Monica Loughman performing a scene from Swan Lake on the Féile na Laoch stage

Féile na Laoch (the Festival of Heroes) is an unusual festival, not least because it comes in two halves, the second of which is happening this coming weekend in Cúil Aodh and Baile an Mhúirne, County Cork.

With the memory of Seán Ó Riada as its inspiration, and his son Peadar playing a key role, it follows on from previous commemorations of the man in 1981 and 1991, but it is consciously not just about Ó Riada. Its aim is to celebrate our cultural heroes in general, including storytellers, poets, actors, dancers, athletes, singers, and musicians.

The first part of the festival, earlier this year, culminated in an all-night concert, the ‘aeraíocht’, including on stage the likes of Glen Hansard, Seán Ó Sé, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Paul Muldoon, Martin Hayes, Cara O’Sullivan, Charlie Bird and Christy Moore.

The latter wrote afterwards: ‘I have never before witnessed such an array of performers in such a unique setting and circumstance…. Apart from the stage performances, what made Féile na Laoch so special was its ethos and atmosphere. There was no branding, no alcohol on sale.’

Events for the second half of the festival, much of which will be streamed on the internet, include sessions, a market, the showing of the films The Irish: A Memory of a People by director Robert Manthoulis, and Vertical Man by Christopher Swann, a talk by Éamonn de Buitléar, and the laying of a wreath on Ó Riada’s grave.

Tommy Hayes of Irish Seed Savers will be one of the speakers at a conference that will take place Saturday, 1 October at 2pm in the Abbey Hotel, Baile an Mhúirne. In light of the planned seven-year cycle for the festival, ‘An Todhchaí - The Future’ is the title of the conference and it will consist of five speakers offering insight and advice for the coming seven years.

The only concert of the weekend takes place on Sunday, 2 October in Arus Éamon Mac Suibhne (‘Halla na Laoch’), and will feature Ceoltóirí Chualann, Cór Chúil Aodha, Cór Ban Chúil Aodha, and other musicians including Steve Cooney. A specially composed piece by Peadar Ó RIada will be premiered. The ceremony will include the putting away of all the flags and pictures of the festival, the quenching of the festival torch, and the nailing shut for seven years of the ‘cófra mór’.

www.feilenalaoch.com