Letterkenny to host Oireachtas arts festival

More than 10,000 people are expected to visit Co Donegal for a weekend of music, dancing and storytelling at the annual Oireachtas…

More than 10,000 people are expected to visit Co Donegal for a weekend of music, dancing and storytelling at the annual Oireachtas festival next month.

Fáilte Ireland says accommodation in Letterkenny and surrounding towns is already scarce for the event, which runs from November 1st-4th.

The Oireachtas attracts enthusiasts and performers of the traditional arts, including sean-nós dancing, sean-nós singing and storytelling.

Liam Ó Maolaodha, director of Oireachtas na Gaeilge, said: “The Oireachtas festival is going from strength to strength each year and the challenge now is to find towns with enough places to accommodate the huge crowd the festival gathers.”

READ MORE

One of the highlights of the weekend will be the Steip sean-nós dancing competition, which will be broadcast live on TG4.

Other highlights include the Corn Uí Riada sean-nós singing competition, held in memory of Sean Ó Riada, in which champions and challengers will sing in a variety of regional styles to win the prestigious title.

Otv, the dedicated online Oireachtas festival channel, will show footage of various events.

All major Irish language organisations will attend the festival, including Foras na Gaeilge, Údarás na Gaeltachta and Conradh na Gaeilge, which will hold seminars and meetings during the weekend.