World’s Biggest Music Festival, U.S. Ambassador Daniel Rooney, and Donovan in Dublin
I am in County Cavan Ireland for the All-Ireland Music Festival, Fleadh 2010. This is the largest traditional music festival in the world with over 10,000 musicians, singers, and dancers performing.
Govinda Gallery artist Carlotta Hester is also in Ireland working on a series of ‘action’ drawings documenting The All-Ireland Music Festival. Plans are in the works for exhibitions in Ireland and the United States of Carlotta’s Fleadh 2010 drawings. Here is one of Carlotta’s drawings from an extraordinary pre-festival performance at the Cavan County Museum featuring harpist Catriona McKay and fiddle master Chris Stout.
Catriona McKay and her Glenelle harp, August 3rd, 2010. Copyright © Carlotta Hester. All Rights Reserved.
I recently had the great pleasure of meeting United States Ambassador to Ireland, the Hon. Daniel Rooney and his charming wife Patricia. Ambassador Rooney was visiting County Cavan on July 29th and I presented him with a copy of photographer Alfred Wertheimer’s book Elvis 1956. It was in 1954 that County Cavan last hosted the All-Ireland Music Festival. Wertheimer’s touring museum exhibition Elvis at 21 opens at The National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. on October 23rd.
Left to right: Carlotta Hester, Chris Murray, The Hon. Daniel Rooney, and Patricia Rooney. Town Hall, Co. Cavan. Copyright © Adrian Donohoe. All Rights Reserved.
Cover of Elvis 1956 (Welcome Books 2009). Copyright © Alfred Wertheimer. All Rights Reserved.
Other exciting news from Ireland is that Donovan’s Saphographs will be exhibited in Dublin at Sol Art Gallery on Dawson Street beginning October 1st. This exhibition is organized in conjunction with Govinda Gallery. On October 6th Donovan will be debuting his new musical work Ritual Groove at the beautiful Olympia Theater in Dublin. The concert and exhibition will be an amazing display of Donovan’s creativity.
Hi Govinda and Chris,
We just cross posted your pix on our “Elvis at 21” facebook page. Thanks for sharing the book with your buddies!
http://www.facebook.com/elvisat21