INTERNATIONAL

Welcome to the inaugural LughnasaInternational Friel Festival, Ireland’s firstannual cross border arts festival - afestival that comprises two territories: Donegal,Welcome to Friel Country (August 20-23) andBelfast, Here I Come! (August 27-31)We consider it an honour to be curating a festivaldevoted to Brian Friel, the third of ourbiofestivals this year following Samuel Beckettand Oscar Wilde. Brian Friel is undoubtedly oneof Ireland’s greatest writers, his plays having aprofound influence on how we view ourselvesand our place in history in Northern Ireland andRepublic of Ireland. His work asks difficultquestions, is highly innovative and provocative,yet it is lyrical with an almost unparalleledunderstanding of the power of memory in ourlives.It is particularly fitting that the festival is beingheld in Donegal and Belfast as Brian Friel’s lifeand work has demonstrated a certain duality. Helived in Northern Ireland from 1929 to 1967 butsince then his home has been in Inishowen, Co.Donegal; his work also has been set on both sidesof the border. Dualism is a powerful theme in thework (think of Gar Private and Gar Public inPhiladelphia, Here I Come!) through the endlessfascination with how we see ourselves asopposed to the faces we present to the world.The festival locations play with duality andgeography. Our opening weekend is in Donegalbut our first event starts in Northern Ireland, inCounty Derry; our last weekend is in Belfast butthe festival circles back to Donegal for the closingevent. The political and geographical landscapemeans that Belfast is of course both east andnorth of Donegal, while Donegal is west andsouth of Belfast. One is urban, the other rural.One is Ballybeg, the other Ballymore.Each morning our programme for Donegalreaches to the very edges of the county whereasthe afternoons and evenings are centred in WestDonegal’s Ballybeg landscape. In Belfast westretch across the city with five distinct responsesto the themes and activity of this year’ssignature play, Dancing at Lughnasa. All in all,it’s a wonderfully rich and diverse terrain inwhich to explore and celebrate a writer of suchcomplexity and brilliance.We would like to acknowledge Brian Friel for hispersonal warmth, generosity and support inhelping us bring to life the first of many festivalsin his honour. But most of all, we acknowledgeBrian for the extraordinary range of work that hehas given us and for the beauty of his artisticimagination.Sean DoranFounder & Artistic DirectorLiam BrowneCo-Founder & Deputy Artistic Director