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

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

Adrienne Heaslip, Conor O’Donnell and Niamh Hurley, Tralee, at the Feile Failte at Banna Beach on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean

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

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

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

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

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