JOHN MORIARTY FESTIVAL
MOYVANE, 21-23 JUNE 2024
John Moriarty lived a life grounded in story. In June 2024, the Moyvane John Moriarty Festival opened a door to where John’s story began: the village of Moyvane, North Kerry. Attendees and participants alike acknowledged that something special happened that weekend, something truly wonderful. We are delighted to present here event recordings and other highlights from this memorable Festival in June 2024.
A message from President Michael D Higgins, Uachtarán na hÉireann, on the occasion of the inaugural John Moriarty Festival, June 2024
The 2024 Moyvane John Moriarty Festival was honoured to be in receipt of a lyrical, heartfelt and characteristically learned greeting from Uachtarán na hÉireann, President Michael D Higgins. The office of the President has kindly given us permission to share his message to the Festival in full and we proudly do so below.
A Way to Wonder: Moyvane Church, 21st June 2024
The 2024 Moyvane John Moriarty Festival began with an evening of story, laughter, music, and emotion in Moyvane church. Fr Pat Aherne opened the Festival, the new website of the John Moriarty Institute for Ecology and Spirituality (www.johnmoriarty.ie) was officially launched, and Tommy Tiernan launched a new collection of John’s writing, Grounded in Story, edited, introduced and beautifully illustrated by Amanda Carmody and Mary McGillicuddy.
Nostos: Lapwings I remember: the Moriarty Homestead, 22nd June 2024
Festival attendees enjoyed a rare and sun-drenched opportunity to visit the house where John was born and grew up at Leitrim Hill, Moyvane. Those who gathered revelled in the music of John’s language and were treated to readings from his work, interspersed with music, song and speeches.
Dreamtime: A Symposium (Marian Hall, 22nd June 2024)
30 September 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of John’s first publication, Dreamtime. John’s editor at Lilliput, Antony Farrell, began our event by setting out how Dreamtime came into being, before six guest speakers conducted a deep-dive into the work itself and what John’s writing and speaking has come to mean in their lives. Our eloquent MC for the afternoon was local author and poet Gabriel Fitzmaurice.
More to follow! Stay tuned for footage from our Saturday night show, The Blackbird and the Bell Revisited, for which a host of fascinating guests joined Tommy Tiernan in an evening of conversation, music and song before a live audience. We will also have footage from our Sunday closing event, an atmospheric morning of music, song and readings from John Moriarty’s works. Coming soon!
A word of thanks to our kind sponsors
The Moyvane John Moriarty Festival Committee 2024 had seven members: Amanda Carmody, Conor Farnan, Aisling Flaherty, Breda Flaherty, William Flaherty, Brenda Kennelly and Mary McGillicuddy. The Committee would like to express their deep gratitude to the Festival sponsors, without whom the Festival could not have been the resounding success it was.
The Festival Committee is also proud to be supported by
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