Arts Week with Judy Murphy

No sooner is Galway’s arts festival underway than details are announced of another, just down the road. Common Threads, an event that’s being billed as a “a two-day trail of musical and cultural discovery”, will take place on Friday and Saturday, October 11 and 12, in the Burren North.

It will feature performers from across a range of genres, including John Francis Flynn, Sorcha Richardson, HousePlants, Ailbhe Reddy, Uly, Negro Impacto, Royal Yellow, Mynameisjohn, Eugene Lambe, Sally Cinnamon b2b Jimmy Rouge, Fleeting Devotion, Piqué, and Common Threads DJs

Now in its second year, Common Threads is programmed by Peter Kelly and Daithí Ó Dronaí, both of whom are well-known on Ireland’s music and arts scene.

The two wanted offer a new take on what a traditional music festival/event looks like and to explore the common links and threads between a vibrant local community, key cultural spaces and an important natural landscape.

Similar to last year for Common Threads, for 20224 they will be “embellishing these common threads with art, live music and discovery”.

People attending Common Threads can experience the best of what this unique area has to offer, as they travel by bus to performances at key locations and stops at points of natural scenic beauty.

The Burren and Cliffs of Moher in Clare have been awarded UNESCO Geopark status for its landscapes, diverse flora and fauna, and rich cultural heritage. The area is home to a thriving community of artists, writers, musicians, and craftspeople, and has a long and fascinating history of cultural and artistic expression.

Common Threads is committed to sustainability and aims to minimise its environmental impact by collaborating with local suppliers and vendors to source eco-friendly products and materials.

The event puts a focus on local food and drink producers and encourages attendees to reduce their environmental footprint through initiatives like a litter-free policy and waste-reduction measures.

Pictured: Kinvara uilleann piper and pipe-maker Eugene Lamb will be performing in Common Threads.