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Susan O’Gara and Rebecca Kemp at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
HUNDREDS of people made their way to Banna Beach on Saturday for a fantastic celebration of culture and dance at Féile Fáilte.
The day-long event had everything from a ceili to a disco with local and global styles mixing on stage making for a hugely enjoyable experience for performers and the audience.
Féilte Fáilte is part of The Casement Project, a year-long choreography of bodies and ideas by taking place across national boundaries and includes events on stage, on screen, in the academy and, now, on a beach.
When TraleeToday.ie called out we were just in time for an excerpt from Siamsa Tire’s famed Oilean show.
There were hundreds of people enjoying the performance in the sunshine and we caught up with the producer of The Casement Project, Cian O’Brien, who was delighted with the day.
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“It’s going great so far. We’re delighted with the turnout. It’s amazing to see so many people turn out to support it as when you do something like this you don’t know how many will show up.”
“The programme is a such a mix of contemporary dance and community performance and we go into more experimental segments as the night goes on, ending it all with a disco on the beach.”
There was also a pyrotechnics display with “Fáilte” lit up on the beach at around 11pm that night.
“The whole project we’re doing is around Roger Casement and his life, so when he came ashore here 100 years ago he did so in darkness. So we’re lighting up the beach to welcome the stranger ashore. That’s the theme of the day,” said Cian.
The crowds continued to come and go throughout the evening – thanks in some part to the free buses to and from Tralee – and it proved to be a really memorable event for all. Scroll down for photos…
Geraldine Scully and Imelda Harrington at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
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The crowd at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Catriona Behan, Tralee, Kate O’Sullivan of Feile Failte, and Laura Crean, Tralee at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Adrienne Heaslip, Conor O’Donnell and Niamh Hurley, Tralee, at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Marian McElligott, Bridie McElligott and Deirdre McElligott, Lixnaw, at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Just married…Patrick Browne and Marie Browne (nee O’Riordan) from Rockchapel making their way to the beach at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Brigid Moriarty, Kilorglin, holding Oscar and Aileen Kingerlee, Killarney, at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Aileen Peevers and Charlotte McGuire, Tralee, at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Liz Keeman, Kenmare, Charlotte Frotscher, Kenmare, Mara and Kaemon Muller-Tolk, Sneem and Kathleen Rice, Kenmare at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Moira Spillane, the Spa, and Margaret Spillane, Annagh, at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Rachel and Kevin Barry, Tralee, at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Deirdre Hurley and Sarah Griffin, from Limerick and Cork at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Maya Kenny, Donal Kenny, Limerick, Hayley Leslie and Sharon Leslie, Cork at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Martina O’Keeffe, Tracy O’Keeffe, Emily Keane, Brid O’Mahony, Martina Keane and Tony Scanlon, Cork, at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Claire Ritchie and Fran Henderson, Scotland, at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Siamsa Tire performers at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Siamsa Tire performers at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Siamsa Tire musicians at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Siamsa Tire performer at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
The crowd watching Siamsa Tire performers at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Siamsa Tire performers at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
Sadhbh O’Connell of Ardfert at Féile Fáilte. Photo by Clare Keogh
Órna Nolan of Kilmoyley leanring to set dance at Féile Fáilte. Photo by Clare Keogh
Ella O’Donoghue of Tralee learning to dance at Féile Fáilte. Photo by Clare Keogh
Brynn Fitzmorris of Banna learning to dance at Féile Fáilte. Photo by Clare Keogh
Performers from Oileán by Siamsa Tíre at Féile Fáilte. Photo by Clare Keogh
Performance from John Scott’s Irish Modern Dance Theatre at Féile Fáilte. Photo by Clare Keogh
Welcoming the Stranger by Catherine Young at Féile Fáilte, a day-long celebration of dance on Banna Strand, was a key event in the Casement Project. Photo by Clare Keogh
