Wainfest, Donegal’s Arts and Book Festival for children, has launched its 25th programme for 2021.
The festival was launched last Friday in The Colmcille Centre in Gartan by Leas-Chathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Martin McDermott with the help of senior students from Gartan National School.
Wainfest runs from 2nd to 10th October and has an amazing line-up of the very best in children’s cultural programming. This year’s theme Blaze a Trail is a nod to one of Donegal’s most famous sons. Born into Irish royalty, Colmcille, also known as Columba or Columb, was destined to do great things. As part of Donegal County Council’s Colmcille1500 programme, the festival is proud to showcase his legacy and legend through its dynamic and varied line-up.
Live family events include the return of Oakfield Park’s Harry Potter Experience, events with Spraoí in Inishowen, film screenings at an Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair and Eclipse Cinemas at Lifford- Strabane and Bundoran. An Grianán Theatre will stage A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, and Donegal County Museum will display their exhibition Colmcille: Man and Myths. Glenveagh will have a self-guided art trail, and Donegal Railway Heritage Centre will host a heritage day for families. There is also an opportunity to explore nature with Éanna Ní Lamhna in Inishowen. All events will comply with public health guidance.
Pictured launching Wainfest 2021 at the Colmcille Heritage Centre, Gartan. From left to right is: Cllr Donal Mandy Kelly, Leas-Chathaoirleach Cllr Martin McDermott, Cllr Donal Coyle, Una Matthewson Local Studies Librarian, Sinéad McLaughlin Staff Officer / joint Wainfest Co-ordinator, Denis McGeady Assistant Librarian / joint Wainfest Co-ordinator, Kevin McCaul Executive Librarian and senior pupils from Gartan National School.
Speaking at the launch, Leas-Chathaoirleach Cllr. Martin McDermott commended library staff when he stated “Once again the Culture Division have delivered a fantastic line-up of events in a way that ensures fun in a safe environment. The festival is celebrating 25 years in Donegal and has managed to go from strength to strength during a global pandemic. It has harnessed all the opportunities online programming can bring to schools and families, along with enabling a safe return to live events. Providing access to culture, creativity and imagination was part of the collective response to helping our communities get through the pandemic. Thanks to the Council’s longstanding, dedicated and experienced Culture Division for delivering excellent educational programmes such as Wainfest”.
The schools programme is packed full of amazing events such as John D. Ruddy, the talented and hilariously funny Wayne O’Connor, Pamela Butchart author of The Spy Who Loved School Dinners, Rachel Bright author and illustrator of picture books such as Love Monster, and Donegal’s up-and-coming author Louise Flanagan of the Dragonterra series.
The festival also has an event aimed at parents and guardians. Best-selling author and Clinical Psychologist Dr. Malie Coyne will deliver an online talk How to show compassion and support for an anxious child
Speaking about the festival, Wainfest Co-ordinator Denis McGeady assured schools that they will receive an electronic copy of the brochure. The programme is also available to download at www.wainfest.ie.
Thanking those who contributed to the 2021 Wainfest programme Denis concluded “We are grateful for the financial contribution from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Decade of Centenaries Initiative 2012-2023, and the Europe Direct Centre in Letterkenny which has enabled us to enhance the programme in 2021. We would also like to thank our Wainfest partners, both current and new, as together we can help blaze a trail for generations to come.”
Tá Wainfest faoi lán sheoil do pháistí ar fud Dhún na nGall i mí Dheireadh Fómhair seo chugainn
Seoladh an 25ú clár do Wainfest, Féile Ealaíon agus Leabhar Dhún na nGall ar maidin, in Ionad Cholmcille i nGartan. Sheol Leas-Chathaoirleach Chomhairle Contae Dhún na nGall Martin McDermott an fhéile le cabhair ó dhaltaí sinsearacha Scoil Náisiúnta Ghartán.
Beidh Wainfest á reáchtaíl ón 2 go 10 Deireadh Fómhair agus tá clár iontach d’imeachtaí cultúrtha do pháistí beartaithe againn. Is é téama na bliana seo Faoi Lán Seoil , nod do dhuine de na daoine ba cháiliúla as Dún na nGall. Bhí sé i ndán do Cholm Cille, a dtugtar Columba agus Columb air fosta, rudaí móra a dhéanamh. Mar chuid de Chlár Colmcille 1500 Chomhairle Contae Dhún na nGall, tá an fhéile bródúil as a oidhreacht agus a laochas a thaispeáint trínar gclár dinimiciúil agus éagsúil.
I measc na n-imeachtaí beo do theaghlaigh, tá an Harry Potter Experience ar ais ag Páirc Ghort na Darach (Oakfield Park), imeachtaí le Spraoí in Inis Eoghain, scannáin á dtaispeáint ag Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair agus Pictiúrlanna Eclipse i Leifear-An Srath Bán agus Bun Dobhráin. Cuirfidh Amharclann an Ghrianáin an dráma A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings ar stáitse, agus taispeánfaidh Músaem Contae Dhún na nGall a dtaispeántas Colm Cille: An Fear agus an Miotas. Beidh conair ealaíne féintreoraithe ag Gleann Bheatha, agus óstálfaidh Ionad Oidhreachta Iarnróid Dhún na nGall lá oidhreachta do theaghlaigh. Tá deis ann fosta an dúlra a iniúchadh le hÉanna Ní Lamhna i gceantar Inis Eoghain. Beidh na himeachtaí ag cloí leis na treoirlínte sláinte poiblí atá i bhfeidhm.
Ag labhairt ag an seoladh, mhol an Leas-Chathaoirleach, an Comhairleoir Martin McDermott foireann na leabharlainne nuair a dúirt sé: “Arís eile tá clár iontach imeachtaí curtha ar fáil ag an Rannán Cultúir ar bhealach a chinntíonn spraoi i dtimpeallacht shábháilte. Tá an fhéile ag ceiliúradh 25 bliain i nDún na nGall agus d’éirigh léi dul ó neart go neart le linn na paindéime domhanda. Baineadh úsáid as na deiseanna go léir le clár ar líne a chur ar fáil do scoileanna agus do theaghlaigh, chomh maith le filleadh sabháilte ar imeachtaí beo a shocrú. Bhí an soláthar rochtana ar chultúr, ar chruthaitheacht agus ar shamhlaíocht mar chuid den chomhfhreagairt chun cuidiú lenár bpobail teacht fríd an bpaindéim. Buíochas leis an Rannán Cultúir fadbhunaithe, tiomanta agus lán taithí de chuid na Comhairle as cláir oideachais den scoth mar Wainfest a chur i láthair”.
Tá clár na scoileanna lán d’imeachtaí iontacha ar nós John D. Ruddy, an fear greannmhar Wayne O’Connor, Pamela Butchart údar The Spy Who Loved School Dinners, Rachel Bright údar agus maisitheoir pictiúrleabhair mar Love Monster, agus an t-údar nua as Dún na nGall Louise Flanagan a scríobh an tsraith leabhair Dragonterra.
Tá ócáid ag an fhéile fosta atá dírithe ar thuismitheoirí agus ar chaomhnóirí. Tabharfaidh an t-údar sárdhíola agus an Síceolaí Cliniciúil an Dr. Malie Coyne léacht ar líne How to show compassion and support for an anxious child
Ag labhairt faoin fhéile, dhearbhaigh Comhordaitheoir Wainfest Donnachadh Mac Géidigh do scoileanna go bhfaighidh siad cóip leictreonach den bhróisiúr agus go bhfuil an clár ar fáil le híoslódáil ag www.wainfest.ie fosta.
Ag gabháil buíochais leo siúd a chuidigh le clár Wainfest 2021, chríochnaigh Donnachadh mar seo: “Táimid buíoch as an mhaoiniú ón Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus na Meán faoin Tionscnamh Deich mBliana de Chomórthaí Céid 2012-2023, agus ón Ionad Eoraip go Díreach i Leitir Ceanainn a chuir ar ár gcumas an clár a fheabhsú i 2021. Ba mhaith linn buíochas a ghabháil fosta lenár gcomhpháirtithe Wainfest, idir reatha agus nua, mar le chéile is féidir linn an fhéile a choinneail faoi lán seoil do na glúnta atá le teacht. “
