This year's Manchester Irish Festival Market will run from Friday 7th March to Sunday 9th March.

Contact Tim to book a stall or for any further information about the festival market:
tim@t3events.com
0161 681 7633 or 07980162418

More details >>

Here's some events of interest during the festival at Waxy's in the Printworks...

* Six Nations
Waxy's will be showing all Ireland's games in the 6 Nations on their 2 big screens.
Special offers and Caffrey’s drink promotion available during all the matches.

* St Patrick’s Parade – Sunday 9th March
Come on in for some traditional Irish music - live and special offers on Irish food & Caffrey’s!

* St Patrick’s Day
Once more Waxy’s will be bursting with Irish charm, atmosphere and lots of excitement! Expect live music, special offers on some of our most popular dishes and Caffrey’s & Guinness promotions not to be missed!

More details >>

Irish Community Care is running a number of lunchtime social events for the festival...

Monday 10th March
Irish Community Care Social - St Marys Centre, Elbow St, Levenshulme.
12-3pm (free). All are welcome to this event, live music, sit & chat over a cup of tea or get involved in the craft workshop.

Tuesday 11th March
Irish community Care Over 50's Activity Groups
St Richards Parish Centre, Sutcliffe St. Longsight, Manchester .
12.30 – 3pm (free). A weekly activity including music, dancing & refreshments.

Wednesday 12th March
Irish World Heritage Centre, Queens Rd , Cheetham Hill.
12.30-3.00pm (free). A weekly activity, St Patricks celebration with live music, dancing & refreshments.

St. Anne's Parish Centre, Chester Rd.Stretford , Manchester.
12.30-3.00pm (free). Weekly Health Initiative exercises, St Patrick's celebration with music, dancing & refreshments.

Thursday 13th March
Sacred Heart Parish Centre, Levenshulme Rd, Gorton, Manchester
(Free) Weekly Health Initiative, St Patricks celebration with music, dancing & refreshments

Space, Marlborough Rd, Salford
12.30-3.00pm (free). St Patrick's celebration sit & chat over a cup of tea or get involved in the craft workshop.
More details >>

There's plenty going on at Conor's Irish Bar in Heaton Chapel during the festival...

Conor's listings:

Friday 7th March
Festival Launch Party with Mustang
Come and join the festivities as Conor’s Irish Bar and Lounge and celebrate the start of the 2008 Irish Festival with Manchester's very own Mustang playing the best in Irish & Country music.
8.00pm till late
Free (£2.00 door charge after 11pm)

Saturday 8th March
Festival Party Night
Bringing you the best in traditional Irish and Irish & Country music.

8.00pm till late,

Free (£2.00 door charge after 11pm)

Sunday 9th March
Festival Party Disco
The perfect end to a perfect weekend our Festival Party Disco will have you dancin’ the night away with guest Dj’s
8.00pm till late
Free (£2.00 door charge after 10.30pm)

Wednesday 12th March
‘All Things Irish’ Irish Festival Fun Quiz
Ged Graham hosts the 2008 ‘All Things Irish’ Irish Festival Fun Quiz and Game Show. Come On Down and join in the Craic. The quiz will be follwed by an evening of traditional and contemporary Irish Ballads as Ged showcases his new CD release ‘Irish Heartbeat’
8.00pm till late
Free (£2.00 door charge after 11pm)

Friday 14th March
Cripple Creek
Cripple Creek will entertain you with their outstanding selection of traditional and contemporary Irish Ballads and have you dancing the night away to classic Irish and Country tunes.
8.00pm till late
Free (£2.00 door charge after 11pm)

Saturday 15th March
Festival Party Night
Bringing you the best in traditional Irish and Irish & Country music.

Sunday 16th March
Quare Craic featuring Kieran Cunningham & Friends
Kieran Cunningham & Friends will be joining us to present an afternoon of the very best in traditional and contemporary Irish music.
3.00pm Free

Monday 17th March
St Patricks Day Party
Live music and dancing all day and into the early hours of the morning as Manchester and Conor’s Irish Bar and Lounge celebrates the largest St Patrick's Day festival in Europe. Mick and The Irish Rovers will get the party started and keep you entertained during the day with the very best in Irish & Country and Tradditional Irish ballads. The Morgan School of Irish Dancing give a display of Irish Dancing that will have your toes tapping. Manchester’s own Lone Star will take to the stage playing their unique blend of Country and Irish music.
Free (£2.00 door charge after 11pm)

Visit http://www.conors.co.uk/ for up to date information.

More details >>

There's plenty going on The Southern
in Chorlton, including Lone Star, Mustang,
The Ranchers, The Mayo Man, and The Ryans.
The Southern is on the corner of Mauldeth Road and Nell Lane and is fast becoming one of the major Irish venues in the city.

Friday 7th March - Festival Launch Party with Lone Star
Come and join the festivities as The Southern Hotel and Nightclub celebrate the start of the 2008 Festival with Manchester's own Lone Star playing the very best in Irish & Country music. The party continues upstairs in the nightclub utill the early hours of the morning with The Festival Roadshow Disco.

Saturday 8th March - Mick & The Irish Rovers
Mick and the boys get the Saturday night party started with their unique blend of Irish & Country Music. Justin and the Festival Roadshow Disco will keep you dancin’ the night away in the nightclub.

Sunday 9th March - St Patricks Day Parade Celebration
Why not join us to send off our float to the St Patricks Day Parade in style. JIB himself will be blasting out the music on the float. The celebration continues in the lounge bar with Nathan Carter and Justin and the Festival Roadshow Disco.

Thursday 13th March - ‘All Things Irish’ Irish Festival Fun Quiz
Ged Graham hostes the 2008 ‘All Things Irish’ Irish Festival Fun Quiz and Game Show. Come On Down and join in the Craic. The quiz will be follwed by an evening of traditional and contemporary Irish Ballads as Ged showcases his new CD release ‘Irish Heartbeat’.

Friday 14th March - Raggamuffin
Raggamuffin joines us to bring in The St Patrick’s Weekend in style with their unique blend of Irish and Country music.

Saturday 15th March - The Ryans
Manchester legends The Ryans make a welcome return to the Southern Hotel.

Sunday 16th March - The Borderline / The Mayo Man
A one off show from Manchester's very own Borderline featuring the remaining five original members. 10pm.
Also Peter Mylett ‘The Mayo Man’ brings his one man show to the Southern for an afternoon of classic Country & Irish music. Start 4pm.

Monday 17th March - St Patricks Day Party
Live music and dancing all day and into the early hours of the morning as Manchester and the Southern Hotel & Nightclub celebrates the largest St Patrick's Day festival in Europe. Mustang will get the party started and keep you entertained during the day with the very best in Irish & Country and Traditional Irish ballads. The Morgan School of Irish Dancing join us with a display of Irish Dancing that will have your toes tapping. The Festival Roadshow Disco will keep the party going as The Ranchers make their way to the nightclub stage and dance you till the early hours of the morning.
More details >>

There are a number of Irish language events
during the festival, including a taster/beginners
event at the Town Hall, a trad night at
The Briton's Protection in the city centre and a regular
lesson at St Kents.

Saturday 8 March
Irish Language Taster Day
Manchester Town Hall
10.00 a.m. - 12 noon & 1.00 - 3.00 p.m. – Free
Come along and find out about the opportunities for learning Irish in Manchester. Absolute beginners and those returning to the language are all welcome. Further details from Pat McGuinness on 0161 225 0645.

Saturday 8 March
Club Cuideachta
The Briton’s Protection, Great Bridgewater Street, Manchester
8.00 p.m. – Free admission by ticket.
Come along and chat in as much Irish as you can manage over a drink and to the backdrop of live traditional music. Tickets are free but should be reserved in advance from Pat McGuinness on 0161 225 0645 as capacity is limited.

Tuesday 11 March
Another Taste of Irish
St. Kentigern’s Social Club, Wilbraham Road, Fallowfield
9.00 – 9.45 p.m. - Free
Another chance to find out about learning Irish in Manchester. Absolute beginners and those returning to the language are all welcome. Further details from Pat McGuinness on 0161 225 0645.
More details >>

Levenshulme village stages its ten day ‘Tradfest’ to celebrate this year's Manchester Irish Festival. The South Manchester suburb is home to one of the biggest Irish communities outside of London and is always one of the main areas for the city’s Irish celebrations.

The ten day ‘Tradfest’ will be one of the highlights of this year's festival and features over one hundred traditional and contemporary Irish musicians, singers and dancers. It is launched on Friday 7 March and continues until Monday 17 March.

Tradfest listings:

Friday 7 March 2008
Venue: M19 Bar, 1st Floor acoustic room, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Manchester Irish Festival ‘Tradfest’ launch in first floor acoustic room with Claire Mooney, the Moving House Band, ODI and Steve O’Donoghue.

Saturday 8 March 2008
Union Music Lounge, 845 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Irish Music night with Quare Craic featuring the award winning actor and singer songwriter Kieran Cunningham and fiddle player Andy Farrell
Time: 8pm-late

Sunday 9 March 2008 / Tuesday 11 March 2008
Venue: Union Music Lounge, 845 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Festival Parade exhibition and film launch in the ‘Green Room’. An exhibition featuring photographs by Dave Brunton, Danny Claffey(Irish Post newspaper), Ged Noonan, Bernie White(Irish World newspaper), Joe Casserley(Full Irish Radio show) and Tony Hennigan, plus Parade DVD shot by film maker Lynda Gilbert.
Time: 4pm-7pm Adm: free

Sunday 9 March 2008
Venue: M19 Bar, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: ‘Tradfest’ Post Parade Celtic Rock Night with James Cannon & the Sinners
Doors 8pm, on stage 9pm

Wednesday 12 March 2008
Venue: Union Music Lounge, 845 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: ALL FM’s Full Irish Live radio broadcast of ‘The Irish session’ with Grace Kelly, Irish Trad group ‘Claus’ and Friends.
The ‘Full Irish’ are inviting all of Manchester’s numerous Irish session groups and musicians to come along and try and set a new record for the largest Irish session.
Time: 6.30pm-late, live radio broadcast 7pm-9pm, session continues till late.
Adm: free entry

Thurs 13 March 2008
Venue: M19 Bar, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Festival DVD launch by film maker Lynda Gilbert plus Irish club night with Tom Dee
Chorlton film maker Lynda Gilbert showcases her DVD promoting different aspects of the Manchester Irish Festival along with work from the Levenshulme Festival.
Doors 7pm, club night starts at 9pm

Friday 14 March 2008
Venue: M19 Bar, First Floor, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: St Patrick’s Eve Tradfest concert in first floor acoustic suite with Irish singer songwriter Ray Heffernan plus support from Paddy O’Hare and Ash Mountain. Adm £3
Doors 7.30, concert starts 8pm

Saturday 15 March 2008
Venue: Union Music Lounge, 845 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: St Patrick’s Night tradfest with Innisfree
Doors 7pm, on stage 9pm

Venue: M19 Bar, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: St Patrick’s Day Tradfest family afternoon with Young, Gifted & Green musicians, plus Irish musicians James O’Connor and Audrey Trainor along with the Keegan Kennedy School of Irish dancing and trad Irish band 'Cluas' - made up of male and female vocals, harp, keys, whistle and fiddle, plus special guests.
Doors 12 noon, live entertainment 1pm-6pm.
Admission free

Venue: M19 Bar First Floor, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: St Patrick’s night ‘Tradfest’ concert in the first floor acoustic room with the award winning traditional Irish group Lyra Celtica in aid of Lourdes Pilgrimage. Irish club night with DJ James H follows live music til late.
Doors 7.30pm
Concert starts 8pm

Venue: Hennigan’s Sports Bar, 908 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Tradfest Session with James O’Connor & Audrey Trainor
St Patrick’s night session led by 21 year old singer songwriter James O’Connor from County Laois and County Louth fiddle player Audrey Trainor.
Doors 7pm

Sunday 16 March 2008
M19 Bar, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Tradfest Irish family afternoon with James O’Connor, Claus and ‘The Tim O’Connor Band’ in aid of Lourdes Pilgrimage plus traditional Irish musicians and dancers.
Doors 2pm-6pm.
Admission; £3 donation or £6 per family pass.

M19 Bar, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Tradfest with ‘The Tim O’Connor Band’ plus James O’Connor & Audrey Trainor sponsored by Murphys
Doors 7pm, on stage 8pm

Monday 17 March 2008
Venue: Union Music Lounge, 845 Stockport Road, Levenshulme
Event: Tradfest closing party : Irish Music night with Quare Craic featuring singer songwriter ‘Kieran Cunningham’ and friends
Time: 8pm-late

Full details available on http://www.manchesteririshfestival.co.uk/.
More details >>

Manchester's St Patrick's Parade will take place
Sunday 9th March with over 70 floats, bands
and walking groups.

The Parade will start at 11.45am from outside the Irish World Heritage Centre, Queens Rd and progress along Cheetham Hill Rd, Corporation Street and onto Cross St and around Albert Square before returning to the Irish World Heritage Centre by the same route.
More details >>

The annual National Irish Studies Conference is
once again held in Manchester during the festival.
Organised by the Manchester Irish Education Group,
this event never fails to interest and inspire.
Held in the fine surroundings of the Town Hall,
it features a diverse array of speakers
and topics.

The Conference will take place on Saturday 8th March 2008 at Manchester Town Hall. Registration will be at 9.30am.

List of speakers & topics:

Professor John McGurk: "Flight of the Earls; the prelude to the plantation of Ulster"

Professor John Belchem: "Liverpool’s Irish Story".

Catherine Feeney & Maria Henderson:
"Maude Gonne - English-born Irish revolutionary, feminist and actress"

Nessan Danaher: "Tom Barclay's Memories and Medleys"

Mervyn Busteed: "Castle Caldwell, Co. Fermanagh"

Brian Ryan: "Irish Lights: the story of Irish lighthouses"

To book your place contact Pat Hoswell 0161 368 6185 or e-mail cultural_quest@hotmail.co.uk. Alternatively turn up on the day.

This is a not for profit event but a donation of £15 towards costs requested (advance booking cost only £12.50). Tea and coffee included in fee but not lunch. Lunch will be available in the Irish Café in the Town Hall.

Advance payments to:
Cultural Quest, c/o Events Management Programme, MMU, Hollings Campus, Old Hall Lane, Manchester, M14 6HR. Please make cheques payable to ‘Manchester Irish Education Group’.

Enquiries to: Pat Hoswell 0161 368 6185 or e-mail cultural_quest@hotmail.co.uk.
More details >>