IMRAM 2016 –  Féile litríochta gaeilge/Irish Language Literature Festival – Deireadh Fomhair/October 6-16th

One of the most interesting events in the IMRAM 2016 (Irish Language Literature Festival) is Starman – the David Bowie Project in the Pavilion, Dun Laoghaire. It is on the 21st of October and features Liam O’Maonlaí, The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra and Hilary Bow. See some of the other highlights below…

Starman -The DAVID BOWIE Project – Friday 21 October | 8.00pm – PAVILION THEATRE, Dún Laoghaire

IMRAM – the Irish Language Literature Festival – is excited to announce details of its diverse programme for 2016, with highlights including Réaltneach/Starman: The David Bowie Project. The festival, which takes place in various Dublin venues from October 6–16th, features an original line up of literature, music, theatre, poetry, readings, talks, discussions and workshops.

‘IMRAM means a ‘voyage of discovery’, and we are delighted to invite our audiences on board for another exciting festival that reveals the strength and diversity of modern literature in Irish. We’re particularly proud of this year’s flagship show, Réaltnach/Starman, with David Bowie’s lyrics rendered into exquisite Irish by poet Gabriel Rosenstock; and tickets are already selling fast. Other key shows include multi-media shows fusing poetry, music and visuals based on work by major poets such as Caitlín Maude and Eoghan Ó Tuairisc; not to mention Game of Thrones in Irish, featuring medieval music performed by Caitríona O’Leary’, commented IMRAM director Liam Carson.

Musically, IMRAM will present Starman: The David Bowie Project with Liam O’Maonlaí, The Brad Pitt Light Orchestra and Hilary Bow, which will celebrate the life and work of David Bowie, an artist defined by his constant reinvention – Bowie’s stage personas included Ziggy Stardust and Aladdin Sane. Also celebrating the best of emerging artists IMRAM’s Gala Night of Music and Poetry showcases the work of new ground breaking artists including IMLÉ and their debut album of “unexpected, devilish and transformative” music; and cutting edge rap poet Séamas Barra Ó Suilleabháin.

A special theatre production by IMRAM, Lón Leningrad will be showcased at Smock Alley Theatre, exploring how two real-life Russian writers might have used their creative imaginations in terrible circumstances, during the Siege of Leningrad.

In collaboration with IMRAM, Dublin Institute of Technology lecturers Clare Bell and Brenda Dermody have curated a second special exhibition of Irish language literature texts imaginatively rendered by DIT design students. The students work will appear on postcards, 28 000 of which will be distributed throughout Dublin.

Poetry highlights include a multimedia presentation of Aifreann na Marbh/Mass of the Dead, Eoghan Ó Tuairisc’s long poem which commemorates the victims of the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima; a multifaceted exploration of the life and work of Antaine Ó Raiftearaí; and a celebration of the work of famed poet and political activist Caitlín Maude, in association with Poetry Ireland.

Showcasing the diversity of the Irish language, IMRAM is delighted to present a dramatic multimedia performance based on Oisín Ó Muirthile’s translation into Irish of Game of Thrones; a special lecture to mark the 75th anniversary of the publication of An Béal Bocht by Myles na gCopaleen and Language is a virus: The cut up project produced by IMRAM and REIC at the Irish Writers Centre.

Other key literary events include a special bi-lingual gala night of Czech and Irish literature, featuring Czech poetry and extracts from Hašek’s The Good Soldier Švejk translated into Irish, with Irish language works such as Cré na Cille and Cúirt an Mheán-Oíche rendered into Czech. A celebration of the work of novelist, dramatist, poet, critic and translator Breandán Ó Doibhlin; a multi-media performance of Séamas Mac Annaidh’s Cuaifeach Mo Londubh Buí, featuring guitar wizard Steve Cooney.