The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Local man Enda Donnellan from Kilmoon, Lisdoonvarna is organising the first winter solstice festival in the country.
The indoor, alcohol-free festival takes place at the National Show Centre, close to Dublin Airport, on December 20 and 21 to mark the winter solstice, which this year coincides with an astrological phenomenon predicted by ancient cultures centuries ago.
The ancient Egyptians, the Mayans and the Hopi Indians all predicted a major change would take place at the close of 2012 and organisers Enda Donnellan and Richard Stone have gathered together some big names in world music for Ireland 2012 Conscious Global Solstice Festival.
Acts include Hothouse Flowers front man Liam O’Maonlai, Danu, Clare’s own Eddie Lenihan, Banco DeGaia (from UK), Yungchen Lhamo (Tibet), Tom Green (the ORB), David Bickley (Hyperborea), Muskat 120 (Amsterdam), Cian Finn (Intinn), Will Softly (World Music DJ), Venus Cumara (poet), Madeleine Doherty (harpist) and Jack Harrison (Indian and Celtic). In addition there will be appearances by Dawn Cartwright (Californian Tantric Visionary), Patrick Hederman (Abbot of Glenstal Abbey), Anthony Murphy (mythicalireland.com) and Panchen Otrul Rinpoche (Tibetan Monk).
There will also be a spiritual dimension with a Celtic ceremony, spiritual teachers and storytellers.
“We will be partying from sun-down to sun-up just like the way our Celtic ancestors used to, with a live-feed from Newgrange at sunrise,” Donnellan, who lives in Meath where he works as an osteopath, explained.
“The festival is a non-stop feast of international bands and well-known Irish music performances mixed in with a touch of spiritual awareness. Dance your socks off to deep funky world music beats, have an inspiring experience with our wise spiritual speakers, chill-out in the ambient area munching on amazing vegetarian food or just be in the elements by the outdoor solstice fire,” he said.
The festival runs from 7pm on December 20 to midday on December 21 and free parking is available. Full details and tickets are available at www.tickets.ie.
