Welcome to the Festival Of World Cultures 2008
Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council’s
FESTIVAL OF WORLD CULTURES 2008 EXCEEDS ALL EXPECTATIONS ONCE AGAIN!
Global Music, Geisha from Kyoto, Gravity Defying Pavement Art and Griots from West Africa – Festival of World Cultures offered something for everyone.
The skies and piers of Dύn Laoghaire resonated and rocked to sounds from around the world as 230,000 people descended on the town to celebrate the 8th annual Festival of World Cultures. The cultural cavalcade of music and arts on offer transformed every inch of Dύn Laoghaire over the Festival weekend as people travelled from near and far to join in the global celebrations. The stellar performance by Yungchen Lhamo, ‘the voice of Tibet’ opened the Festivities while the Carnival of Colour parade, with participants from around the world provided the perfect closing to the 2008 Festival.
2008 FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS
There were so many many highlights from this year’s Festival it is difficult to select, but here are a few standouts……
People were prepared to beg borrow or steal for Ethiopiques, the hottest ticket in town and the legendary collective did not disappoint, as this concert was astounding, one of those rare, exquisite nights, where the performers, music and audience fused to create an electric atmosphere that resonated long after the concert had ended.
The Festival office is still hearing all about your favorite performances, including “the incredible, pulsating” Orchestre National de Barbes, “kora magic” from West African Griots Banaya, the “enchanting vocals” of Sa Dingding and the “mighty” Tiken Jah Fakoly. Balkan Beat Box, the hottest new band to emerge from New York – those in attendance will testify that the roof of the Purty was indeed well and truly risen on this fateful night, a truly memorable event! But it was the Ukraine’s DakhaBrakha who stole the show! Brewing up an evocative storm of drums and vocals, they stunned audiences (20,000 of them at the main stage) and organisers alike with their compelling compositions.
The two Geisha from Kyoto, in Ireland for the first time, caused a quite a stir among the public, as they made their way around the festival site (albeit slowly!) – which to their delight included a stop off a larger-than-life Geisha sand sculpture, prepared in their honour by Duthain Dealbh. Entertaining to full capacity audiences each day at the specially constructed Japanese Tea House guaranteed their place as one of the Festival’s most fascinating visitors.
NOT FORGETTING… Edgar Muller’s vertigo inducing 3D pavement art masterpiece ‘Glacier’ (it’s still there if you want to visit). Samba da Rua & O’ Neill Pipe Band – the beats and fervour that emanated from these two diverse collectives was difficult to surpass. And the Mela, celebrating South Asian arts was one of the most popular events over the Festival weekend.
Despite some rain on the Saturday, Sunday’s sun shone brightly on Festival Goers as they lined the streets to watch the colourful and lively closing spectacle, the Carnival of Colour Parade. As the parade meandered along the seafront, Festival Goers jumped on board by joining the tail end of the parade, following it all the way down to Newtownsmith just in time for Sergent Garcia to seize the stage with his electrifying set. What a glorious way to end the Festival of World Cultures 2008!
