Everything changes, IRISH WEEK remains!

After a difficult and very alarming 2020, the IRISH WEEK 2021 program was decided to devote to the importance of human relationships, love and mutual understanding. For the first time in many years, the start of the festival will coincide with St. Patrick's Day itself, which is traditionally celebrated on March 17, glorifying the holiday of the arrival of spring, the return of the essence and energy of life. Connoisseurs of Irish culture in Russia will appreciate the rich IRISH WEEK 2021 program, which will include 14th Irish Film Festival in Moscow, a nine-hour folk festival "Day and night cSt. Patrick " in the club Izvestia Hall, a special program for children in the House of the Journalist, Irish Dance Festival Parade in the concert hall "Mir", performances on Irish drama on the stage of the Modern Theater and the Na Strastnom Theater Center. Week of Ireland 2021 will be supported by the Bushmills brand.

Will open Week of Ireland 2021 14th Annual Irish Film Festival as part of the KARO project. Art. The films of the film festival will also correspond to the main idea of ​​IRISH WEEK 2021 and touch upon the themes of love and mutual understanding. The festival will be shown in Moscow (KARO 11 October) and St. Petersburg (KARO 9 Warsaw Express). The grand opening of the festival will take place on March 17 at the Oktyabr cinema center, where viewers will see the pearl of Irish animation, the long-awaited film "The Legend of the Wolves" (Wolfwalkers) from Cartoon Saloon. A staggering 100% viewer rating and 99% critical rating on the authoritative website Rotten Tomatoes, 92nd line in the Top 250 best films on the Kinopoisk portal, and a Golden Globe nomination are just some of the reasons to see a wonderful new fairy tale on the big screen of the premiere hall cinema center "October". In the festival program from March 17 to March 28, viewers will also see comedy short films and novelties of fiction and documentary films from Ireland.

20th of March in the club Izvestia Hall there will be an annual nine-hour folk festival "St. Patrick's Day and Night"... The music program will include Tintal songs of Irish freedom, the brave marches of the City Pipes piper orchestra, the Breton tradition of Mervent, medieval Shedda ballads, the root folk of the Lost Temple Brothers and Scottish rock Green Guard. A special guest of the event will be the true Irishman Conor Murray and his band The Clover Rovers. The celebration will be complemented by dance shows, an atmospheric Celtic fair and Irish video art on the big screen, and guests who come to the very beginning of the festival will be presented with a lucky clover "for good luck."

21 March in the House of the Journalist there will be a special children's program for the youngest guests of IRISH WEEK 2021: the sand show “Myth and Legends of Amazing Ireland” by Ekaterina Schaeffer's “Theater on the Sand” will be shown here, Irish fairy tales will be told at the storytelling concert of Yuri Andreychuk and his “Host of Sides”.

Next week, the festival will continue with theatrical performances and a dance marathon. March 22nd and 23rd The Modern Theater will host performances based on Irish drama: The Skull of Connemara by Martin McDonagh and The Field by John B. Keane. March, 25 on the stage of the theater center "Na Strastnom" will show "The cripple from Inishmaan" by Martin McDonagh - a performance on the theme of emigration, the eternal striving for a better life, craving and love for the home.

And already 26 March the best dance groups in Moscow will share their explosive energy and beauty with the audience as part of the Irish Dance Festival-Parade «St. Patrick "s Dance Parade " on the stage concert hall "MIR"... The dance show will be accompanied by a live concert program of musicians from the Lost Temple Brothers, in whose hands Irish folk musical instruments come to life. And those who come to the festival in advance right in the foyer of the concert hall at an open master class will be taught simple movements of Irish dance.

Any of the events of the Irish week is a great occasion to rejoice at the long-awaited arrival of spring and come out to meet it in something green.

The events are supported by the Irish Embassy, ​​Culture Ireland Foundation, Veresk Foundation, Irish Club IRISH CLUB and Bushmills brand.

Quotes organizers:

Gerard Michael McCarthy, founder IRISH WEEK and the Irish Film Festival in Russia, screenwriter and film director, founder of the musical project "S for 7": “Our previous 13th festival was cut short on March 15, 2020. During this year we have learned so much about ourselves, about each other and about the world around us. The main lesson was that no matter who considers himself in charge, more powerful forces are involved in the game. We are all just organisms. Organisms that have a heart and soul, but which are vulnerable to the power of Nature. We have a will as long as we are healthy. And as long as we are healthy, we have a will. Therefore, the healthy will of our Week of Ireland is to share a part of our culture with our wonderful friends in Russia and remind them that we are together even in the most difficult times. And compared to the generations that preceded us, this "difficult time" is a drop in the ocean. Life goes on, and for us it starts again on March 17th. "

Ivan Dontsov, founder of IRISH WEEK and Veresk Foundation: «Notable events hit the heart of Ireland Week last year, stopping its program in full swing - our Irish guests were already on their suitcases when borders began to close and events were canceled at the request of the authorities. We had enough time to think about what to do next, and the more valuable was the common decision not to stop and continue to work - these days, being in different countries and not seeing each other for months, we realized that the international team of organizers is connected by friendship, common values and the desire to be in a common cultural environment that we develop together. Fortunately, the situation in Russia is now better than in most countries of the world - the restrictive worlds are almost lifted, the indicators are improving every day and the festival has put together a solid program, symbolizing that the main difficulties are over!».

Anna Gryaznova, Director IRISH WEEK and the Irish Film Festival in Russia: “We are very fortunate that we managed to host half of the festival last March - the films were a great success, and this year we plan to fully meet the expectations of fans of Irish cinema. I hope that our regular and new guests will appreciate the Week of Ireland program, because the main theme of films this year is return, love and strong family values ​​- everything that helped us survive 2020 and enter 2021 with optimism. The Festival of Irish Culture in Russia has always been a spring celebration of the end of winter and the beginning of a new life, and this time it is needed more than ever. "