Past Van Events Our Tours
Where we've been and what we've done
In 2020 we:
- Staged more than 60 performances in 11 counties
- Worked with 48 musicians, singers, poets, artists and performers
- with a team of 15 theatre professionals, designers and production artists
- and reached more than 2,500 people
2022 Events
MONDAY 19 DECEMBER | CORK CITY
Festival in a Van and The Everyman were delighted to present The Community Christmas Concert. Marking the end of 2022, this shared concert welcomed new communities, and was a chance to thank local heroes, and celebrate our cultures through music and song. Compèred by the one and only Tadhg Hickey, and featuring Maryna Odolska, Karen Underwood and John O'Brien, Kestine Ugbodu and DJ Safarii, Ryan Morgan, and the Trad Trio: Johnny McCarthy, Aoife Blake and Ciara O'Leary Fitzpatrick.
This free event was presented as part of the Shared Music Sessions, with thanks to Creative Ireland.
WEDNESDAY 21 & THURDAY 22 DECEMBER | CO. MAYO
Festival in a Van toured to various community and care settings in Co. Mayo as part of our Community Christmas Voyage of Verse and Music. Drawing from Martin Dyar's beautiful anthology Vital Signs: Poems of Illness and Healing, these gigs featured lots of poetry and songs focused on well-being.
Proudly supported by Creative Ireland, Poetry Ireland and Mayo Arts Office
THURSDAY 27 & FRIDAY 28 OCTOBER | MAYO
Visits took place to care homes and residential centres throughout the county, including The Sacred Heart Hospital - Castlebar, Dalton Community Nursing Home, Marian House Alzheimer Unit - Ballindine, St Brendan's Mulranny, St Fionnan's - Achill, and Keel Community Hall - Achill.
Featured performers included Alice Kinsella, Emer Mayock, Martin Dyar and Stephen Doherty.
Supported by Mayo County Council through the LLPPS4 (Local Live Performance Scheme) 2022
SATURDAY 8 OCTOBER | KILDARE
The Van headed out for a Community Day in Kildare, visiting Rathangan Community Centre, Castlefen Sallins, and Bishopsland Community Centre, Kildare Town.
Featured performers included Seána Davey and Shane Sullivan.
Supported by Kildare County Council through the LLPPS4 (Local Live Performance Scheme) 2022.
THURSDAY 29 SEPTEMBER | DUBLIN
Festival in a Van brought the festival to some of our smaller party animals in Dublin, visiting St Catherine's National School in Dublin 8 and Temple Street Children's Hospital.
Featured performers included Kiruu, Enda Wyley and Rhythm Africana.
Supported by Dublin City Council through the LLPPS4 (Local Live Performance Scheme) 2022.
SATURDAY 24 SEPTEMBER | KILDARE
The Van welcomed students to the Maynooth University Campus for their first week of classes.
Featured performers included Saoirse Casey, Jack Byrne, Triona Ellen, Daniel Dunican, Melania Cephya and Kyle Mulhall.
FRIDAY 16 SEPTEMBER | GALWAY
On Day 2 of Shorelines Arts Festival, The Van visited St. Brendan's National School, Portumna Community School, and Portumna Castle Harbour.
Featured performers included Rhythm Africana.
Supported by Galway County Council as part of Shorelines Festival, through the LLPPS4 (Local Live Performance Scheme) 2022
THURSDAY 15 SEPTEMBER | GALWAY
As part of Shorelines Arts Festival, the Van visited Portumna Castle Café, Portumna Retirement Village, and Portumna Library.
WEDNESDAY 7 SEPTEMBER | DUBLIN
Festival in a Van got students excited to be picking up the backpacks again with a Back to School Celebration Day. Stops included Central Model Senior School on Lower Gardiner Street in Dublin 1, and St. Mary's Primary School on Upper Dorset Street in Dublin 7.
Featured performers included Akano and Michael Chanda from Gomba Educare. Gomba Educare is a school’s outreach programme which tailors cultural programmes to schools throughout Ireland, engaging students through the medium of music, movement and storytelling at both primary and post-primary level.
Supported by Dublin City Council through the LLPPS4 (Local Live Performance Scheme) 2022.
VARIOUS DATES | KILDARE
Meet the Musicians sessions with Music Generation
Festival in a Van were delighted to collaborate with Music Generation for a series of Meet the Musicians sessions; creating opportunities for musicians to perform for a wide range of audiences across the broadest of age groups, in communities throughout Ireland.
The pilot saw visits take place to Primrose Hill National School, Scoil na Mainistreach, and St Wolstan's Community School, Celbridge, Co Kildare.
Featured performers included Éamonn Galdubg, Emma Warren and Finn Furey.
Supported by Kildare County Council through the LLPPS4 scheme and the Arts Council.
2021 Events
Kildare - May 5th, 6th And 7th
Visiting Care Homes and schools in North Kildare, with Shane Hennessy, Megan O'Neill, Stephen Fagan and Éamonn Galldubh. Programmed in partnership with Music Generation Kildare.
Shane Hennessy and Megan O'Neill at the Irish National Stud, Tully, Kildare, with thanks to the team at the National Stud, and at Maynooth University as part of the Arts and Minds Festival, with thanks to all at Maynooth University.
Festival in a Van in Kildare is supported by Kildare County Council and funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media’s Local Live Performance Programming Scheme.
Tipperary - Bealtaine, May 10th, 11th And 12th
Visiting Care Homes and Day Care Centres in Tipperary for Bealtaine, with Aine Gleeson, Aidan O'Donnell, Darragh Carey Kennedy, Clíona Halley, Susan Coleman, Denis Carey, Denis Allen and Suzanne Buttimer.
Finalé event at Thurles Town Park, Thursday May 12th with Darragh Carey Kennedy and Clíona Halley. 4.15pm.
Festival in a Van in Tipperary is supported by Tipperary County Council and funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media’s Local Live Performance Programming Scheme.
Kerry - May 13th, 14th And 15th
May 13: Kenmare, visiting schools and care homes with Joe Thoma and his band. Finishing with a public session at the Kenmare Golf Club at 5pm.
May 14: Killarney, visiting the Killarney Men's Shed, Care Home and Direct Provision Centre with Aoife Granville and Deirdre Granville.
May 15: Shared Ukranian and Irish Music Sessions in Killarney and Tralee, programmed and produced in partnership with Music Generation Kerry. With Olena Basw, Yevheniia Omelchenko, Katya Hloba, Kyrill Blazhko, James Moore, Damian Greer, Vairis Burcaks and Deirdre Johnson.
Festival in a Van in Kerry is supported by Kerry County Council and funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media’s Local Live Performance Programming Scheme.
Kildare - May 19th, 20th And 21st
Returning to County Kildare, visiting schools and care homes with Emma Warren, Brian Hughes and Kiruu.
May 21: Public sessions at Castletown House for Drawing Day, with Seána Davey and Shane Sullivan. Programmed in partnership with Music Generation Kildare.
Festival in a Van in Kildare is supported by Kildare County Council and funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media’s Local Live Performance Programming Scheme.
Roscommon - May 27th And 28th
Visiting care homes in Roscommon with John Carlos, John Wayne, Fiachra and Aoife Guihen, Angela and Anthony McDermott, Vincent Brennan, Shane Noonan, Therese Hanley and Nuala Donlon.
Festival in a Van in Roscommon is supported by Roscommon County Council and funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media’s Local Live Performance Programming Scheme.
Visiting schools on June 10 with Rachael Hegarty and Catherine Ann Cullen.
Carlow County - March 18th and 19th
Cian Kinsella, Brian Daly and Fiach Moriarty
Louth County - April 6th
Gavan Ring
Westmeath County - May 4th and 5th
Frank Byrne, David Kelly and Meadhbh Hughes
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown - May 10th and 11th
King Lear Schools Tour
Dublin - May 12th
King Lear Schools Tour
Galway - May 19th
Caroline Stanley, Colin Stanley and Ryan Crowell
Leitrim County - June 15th and 16th
Sinead Black and Saoirse Cummins
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown - July 6th and 7th
Karl Flood and Ronan MacGabhann
Offaly - August 16th
at the Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival with Fin Furey, Farah Elle and Jayne Eleanor
July to October: Words Move
Touring Ireland this summer and into Autumn with poetry and music, in partnership with Poetry Ireland and supported by The Arts Council. More info below
Dublin - August 28th
Chinese Culture (in a Van) at St Anne's Park, Bremore Castle and IMMA, with Chang Chu, Hui Zhang, Richard and Kelly Jiang, Chang Liu and Zhining Wang
Galway, Portumna - September 16th and 17th
Shorelines Arts Festival
Dublin Fingal - September 18th and 19th
at the Fingal Poetry Festival
Dublin throughout September
#DublinAlive sessions in parks across the city with Axis Ballymun and Dublin City Council
October
Babaró Arts Festival sessions with Little John Nee
Mayo - October 20th and 21st
Care Home Concerts with The Side Effects: John Hoban, Tony Reidy and Dan Delaney
Limerick - December Christmas Concerts
Events at Adare Town Park, Newcastle West and at Nursing Homes in Killmallock and Bruff throughout December. With Nyle Wolfe and Ryan Morgan, Liam O'Brien and Jean McGlynn, with thanks to Limerick City and County Council Arts Office.
Dublin December and #LocalLive
Part of Dublin City Council’s Local Live Performance Programme, funded by Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media.
With special thanks too to all the artists, wonderful venues and hosts, and to all of you for joining us this year for #SafeCraic
Waterford Tuesday 21st December: Winter Firedance
Celebrating the Winter Solstice in Cappoquin, as part of events being held across Co Waterford. Festival in a Van joins the fun with Nyle Wolfe and Ryan Morgan, Padraic Di Fusco and Peter O'Sullivan, and Ad Hoc, featuring Caroline King and Eoghan O'Neill. Our programme of seasonal favourites and more starts at 6.10pm, followed by Fireworks at 9. (And it was great craic!)
2020 Events
Galway 2020 City and County – October 1st 2020
The Whileaways, Barceló Brothers, Niceol Blue and Orla McGovern
Éigse Michael Hartnett Festival, Newcastlewest, Co Limerick – October 3rd 2020
Trevor Sexton, Micheál Rowsome and Stephen Murphy
Kerry County – October 9th, 10th, 11th 2020
Mary Culloty O'Sullivan, Cormac Begley, Cathal Flaherty, Bryan O'Leary and Brian Mooney, Emma O'Leary and Gavan Ring
Schools Tour - Dublin, October 16th 2020
Candlelit Tales at Belmayne Educate Together, Scoil Íde Cailiní and St Malachy’s
Monaghan - October 20th and 21st 2020
Claire Crehan, Niamh McCormack, Brioni Gallagher and Seanan Brennan
Schools Tour - Dublin, October 22nd and 23rd 2020
Romeo and Juliet, Directed by Conor Hanratty and starring Kate Stanley Brennan and Lloyd Cooney
Limerick - October 27th 2020
David Hope and Susan O'Neill - SON
Monaghan - November 17th 2020
Brioni Gallagher and Seanan Brennan
Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Schools - November 19th to 23rd
Including The Wild Turkeys, Avoca Reaction, Romeo and Juliet (in a Van) with Kate Brennan and Lloyd Cooney and directed by Conor Hanratty, Karl Flood, Sam Clifford, Michael Chanda, Rhythm Africana, and Candlelit Tales
Monaghan - December 2nd
Brioni Gallagher and Seanan Brennan
Cavan - December 7th and 8th 2020
Niamh McCormack and Claire Crehan
Westmeath - December 9th and 10th 2020
Frank Byrne and David Kelly
Kilkenny - December 11th 2020
Cormac Larkin, Scott Flanigan and Tom Caraher
Wicklow - December 13th & 18th 2020
Niall O'Sullivan and Shóna, Mike and Marta Nielsen
Monaghan - December 17th
Claire Crehan and Niamh McCormack
Kilkenny - December 19th & 20th
for Yulefest with Luan Parle and Clive Barnes; Enya Cox and Ruby and Heidi Millea from the Alize School of Music; and Daniel Docherty of the Lady Desart Choir
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