The 12-day event features live music, comedy, drama, dance, film, food and drink and more than a half a million people take part in the event every year.
As always, the festival will climax in the St Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 14. The parade starts at the Irish World Heritage Centre in Cheetham Hill and stretches for more than a mile and is made up of almost 60 floats, each produced by members of the Irish community in Manchester. This year it is being opened by Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern.
Here's our guide to some of the highlights of the Irish Festival:
FRIDAY
This year sees the return of the ever-popular Irish Craft And Gift Market in Albert Square with an increased number of stalls and traders selling a range of Celtic gifts, crafts and produce.
There's also the Budweiser Beer Tent (with all profits ploughed back into the festival) featuring local musicians, a "Taste of Ireland" from Tourism Ireland and, inside the Town Hall, The pantry Irish Festival Caf', serving a range of Irish food and drink. Until Sunday.
The Council Of Irish Associations Annual Dinner Dance begins at 7.30pm at the Irish World heritage centre, Queens Road, Cheetham Hill. The special guests include Kevin McNamara MP and Irish tenor Sean Ruane, with entertainment from the Sean Wilson Band. £20 in advance only. Please call 0161-434 8989 or 0161-203 4132.
SATURDAY
The Palace in Levenshulme is the venue for The Return of Toss The Feathers from 9pm. The original line-up have reformed for this special one-off festival show and they're supported by Celtic Flame and DJ Alan Keegan. £9.
SUNDAY
This year's Manchester Irish Festival Parade is a very special one as the Taoiseach, Bertie Aherne, will be attending, the first time ever that an Irish Premier has done so. It will be leaving the Irish World Heritage Centre on Queens Road at noon and taking its traditional route to Albert Square via Cheetham Hill Road, Corporation Street and Cross Street before returning via the same route. Post-parade entertainment continues all day at the Irish World Heritage Centre.
From 1-6pm, Joe Casseley's The Full Irish radio show on ALL FM Radio 96.9 will be broadcasting live from the Palace, Farmside Place, Levenshulme. Free.
MONDAY
Irish Community Care present live music with Sean Wheelhan from noon-3pm at St. Mary's Parish Hall, Elbow Street, Levenshulme.
BBC GMR's The Parlour is live from O'Sheas, Princess Street, from 6pm. Free.
TUESDAY
There's the official launch of Alan Keegan's labour of love Irish Manchester In Old Photographs from 8.30pm at the Irish World Heritage Centre, Queens Road, Cheetham Hill.
Green Hot Clover play from 9pm at Waxy O'Connor's, The Printworks. Free.
WEDNESDAY
The Manchester St. Patrick's Society Annual Ball begins at 7pm at the Palace Hotel, Oxford Road. There'll be entertainment from Sean Cuddy and the Eileen Lally Dancers, with the Lord Mayor and Mayoress of Manchester in attendance. Tickets must be purchased in advance from 0161-273 5272 or 0161-763 7200.
The St. Patrick's Day Celebrations Disco kicks off at 10pm at the Palace Nightclub, Levenshulme (£5), while it's Party Day at Waxy O'Connor's in The Printworks with live Celtic rock music all afternoon and traditional music from 6pm, as well as many other types of entertainment.
For more information on the Manchester Irish Festival, click on the website below or phone the Manchester Visitors Information Centre on 0161 234 3157. Tweet
Comments
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when will we have a festival for the english like the irish do
Erm, when the english have a sense of community and respect for their fellow countrymen maybe dave???
I will be in manchester on the day of the parade (sun). i was wondering if you can drink alcohol during the parade.
Fill me in on that because I know I'll be thirst!!
In answer to the question about drinking during the parade. You're not allowed to drink on the street but the parade goes right past one of the best Irish bars in Manchester, Waxy O'Connor's so you could grab a cold Guinness there en route. There'll also be a beer tent on Albert Square.
Regarding English Festival
The Irish Festival is a festival organised by the Irish community & paid for by the Irish community & its sponsors.
I would be more than happy to explain the countless hours put in by the various comittee's over the last 9 years & what you have to do to organise your own festival.
I am becoming a little concerned at the extent of The St Patrick's Day celebrations in Manchester.
Manchester is and always has been one of the friendliest and welcoming cities in the Country if not the world.
The aggressive nationalism being whipped up by these recent celebrations is hwever in danger of creating a rift between the communities that we all thought had dissappeared years ago. The older residents of the City will remember the days, not too long ago when a large proportion of the City were on their knees for days, praying for rain on the protestants Whit Monday Walks, whilst similar prayers were being offerred up for rain to ruin the Catholic Whit Walks on Whit Friday. Sounds ludicrous now doesn't it, however these almost triumphal marches by what is after all a foreign country, is in danger of reigniting these old conflicts which we all hope were gone for ever.
I know the irish community will speak out loudly to support even further growth of their day, however I do hope that they do think closely at the dangers that their excessive nationalism could produce.
Can you imagine the reaction of the people of Dublin if there was the flying of the flag of St George and the Union Flag from public buildings and O'Connel street was swathed in English flags, with hordes of white and red flagged englishmen singing nationalistic songs and drinking english beer.
Please have a little more respect for the host country, whilst still enjoying your day.
Dave
Middleton
I am sick to death of hearing people harp on about the lack of a St George's Festival - if the people of Manchester want a St George's Day Festival then get off your backsides and organise one!
Heartily agree with you it was a marvellous festival and I'm sure you won't mind me saying that it could not happen without the loyalty, dedication and extrmely hard work of the Irish volunteer committees - headed by Michael Cassidy, Chairman and Anne Bohan Taghian, Secretary.
These two individuals spearhead and work tirelessly on behalf of Manchester's Irish Community not just for the few days of the parade but 365 days a year.
In addition to the 'big events' in Festival week they are always to be found at the forefront of activity and do not get the recognition they richly deserve - so Manchester On line and Manchester's community (Irish or not), let's hear it for Michael Cassidy and Anne Bohan Taghian - great job, well done and thank you for all you do!!
Another star not mentioned is Sean Ruane who sang at a number of events in Festival week - a wonderful young Irish tenor, born in Lancashire - he'll give Russell Watson a run for his money any day of the week!!
Let's hear more of this great singer who is at Manchester's Comedy club at the end of March - get a ticket if you can.
New York, New York - who needs it when Manchester is so good it only needed naming once!!
Well done Manchester