Watershed, which will be screening Irish films including The Banshees of Inisherin and Aftersun.

Alongside showing Ireland in the Six Nations, there will be a chance for people to take on Irish sport more directly, as Bristol Harps players and coaches will be running Hurling/Camóige and Gaelic Football sessions on Clifton Downs.

On an educational strand, Bristol Ideas Festival is hosting a dedicated ‘Irish Ideas’ event at the Royal Photographic Society.

St Patrick’s Day Parade, CultureFest – photo: W.E. Irish

Writer and performer Clare Reddaway will be leading groups on her story-walk exploring Irish life in Bristol, bringing the city to life through snippets of history and slices of fiction that allow you to experience familiar places through new eyes.

For fans of traditional Irish dancing, there are events to help enthusiasts learn set dances in Yate, Wotton-under-Edge, Westbury and Southmead among other places.

And traditional Irish music and workshops pepper the festival in venues in Bristol, Bath and beyond.

Story walk – photo: Clare Reddaway

As well as celebrating Irish Pride, CultureFest aims to attract 10,000 people to the parade, and an audience for all their programmed events through the 10 day Fringe festival, boosting the local economy.

W.E. Irish is also passionate about bringing under-represented groups together, through their work.

“A focus of this festival will be to bring together people of Irish/black dual-heritage,” they say.

Traditional Irish dancing, CultureFest – photo: W.E. Irish

“The festival will also present opportunities for the Irish diaspora to share their experiences with more recent immigrants facing a hostile environment.”

The pinnacle of CultureFest – The St Patrick’s Day Parade itself – will be a full day of street performances, bands, music, dancing and floats, parading towards the city centre.

It will be followed by two final parties; firstly a free event in St Nick’s Market, and subsequently a ticketed evening event with live entertainment in Revolution bar.

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W.E. Irish CultureFest runs from March 10-19. For an up-to-date programme of all the festival events, go to www.weirish.org.uk/festival.

Clare Reddaway’s Pubs and Potatoes, Giants and Geniuses: A story-walk through Irish Bristol is taking place on weekends of March 11-12 and 18-19. Tickets are available via www.eventbrite.co.uk.

Main photo: W. E. Irish (O’Malley Dance)

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