A day of music, creativity and good, good times has been planned in loving memory of Ramelton resident Maeve Sweeney O'Connor.

Various venues around Ramelton will be coming alive on July 1st 2017 for a fun festival to raise funds for Donegal Hospice.

The inaugural Maevefest pays tribute to Maeve O’Connor, proud Dungloe woman and long-time resident of Ramelton, by celebrating her memory through music, song, spoken word and dancing ‘till late – a day-long summer party in memory of a great Donegal woman.

Maeve Sweeney O’Connor

Maeve, who passed away in 2016, was a local stage manager and the former volunteer coordinator of the Earagail Arts Festival and Donegal’s Culture Night celebrations, as well as a talented singer and actress in her own right – Maevefest gathers friends and family to celebrate her brilliant life.

Maevefest Live

The very special guest at Maevefest is singer and actress Maria Doyle Kennedy, an acclaimed solo artist and internationally renowned actress, in everything from The Commitments and Redwater to Downton Abbey and The Conjuring 2.

Maria Doyle Kennedy

Maria, accompanied by her husband and musical collaborator Kieran, will be headlining MAEVEFEST LIVE, a night of music and performance at Ramelton’s Town Hall on Saturday, July 1st from 9pm – the bill also features Villagers guitarist Tommy McLoughlin, acclaimed comedian Ursula Burns, AKA The Dangerous Harpist, and local Ramelton legends The Shindig House Band, amongst many others.

Tickets are €15, with all proceeds going to Donegal Hospice.

The Ramelton Social

Earlier that evening, The Ramelton Social is a special teatime gathering at Ramelton’s legendary McDaid’s Wine Bar, featuring comedy, spoken word and music, hosted by Maeve’s daughter Aoife O’Connor and featuring Irish Times journalist and performer Una Mullally, writer and RTE Book Show host Sinead Gleeson, local actor Fadl Mustapha and many more.

The Ramelton social kicks off at McDaid’s Wine Bar on Saturday, July 1st at 6.30pm, and admission is free, with a donation required to Donegal Hospice.

Kid’s Creative Workshops

Earlier that day, Maevefest kicks off with a pair of fun creative workshops for kids of all ages at Ramelton’s Town Hall on Saturday, July 1st from 3pm – they can from choose dance and movement with choreographer Kevin Murphy, and arts and crafts with Lisa O’Connor.

Warning: There will be fun! 

Advance booking for Maevefest is available via An Grianan Theatre, Letterkenny  www.angrianan.com/074 912 0777

For further information and inquiries on Maevefest, contact Derek O’Connor @ 087 973 9446/derekoconnor72@gmail.com