It’s the second year of our St. Patrick’s Festival and our annual celebration of Irish culture and heritage promises to be even bigger and diverse! With a total of 9 events over the course of the first three weeks of March, there’s something for everyone, from live cooking experiences with Galway chef, Jp McMahon, to singing your heart out to Beeswing with The Whistlin’ Donkeys. In this short guide, we’ll take you on a tour of what’s to come in St Patrick’s Festival 2020.
The Irish Cookbook Launch with author and chef, Jp McMahon | Sun 1st March | 7pm | £15
Our Festival begins on the eve of Sunday 1st March with something we all love—food! And Irish food at that. Galway-based author and chef Jp McMahon is touring the country promoting his new The Irish Cookbook which contains a whopping 480 Irish recipes, from best-loved traditional dishes to lesser-known gems.
On the night, Jp will be treating us to some on-stage live cooking, tasters from the book, a talk about his experiences compiling these recipes, and will of course, be answering all your food-related questions!
The book is £35, but we’ve managed to secure over 50% off for everyone who comes! You can book tickets now (with or without the book) by clicking here!
The Whistlin’ Donkeys Fri 6th March | 7pm | £15
It’s been a couple of years since the Donkeys were last here and they’re making up for their brief hiatus with a very special St Patrick’s Festival performance on Friday 6th March! Tickets are sold out already but get in touch for cancellations.
Charlie and the Bhoys | Sat 7th March | 7pm | £10
One of our favourite rebel bands is back from Glasgow to gear us up for St Patrick’s Day on Saturday 7th March. With special Celtic FC guests planned, you do not want to miss what promises to be Liverpool’s best Irish rebel night of the month. Get your tickets by clicking here before they all go!
Melodies and Memories | Sun 8th March | £10 | 2pm and 8pm
Join us on Sunday 8th March for a trip down memory lane! Written and performed by three Irish playwrights and singers, Melodies and Memories is a nostalgic look at life in Ireland in the 1950s and 1960s. The critically-acclaimed show, which has been performed in theatres all over Ireland, takes us back to our innocent youths. Hear about mothers of ten, nuns, novenas, comics and catechisms. Recall the wonderful dance halls, filled with music and song, youth and vitality. Stories from the past are interwoven with Irish ballads and songs in what promises to be an evocative, funny and poignant performance. There are two shows on the day: a matinee at 2pm, and a second at 8pm, right after our Traditional Irish Seisiun! Book your tickets today by clicking here!
Land Without God | Friday 13th March | 7pm | Free
On Friday 13th March we’re delighted to bring you an exclusive and FREE screening of one of the most important films to come out of the Emerald Isle in recent times. Land Without God takes you on a trip into the dark side of the Irish State, documenting an intimate portrait of a family coming to terms with decades of institutional abuse and the impact it has had and is still having, on their lives. It won a string of awards in last year’s film festivals and hasn’t been screened anywhere in the North West yet. Due to high demand, booking is recommended. You can do so by clicking here.
Green Road | Saturday 14th March | 7pm | £10
Saturday 14th March sees the debut performance of one of Ireland’s leading folk bands, Green Road. Hailing from the beautiful Co. Wexford, their music is a celebration of the connection between folk music at home and abroad. Expect all your favourite Irish folk songs, traditional tunes and ballads!
Fans of The Whistlin' Donkeys, All Folk'd Up and The Tumblin' Paddies, this is one for you! Tickets are expected to sell out so we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment! Click here to book your tickets today.
The Mass of St. Patrick | Sunday 15th March | 1pm | Free
For as long as anyone can remember, the Irish community of Merseyside has met at the Irish Centre to celebrate St Patrick. It's perhaps the most special event of the year, when people don shamrocks over their hearts and unite with those we love to remember those we've lost.
Led by Father Sean, the mass will begin at 1pm. We'll be open from 12pm. Please arrive in good time if you require a seat; they go fast.
After mass, we'll have performances from the wonderful Comhaltas musicians and Bolger Cunningham dancers, and then it's over to The Molly's to get you bouncing up and down ahead of the big day on Tuesday! There'll be live GAA too, and the shop will be open serving all your favourite Irish goodies. There's no charge for the day, but donations are most welcome!
St. Patrick’s Day | Tuesday 17th March | 12pm – 6pm Free | 7pm £6
Join us for our celebration of all things Ireland. Food, drink, live music, and live GAA, we've got it all! Between 12pm till 6pm, we'll have an afternoon of terrific entertainment, with a ceili from the Liverpool Ceili Band, Irish bingo, Irish stew, live GAA and lots more! As always, our afternoon instalment of entertainment is totally free.
From 6pm onwards it's our evening with the brilliant Michael Coyne. Expect all your favourite Irish ballads, jigs, reels, waltzes and everything in between! Tickets required from 6pm onwards. It’s always a sell-out so be sure to book early. Click here to get yours today!
A Leap of Faith Liverpool Launch | Saturday 21st March | 7pm | £5
And to bring our St Patrick’s Festival to a close, we’re thrilled to welcome to Liverpool for the first time, Reverend David Latimer from Derry, a man with a truly fascinating story to tell. To quote Bill Clinton, a friend of David’s and an endorsee of the book: “In a Leap of Faith, David Latimer recounts his remarkable friendship with Martin McGuinness - and reminds us all about the importance of building bridges between faiths if we are to truly share the future." David will be here on the night to talk about his remarkable friendship with Martin McGuinness and the impact it had on the peace process in Derry and beyond. You can book tickets by clicking here.
Tickets
All tickets are available online via www.eventbrite.co.uk, or through us directly on 0151 263 1808 or info@liverpoolirishcentre.org. You can find out more information on all of our St Patrick’s Festival events by heading to www.liverpoolirishcentre.organd going to our What’s On page.