St Patrick's Festival Coatbridge 2008

For tickets and information about all Festival events

please call 07742 008926 or email: contact@stpatricksdayfestivalcoatbridge.org

Friday February 29th

Irish Quiz and Music Night, the Mayo Suite, St. Patrick’s Hall, Coatbridge, ML5 3HB
7.30pm
Enjoy an evening of fun and lighthearted Irish entertainment. Why not enter a Team and test your knowledge of Irish culture, music, and history. The winning team take home the Festival Quiz Trophy. Entry fee of £4 per team member. End the evening with music from the resident DJ.

Friday March 7th

“An Evening with Father Ted”, The Banks Social Club, Dundyvan Rd, Coatbridge, ML5 1DB
Brought to you by kind permission of the late Dermot Morgan’s estate and the producers of the hit series. Father Stone, alias actor Michael Redmond, will be in attendance for a great night featuring 2 episodes of the popular show followed by a humorous quiz and Irish music. You are strongly encouraged to dress up as your favourite character to fully enter the spirit of the evening. Special prizes will be awarded for the best character dress. End the evening by singing and dancing along to the music of ‘The Dubliner’. Tickets £4.00 and event will start at 7.30pm.

Saturday March 8th

Gaelic Football, Festival Challenge Cup at Espieside Park, Coatbridge, 12.00 Noon.
Local Gaelic side Sands MacSwiney’s will take on visitors ‘Creggan’ from County Antrim in what is sure to be a hard and physically fought sporting event. Sands are keen to regain the Challenge Trophy that they lost to their opponents as part of the 2007 Festival. Admission Free.

Youth Football Tournament, Espieside Park, Coatbridge, 9.30am.
An opportunity for our young people to take part in a football tournament as part of the 2008 St Patrick’s Festival. All participants will receive a medal in recognition of their efforts and a highly competitive and enjoyable event is guaranteed, not only for the young competitors but also for the spectators. Admission Free.

Annual Festival Dinner Dance, the Tudor Hotel, Airdrie, ML6 0BA
7.30pm.
Enjoy an evening of high quality food, drink and entertainment at the Annual Dinner Dance that traditionally launches the start of our week long Festival of events. Come along and be our guest, amongst whom will also be a number of Irish and local dignitaries. Tickets £30.00.

Sunday March 9th

Irish Dancing Display, St Patrick’s Church Hall, Coatbridge, ML5 3HB
Come along and be entertained by the impressive footwork and colourful outfits courtesy of the boys and girls from Irish Dance Schools here in Coatbridge and from the surrounding areas. An excellent family event which has cross generational appeal.

Tuesday March 11th

Women’s Art Exhibition, Coatbridge Library, Academy St, ML5 3AW
Opens Midday
Alexis R Bradley is a self-taught professional artist from Coatbridge. Her work includes a wide range of paintings from traditional watercolours to abstract canvases. In the last few years she has become well known for experimenting with texture and colour. In today's world of mass-produced artwork there is an increasing demand from customers for unique, one-off unusual pieces of art. Alexis aims to help fill this gap by creating artwork to specifications that suit individual needs. As part of the ever expanding St Patrick’s Week Festival in the town, Alexis will showcase numerous pieces of her work at Coatbridge Library from Tuesday 11th until Friday 14th March.

Professor Tom Devine Lecture, St Patrick’s Church Hall, Coatbridge, ML5 3HB
7.30pm
Prominent historian and author, Tom Devine will follow up last year’s very successful lecture by delivering a discussion piece entitled “The Menace of the Irish race to our Scottish Nationality” – ‘The Campaign Against Irish Scots Between the wars’. This is sure to be a ‘must see’ event for those with an interest in understanding the reality of the perceptions and prejudice faced by so many Irish on settling here in Scotland.

“Mise Eire” (I am Ireland), the Mayo Suite, St Patrick’s Hall, Coatbridge, ML5 3HB
8.30pm
Immediately following the Professor Devine Lecture, (and with the bar re-opened!) the historical film “Mise Eire” will be shown. Translated to English as ‘I am Ireland’ this film has been described as “a remarkable historical document which captures the birth of the Irish Nation”. Footage includes important historical figures such as James Connolly, Padraig Pearse, Thomas Clarke, Michael Collins, James Larkin and Countess Markievicz and includes actual footage of the Easter Uprising of 1916. Free Admission.

Wednesday 12th March

Little John Nee, St Augustine’s Primary School, Henderson St, Coatbridge,
ML5 1BL (Next to the Time Capsule)
7.30pm
Following the success of his appearances at our 2007 Festival, Acclaimed performer, Little John Nee returns from Galway to perform his one man show; 'Star of Stage, Screen, and Street Corners' a selection of favourite vignettes from his theatre shows over the past ten years woven into an exciting, comedic and sometimes poignant evening's entertainment.
The show features original songs, stories, and physical comedy from shows such as 'The Derry Boat', 'Country and Irish' and 'Rural Electric' amongst others.
The show is brought alive by his pathos, humour, insight and great skill as a musician. A thoroughly entertaining evening of drama, music and comedy throughout Little John switches seamlessly between accents, characters and stories which are obviously very close to his heart. A highly recommended evening of entertainment that is almost impossible to describe!!!! Tickets £5.00 and £3.00 Concession (OAP, Student, etc).

Kindly supported by a cultural grant from CULTURE IRELAND

St. Partick’s Family Ceili, the Mayo Suite, St Patrick’s Hall, Coatbridge, ML5 3HB
7.30pm
Come along and join the talented young musicians of the local Comhaltas for an evening of traditional Irish music. This is a real family event and a great night out for all those who fancy a relaxed evening of Irish music in an atmosphere enjoyed by young and old alike. Tickets £3.00 and £1.00 Concession (OAP, Student, etc).

Thursday 13th March

Little John Nee, St Augustine’s Primary School, Henderson St, Coatbridge,
ML5 1BL (Next to the Time Capsule)
7.30pm
If you missed the first performance or if you simply loved it enough to want to see it again then Little John Nee delivers a second performance of his one man show. Tickets £5.00 and £3.00 Concession (OAP, Student, etc).

Friday 14th March

“The Quiet Man” Night, the Mayo Suite, St Patrick’s Hall, Coatbridge, ML5 3HB
7.30pm
A very popular annual event at the Festival which has built up almost a ‘cult’ following. The evening includes the showing of the classic film starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, followed by a ‘Quiet Man’ quiz, traditional music and a complementary light supper. The winning quiz team will be awarded the coveted Festival Shield!! Tickets £3.00.

Coatbridge Library, Academy St, ML5 3AW
Local female artists will showcase their works at a special Exhibition at Coatbridge Library throughout St Patrick’s Festival Week. Artists include Alexis Bradley..

Saturday 15th March

Family Street Festival, Main Street, Coatbridge, 12.00pm
The climax to our week long Festival events as thousands of people flock to Coatbridge Town Centre for a day of celebrations which has something for all the family, including live bands, Irish Dancers, Contemporary Dance, Comhaltas music, Children’s Entertainment, a Balloon Launch, Kiddie Rides and Face Painting.
The Town is decked out with the flags, banners, music and sounds of Ireland, with an astonishing variety of quality entertainment delivered from 2 large stages in Coatbridge Main Street. Join us for this unique celebration of our Irish history, heritage and culture at the largest St Patrick’s Day street party anywhere in Scotland.

‘The Black Stuff’, St Bartholomew’s Church Hall, Townhead, Coatbridge, ML5 2NT
7.30pm
If you have survived the week long Festival of events with even a little energy, particularly from the Street Festival earlier in the day, then come along and join us at the Festival closing event. If previous years are anything to go by then St Partick’s Day revelers will pull out all the stops at what is sure to be a loud and lively concert featuring Donegal based Irish Folk Band ‘The Black Stuff’. Tickets £7.00.

The Festival Shop in Coatbridge Town Centre (Most likely to be the Quadrant Centre) should be open for business at the end of the first week in March until the festival ends on Saturday 15th March.
The Festival has its own range of branded goods and the shop will stock an extensive variety of souvenirs. The Festival Shop will again be the home of the Genealogy Project.

Festival Programmes, event details and tickets for all events are available at the Festival Shop.

For Tickets and information about all Festival events please call 07742 008926 or email: stpatricksdayfestivalcoatbridge.org