The Irish Festival of Oulu
Encyclopedia
The City of Oulu
, Finland
, the northern frontier of Irish music, is the proud host of the annual Irish Festival of Oulu, which was first held in 2006. The festival brings the hooley (party) to Oulu with world class bands and Irish culture. The event took place for the fifth time from September 30 to October 3, 2010. Organized by The Irish Music Society of Oulu, the festival celebrates the richness of Irish culture including dance, poetry, story telling, an Irish Wolfhounds parade, and plenty of world-class traditional Irish music. The 2009 event included Irish movies as well as presentations on Irish poetry and music. Also various workshops were held in singing, bodhrán, tin whistle, guitar, fiddle and uilleann pipes. A Family Fair introduced people to Irish dog breeds, Connemara ponies, Gaelic games, storytelling and much more.
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courses during the festival. Traditional Irish dancing is a major pastime in Ireland and has become a regular activity for many dancers in Northern Finland too. Whether jigs, reels, or set dances, you have the opportunity to expand what you have learned thus far or beginners can learn the basics while having a great time and making new friends.
Oulu
Oulu is a city and municipality of inhabitants in the region of Northern Ostrobothnia, in Finland. It is the most populous city in Northern Finland and the sixth most populous city in the country. It is one of the northernmost larger cities in the world....
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, the northern frontier of Irish music, is the proud host of the annual Irish Festival of Oulu, which was first held in 2006. The festival brings the hooley (party) to Oulu with world class bands and Irish culture. The event took place for the fifth time from September 30 to October 3, 2010. Organized by The Irish Music Society of Oulu, the festival celebrates the richness of Irish culture including dance, poetry, story telling, an Irish Wolfhounds parade, and plenty of world-class traditional Irish music. The 2009 event included Irish movies as well as presentations on Irish poetry and music. Also various workshops were held in singing, bodhrán, tin whistle, guitar, fiddle and uilleann pipes. A Family Fair introduced people to Irish dog breeds, Connemara ponies, Gaelic games, storytelling and much more.
Overview
The Irish Music Society of Oulu is the organizer of the event, which usually lasts for 4 days. The festival, taking place all around Oulu, is held in early October. Poetry events are included as optional courses in English Philology by the University of OuluUniversity of Oulu
The University of Oulu is one of the largest universities in Finland, located in the city of Oulu. It was founded on July 8, 1958. The university has around 16,000 students and 3,000 staff...
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Past performers
2010- The Brogues
- Misneach (Ire)
- The Soap Pig
- Beoga (Ire)
- Cascade
- Marianne Green (Denmark)
- Tom Crean-Antarctic Explorer (Theatre)
- Two films featuring Liam ClancyLiam ClancyWilliam "Liam" Clancy was an Irish folk singer and actor from Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary. He was the youngest and last surviving member of performing group The Clancy Brothers. The group were regarded as Ireland's first pop stars...
- Irish poetry and music
- Pub sessions
2009
- At First Light (Ire)
- Kíla (Ire)
- Neck (Ire/UK)
- Doimnic Mac Giolla BhrÍde (Ire)
- Cascade
- Frederick Douglass and the White Negro (Film)
- Dambé – The Mali Project Documentary
- FitzGerald/Cassidy/Suvanto
- Michael and Edna Longley
- The Brogues
- The Soap Pig
- Yläsiirtola Ramblers
2008
- Andy Irvine (IRE)
- Gráda (IRE)
- Lily NeillLily NeillLily Neill is an American-born harp player who specialises in traditional Irish music and related folk music traditions. She is recognised for her solo performances as well as for her collaborations with artists in genres outside the realm of folk music....
(USA) - The Soap Pig
- The Piper Strings (IRE)
- Cascade
- Yläsiirtola Ramblers
- Miriam Lambertin nukketeatteri (IRE)
- Paul Muldoon
- Special Event Rackett (USA)
2007
- Paddy Keenan & Tommy O’Sullivan (IRE)
- Rírá (IRE)
- Jari Sirniö
- Cascade
- The Soap pig
- Yläsiirtola Ramblers
- Soiva Siili
2006
- Pure Drop, (IRE)
- Cascade
- Yläsiirtola Ramblers
- The Soap Pig
- Eddie Keenan of Belfast (IRE)
Dance course
The society organizes Irish danceIrish dance
Irish dancing or Irish dance is a group of traditional dance forms originating in Ireland which can broadly be divided into social dance and performance dances. Irish social dances can be divided further into céilí and set dancing...
courses during the festival. Traditional Irish dancing is a major pastime in Ireland and has become a regular activity for many dancers in Northern Finland too. Whether jigs, reels, or set dances, you have the opportunity to expand what you have learned thus far or beginners can learn the basics while having a great time and making new friends.