Achill’s festivals offer something for everyone

It’s high summer in Achill and that means many things.

The sun is not guaranteed (if only) but the roads are busy, the campsites and holiday homes are full and the tourist season is in full swing.

Traditionally, the high season in Achill is six weeks long – all of July and the first half of August – and that hasn’t changed a whole pile over the years.

There is a mix of tourists, many coming here for the first time; and returning emigrants, summering in Achill to visit parents, relatives and friends.

Weather has a certain impact. Those who tour the country in campervans tend to leave Achill en masse if the weather takes a turn for the worst. But those with bookings must grin and bear it.

That said, there’s a wild beauty about Achill in all sorts of weather but it does depend on your disposition and the ages of your travelling crew.

High summer also means festival time across the many villages on Achill Island and the Corraun peninsula.

It dovetails with the aforementioned returning emigrants, school holidays and, hopefully, good weather.

There’s a long-running tradition of local, summer festivals in Achill. Dooagh Day, down the western end of the island, has already taken place. There’s fine traditions in Currane and Dookinella as well.

Scoil Acla encompasses all of Achill and is a fabulous traditional music summer festival. Originally founded in 1910 to promote culture and heritage, it was revived by the great John ‘Twin’ McNamara in 1985 and its summer school is one of its key facets. It is taking place this week and it is lovely to go into pubs and venues to hear musicians of all ages from seven to 70 plus play with such harmony.

We live in Dooega, on the southern end of the island. In winter, it is home to approximately 150 residents. That number more than doubles in the summer. Much of that is down to the very successful Coláiste Acla Irish summer adventure school here in the village.

When we were in school, the thoughts of the Gaeltacht was a place of foreboding. Kids that come to Coláiste Acla have no such concerns as you watch them hike, surf, kayak, cliff jump and run through obstacle courses in the bog. It is a big boon for the village.

But the village also swells through greater use of holiday homes by both tourists and returning natives.

And there is a long-running festival here too, Féile Dú Éige. Myself and my wife Aisling are involved now, along with a host of great community people, carrying on the mantle from those who initiated and drove Féile Dú Éige on in previous years. The sense of meitheal is very strong.

It was on the weekend just gone with a series of family-friendly events and social gatherings. At the time of writing (Thursday) we are keeping a sharp eye on the weather forecast. Last year our family fun day was on one of the warmest days of the year and was a roaring success. This year, the forecast is less certain.

All the planning that goes into these events is overridden by the one thing you cannot plan for – the weather.

But they are a lovely means of bringing the whole community together, at home and abroad.

Over the road in nearby Derreens, the good folk at Féile Chill Damhnait run an exceptional twelve day festival, which runs from August 6-17.

The phrase ‘something for everyone’ could be patented there.

We’ve been attending for years and there is any amount of great events for the kids to enjoy.

One of their more successful events across the years has been their Ladies Day event. The tickets for this year’s event sold out in less than ten minutes!

Perhaps the men of the area were complaining about discrimination so this year sees an inaugural Men’s Day. Typically, those tickets are not sold out as most men will only decide on the day if they fancy it.

They run a biannual Achillbeg Day with ferries to the nearby island of Achillbeg and a party on the beach. It was on last year so anyone looking to partake will have to wait until next year. However, there is a great, new daily ferry service running for anyone who wants to go over themselves.

Achillbeg was inhabited until the 1960s when its people moved as it was felt it was no longer safe or viable. Many of them settled in Cloughmore, on Achill Island and still live there today.

One descendant of Achillbeg is Seán Gallagher, who will give a talk during the festival on his family’s emigration from the island to Cleveland, Ohio. He is a retired judge and the family history is fascinating. Six Gallagher brothers fought in World War II.

Féile Chill Dahmnait have drawn in big names on an annual basis and this year Keith Barry will perform as well Kate Kerrigan, with her renowned comedy show ‘Am I Irish Yet’, exploring the often fraught identity of someone raised in England by Irish parents and very much sees themselves as Irish. It is something so many people in Achill can attest to.

This year sees the second running of the Achill Camino during the festival which is a marvellous hike from Dookinella to Derreens, along the side of Minaun and across the hills of Kildownet.

I was lucky enough to take part last year as exceptional local mountaineer and guide Tomás Mac Lochlainn brought us along the route of the famed Coffin Trail.

Generations ago, when people from Kildownet moved down the island to marry in places like Keel and Dookinella, they would often express the wish to be buried back home with ‘their people’ and so family and neighbours would traverse a torturous route with the coffin. Having barely carried myself along the 20km hike, I can confirm what they did was some feat of endurance. The route is spectacular and the Camino is highly recommended.

Check out Féile Chill Damhnait on social media for more details. It is well worth the trip.

The festivals show the best of Achill as a welcoming, communal place for people to gather and enjoy the summer. Long may they last.