Donegal joins forces with Manchester to stage international Bob Dylan Festival

Donegal’s ‘Moville Dylanfest’ which is Ireland’s only three day Bob Dylan Festival and takes place from the 1-4 July, has once again teamed up with the UK’s only Bob Dylan Festival which takes place during the UK’ bank holiday weekend in August – Friday 27 August and Saturday 28 August.

The UK’s festival which is now in its third year takes place in the prestigious first floor acoustic room of m19 bar in Levenshulme, Manchester. It is one of only seven Bob Dylan Festivals weekends in the world, the other places are California and Michigan in America, Berlin in Germany, a village in North Italy and Melbourne in Australia.

One of the acts appearing in both festivals is ‘Mickey the Hat’ who during last years festival in Manchester appeared on the award winning Irish radio programme ‘The Full Irish’. He said about his appearance in this years festival “I had a great time last year and I am really looking forward to appearing in both of these festivals this year. It is great to see the UK and Ireland working together to promote the work of such a great singer songwriter.”

Acousticfest - the organisers of the UK festival said about the weekend’s festival “Bob Dylan has always had a massive connection with Irish artists, he was heavily influenced by the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. It is well documented about how Dylan used to hang out in the Irish pub ‘The White Horse’ in New York, where the Clancy’s played he took the tunes of the Clancy songs which were old Irish songs and put in his own words. We had a lot of visitors from Ireland last year and are expecting even more this year.”

The Festival which is now in its third year attracts acts from all over the UK and Ireland and is one of only eight such festivals which are staged throughout the world. The others are in Moville and County Clare in Ireland, California and Michigan in America, Berlin in Germany, a village in North Italy and Melbourne in Australia.

This years line up includes Chris Layhe a former co founder member of the celebrated Liverpool band The Icicle Works, he is appearing with his new five piece blues based band ‘Oyster’ on the Blues night of the festival- Saturday 28 August. Appearing on the same night is the highly acclaimed Limerick singer Keith Forde from Bobsfest in County Clare who has had a considerable amount of chart success over in Ireland and was runner up in the international songwriter of the year. Other acts to look out for are Shimeon who has been described by the Guardian as a cross between Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan and Matthew Ganley who some people might recognise from his appearance on Holyoaks.

The Manchester festival kicks off on Friday 27 August with a showcase featuring artists paying tribute to Dylan’s Irish roots and his connections to the Clancy brothers and Tommy Makem. The Saturday night showcase features acts paying tribute to his ‘Blues’ roots. It takes place at Levenshulme’s M19 Bar in Manchester over the UK’s Bank holiday weekend.

Tickets for the festival are just £4 in advance per night or £8 for a weekend pass and are available from m19 or from the website www.m19bar.com

The line up for the festival is
Friday 27 August
UK’s Bob Dylan Festival Irish Night with
The Troubadours, Shimeon, Mary Lucey, Mickey the Hat, Matthew Ganley, Easy Dream, James Butler and Denise Morgan
Doors open 7pm, Tickets £4 adv, £6 doors or £8 adv for a weekend pass

Saturday 28 August
UK’s Bob Dylan Festival Blues night with
Keith Forde, Ged Wilson, Joanna Lyon, Glyn Bailey & the Splendid things, Oyster, John Ridyard, Becky Rose & Elisa Mansell

Doors open 7pm
Tickets £4 adv, £6 doors or £8 adv for a weekend pass

M19 Bar, 847 Stockport Road, Levenshulme, Manchester, M19 3pw
Tel 0161 224 8135 www.m19bar.com

www.myspace.com/dylanacts