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manchestereveningnews 8 03 2008
David Ottewell
MANCHESTER will be a sea of green tomorrow when the St Patrick's Parade comes to town.
Thousands of people will line the route to watch more than 70 floats, bands and walking groups celebrate Ireland's patron saint.
The parade, which starts on Queens Road at 11.45am, is the centrepiece of the Irish festival, which started yesterday. It features two weeks of Celtic-themed art, dance, comedy, culture, music, sport and workshops.
A festival market has opened in Albert Square outside the town hall, offering the best in Irish arts, crafts and food.
Highlights of the programme include James Keegan, from Lord of the Dance, featuring in the Young, Gifted and Green show at the Lowry tonight.
There will also be an attempt to set a new world record for Britain's largest Irish music session to be held in a pub at The Union, in Levenshulme, on Wednesday.
www.theirishworld.com 5 / 03/ 2008
MANCHESTER’S St Patrick’s Festival 2008 kicks off early on Friday March 7, offering 17 days and night of entertainment and craic running until March 23.
It’s the 13th year that the Festival has been going and this year’s event sees the annual St Patrick’s Day Parade in the city taking place on Sunday March 9.
The Parade will start after Mass at 10.00 am the Irish World Heritage Centre, running from its Cheetham Hill premises to the city’s Victoria Station, along Corporation Street before arriving at Manchester Town Hall.
St Patrick’s Day itself has been moved to March 15 this year, a day ahead of Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week devotions and services.
Manchester Evening News 28/ 02 /2008
Sarah Walters
Believe it or not, it's 13 years since the Manchester Irish Festival first took over Levenshulme to celebrate the great and good of Irish culture.
Unlucky for some, maybe, but the festival's 13th year looks like the most action packed to date, with music, dance, art and comedy events running throughout the month.
At the heart of all the festivities, of course, is St Patrick's Day. This year, it's on March 15 - shifted back two days by the Catholic Church because the early Easter holiday means the Saint's Day clashed with the Holy Week.
Kicking off proceedings this week is actor and singer Kieran Cunningham, Irish country and western players Driftwood and Grace Kelly's Irish Session, all at the Union Music Lounge.
And maybe it's coincidence, or maybe it's the luck of the Irish that means major Irish acts - including Van Morrison, Clannad and Westlife - are also visiting the city in March.
Either way, it's shaping up to be a good month to be an expat of the Emerald Isle in Manchester.
Manchester Evening News 4/ 2/2008
Ben Rooth
THE magic of Ireland will cast a spell on Manchester next month when the Irish Festival returns for the 13th year.
Irish eyes will be smiling throughout the fortnight-long festival which celebrates the best aspects of Irish art, dance, comedy, culture, music and sport in Manchester.
The highlight will be the huge street parade which will wind its way from the Irish World Heritage Centre in Cheetham Hill to the town hall on Sunday, March 9th.
It'd be a sin to miss James at Manchester's Irish Festival
PREPARATIONS for this year’s Manchester Irish Festival are well under way with the talented group James Cannon and The Sinners already confirmed for the celebrations.
Cannon, son of Dubliners’ legend Sean Cannon, will be performing with Irish folk band The Sinners as part of Tradfest on Sunday, March 9 at the M19 bar in Levenshulme. The 10-day Tradfest runs from Friday, March 7 until Monday, March 17 and will feature over 100 Irish musicians, singers and dancers.
The gig has been organised as a special post-Irish Parade party and organiser Lawrence Hennigan is thrilled at securing the talented musicians for the night. He said: “We are really excited about putting James on at the opening weekend. “I am a big fan of The Dubliners and it is great to see the traditional Irish musical heritage being passed on.