The general concensus is that 2011 was a Vintage Year for the Marymass Festival. Photos and a report will be added to the site over the coming weeks.
Vin Garbutt, a late addition to Marymass, headlined the Friday evening concert in the Volunteer Rooms and live up to his reputation as one of the funniest people you will ever meet. The new Marymass Folk Festival Fringe proved to be an excellent warm-up to the 44th Marymass Folk Festival with guests including John Carmichael & His Band; Dominic Boyce & Ian; Haggerdash; Landermason; Lyra Celtica; Maw, Paw & The Wean; The Tattie Howkers Ceilidh Band; Thomas Turner and Michael Woods. The Folk Festival Fringe was made possible by an Awards For All grant and it means that folk musicians can be heard by people who otherwise might not have the opportunity.
Marymass Through the Lens – is a project recording this year’s Marymass Celebrations in photographs leading to a web based exhibition. Several photographers took part and the photographs will be made available over the coming weeks and months. If you took photographs at Marymass but were not part of the official project, is it not too late to get involved. Your photographs can be selected for the exhibition and we can start planning early for next year’s festival.
To get involved with Marymass Through the Lens, phone Joyce of Marymass Folk Festival on 01294 551047 or email her at JoyceIFC@aol.com. As with the Folk Festival Fringe, Marymass Through the Lens has been made possible with support of an Awards for All grant.
To see what you missed, have a look at the programme – but start looking forward for the 45th Marymass in 2012!!
Nineteen scheduled events made up the 2011 Marymass Folk Festival. The Folk Festival Committee arranged a strong and varied line-up. The Buskers from Dublin made their annual pilgrimage to Marymass as did Johnny Silvo. Johnny along with Stephen Quigg, Heather Heywood and Arthur Johnstone were all on stage for the Singers’ Concert on the Thursday night.
Vin Garbutt topped the bill on Friday night along with the residents. The Marymass Saturday Night concert featured all the resident artists who were all over Irvine throughout the Festival. Taking part was the aforementioned Buskers and Johnny Silvo, the four-piece Drantan who are now firm Marymass favourites, Perthshire native Doris Rougvie, Lurach – an exciting four-piece acoustic band, Stephen Leeson – a young man from Dublin with a fine voice and easy style….and The Past Masters – a flexible line-up of some of the more ‘mature’ performers on the folk scene!
The 44th Marymass Folk Festival – 17th – 21st August 2011
WEDNESDAY 17th August: The Welcome Folk Coffee Afternoon Mure Church Hall, West Road, 1pm-3pm £1.50. Formal Opening of the 44th Marymass Folk Festival The Marymass Queen Elect will open the Festival followed by The Open Stage Competition.
THURSDAY 18th August: The Thursday Lunchtime Session with Festival Guests. Concert for Senior Citizens Sponsored by Irvine Rotary Club, with Festival Guests. Singers’ Concert, with Johnny Silvo, Heather Heywood, Arthur Johnston & Stephen Quigg plus Festival Guests.The After Concert Singaround.
FRIDAY 18th August: Marymass Folk Festival at School with Festival Guests, Sponsored by Irvine Rotary Club. The Friday Lunchtime Session – With Festival Guests. Bridgegate Folk – Dranntan. Folk Music at Options for Independence, with Festival Guests, Sponsored by Irvine Rotary Club. The Danny Kyle Tea-Time Session with Festival Guests and Friends. FRIDAY NIGHT CONCERT: Vin Garbutt plus Festival Guests. The After Concert Singaround.
SATURDAY 20th August: The Marymass Saturday Bash – with Festival Guests and Friends. MARYMASS SATURDAY NIGHT CONCERT with Johnny Silvo, The Buskers, Drantan, Lurach, Stephen Leeson. Doris Rougvie, The Past Masters & The Open Stage Winner. The After Concert Singaround (Open to concert-goers only)
SUNDAY 21st August: The Marymass Survivors’ Session with Festival Guests and Friends. Includes the amazing World Whammy-Diddling Championship and the mind-boggling World Chuckie-Chucking Championship.