Cavan’s call to echo around the globe
The very first ‘Cavan Day’ is amongst the highlights of a weekend-long celebration of the county to take place this August.
‘Cavan Calling’ will see Cavan people, those with ancestors from the Breffni County, or those with an affinity for Cavan, welcomed come home for a major celebration of its people, its culture, heritage, music, and landscape.
A packed programme of events has been lined up for ‘Cavan Calling’, with street concerts, an American Wake, colourful street performances and parades, a bumper fireworks extravaganza, a spectacular military tattoo, theatre, exhibitions, talks, ancestry events, business networking opportunities, a gala ball and much more promised by the organisers.
Cavan people abroad will also have the opportunity to win flights home for the festivities, while the inaugural ‘Cavan Day’ will be launched in Cavan on Saturday, August 22 in an explosion of colour, music, spectacle, and dance - with a Cavan Day parade, street performance, music on the street.
Other key highlights so far confirmed include the American Wake (August 20); Prosper Cavan’s Diaspora event (August 20); the Military and Historical Spectacular at Cavan County Museum (August 22); and the Cavan Calling Gala Ball (August 23).
From Dowra to Dubai, Ballyjamesduff to Boston, Cavan people across the globe are invited to shout about their county on Cavan Day. Those who can’t be in Cavan on the day can share their pictures, memories, and thoughts of the county on social media using the hashtag #CavanDay.
“Across the globe, Cavan Associations, GAA clubs, and Irish societies provide a vital sense of community and belonging for Cavan people,” said Cavan County Council chief executive, Tommy Ryan. “Cavan Calling is a celebration of these bonds, and the perfect opportunity to come home, rekindle old friendships and forge new connections.”
Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr Shane P O’Reilly added: “I would like to invite friends of Cavan around the world who may have never had the chance to see its breath-taking beauty first-hand, to take this opportunity to come home and enjoy this unique showcase of Cavan and all it has to offer.”
To help promote the August festivities, the council has launched a new website, www.cavancalling.com and @cavancalling on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Highlights of ‘Cavan Calling’:
‘AN AMERICAN WAKE’
Cavan Calling will open with a unique ‘American Wake’ at Cavan County Museum on Thursday, 20th August. This special theatrical show will recreate the funeral wake traditionally ‘celebrated’ in Irish households as they mourned the imminent departure of a loved one for America, with a feast of music, story and song. This promises to be an unforgettable night recreating one of the most unique aspects of the Irish emigrant experience.
MILITARY AND HISTORICAL SPECTACULAR AT CAVAN COUNTY MUSEUM
The Cavan County Museum, home to the multi award-winning World War One Trench Experience and 1916 Rising Experience, will host a Military and Historical Spectacular on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd August 2020 featuring weapons and artillery, military vehicles and tanks, a Spitfire plane, Alouette helicopter, military re-enactments, Ulster Aviation displays, marching bands, and aerial displays.
#CAVANDAY 22nd August 2020!
The inaugural Cavan Day will be launched in Cavan in an explosion of colour, music, spectacle, and dance - with a Cavan Day parade, street performance, music on the street and more. From Dowra to Dubai, Ballyjamesduff to Boston, we want Cavan people across the globe to shout about their county on Cavan Day, Saturday 22nd August. If you can’t be in Cavan on the day, we want you to share your pictures, memories, and thoughts of Cavan on social media using the hashtag #CavanDay and tell the world you’re proud to be from Cavan!
MAGIC AND MAYHEM FOR ALL THE FAMILY!
Johnston Central Library will present a jam-packed programme of entertainment on #CavanDay, Saturday, 22nd August and everyone is invited! The day will include Storytime and a Giant Doodle event for the younger visitors, and a mesmerising magic show that will enthral and entertain all the family. An energising drum and percussion event is guaranteed to have everyone finding their rhythm and tapping to the beat! A multicultural celebration will also take place as we provide a warm welcome to the many new communities that have made Cavan their home.
PROSPER CAVAN
Make meaningful business connections at Prosper Cavan’s Diaspora event in Cavan’s ultra-modern, gigabit-connected new Digital Hub on Thursday, 20 August 2020. Prosper Cavan’s mission is to develop a network of support among Cavan’s Business Diaspora to enhance prosperity in the county through co-operation, knowledge sharing and a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem. If you want to make business connections, Prosper Cavan is the event for you!
PERCY FRENCH CENTENARY CONCERT
A special tribute concert will celebrate the life and work of Percy French, one of Ireland's foremost songwriters and entertainers. Percy French made Cavan his home for seven years from 1881 to 1888, taking up residence in Farnham Street, where he wrote some of his best songs. The evening will include such favourites as ‘Phil the Fluther’s Ball’, ‘The Mountains of Mourne’ and, of course, ‘Come Back, Paddy Reilly, to Ballyjamesduff’ in what promises to be an evening of gentle nostalgia, with audience participation encouraged.
SPECTACLE @ CAVAN CALLING
Cavan will be alive with light, colour and sound, with specially commissioned art installations, performance art and exhibitions from international and local artists, while a bumper fireworks extravaganza will illuminate the Cavan sky as the weekend’s events reach a kaleidoscopic crescendo.
CAVAN HERITAGE
Cavan Calling will coincide with Heritage Week (15th-23rd August), a week-long celebration of the natural, cultural, and built heritage of Cavan featuring a fascinating array of lectures, musical recitals, historical re-enactments, outdoor activities and wildlife tours.
EXPLORE CAVAN
This is the ideal opportunity for all of us who have family or heart connections to County Cavan to return to this mystical place of lakes and prehistoric landscapes. Fall in love with Cavan Burren Park its Giant’s Grave, Lost Valley, and the nearby birthplace of the mighty River Shannon. Travel the winding roads through medieval towns and witness the breathtakingly unspoilt beauty of West Cavan and its UNESCO Geopark, to the lush pasture lands of Mullagh, Kingscourt and East Cavan. Enjoy guided tours and immerse yourself in the mystery and romance of the Breffni County.
COMMUNITY @ CAVAN CALLING
Local events will be organised in towns and villages throughout the county, an ideal opportunity to explore the county and visit ancestral homelands. Communities wishing to avail of grants to organise Cavan Calling events can do so by emailing info@cavandiaspora.com
DIASPORA STORIES
A fascinating new book by local historian Jonathan Smyth, charting the lives of notable men and women of the Cavan Diaspora who achieved renown across the globe, will be published to coincide with Cavan Calling.
CAVAN CALLING GALA BALL
A special gala ball in the magnificent Crover House Hotel, on the shores of Cavan’s famous Lough Sheelin, this special evening, on Sunday, 23rd August will acknowledge the global achievements of the Cavan Diaspora and their invaluable contribution to nations around the world.
CULTURE @ CAVANCALLING
Experience the heritage, arts, culture, sporting and musical life of the county, as Cavan Calling showcases a host of cultural and entertaining events that cater for all ages. Showcase concerts, intimate trad sessions, street performances and colourful parades, poetry and literature recitals, theatre, and more presented by the best of local and international talent, bringing the history and culture of this ancient land to life.
KAMIKAZE BY JOHN MCMANUS, RAMOR THEATRE
A new play by acclaimed West Cavan playwright John McManus, ‘Kamikaze’ sees two Irishmen meet in Astoria, Queens, New York. A darkly funny play, propelled by McManus’s brash and energetic writing, ‘Kamikaze’ is a madcap theatrical rollercoaster ride.
CAVAN CALLING CONCERT AT THE RAMOR
The Ramor Theatre, Virginia will host a special variety concert featuring local drama groups, music groups, dance groups, poets, writers and well-known local singers and pieces from diaspora visiting Cavan for the festival. The best of Cavan’s talent will come together to present a night to remember in the atmospheric and storied Ramor Theatre.
‘IN ANXIOUS EXPECTATION’ ANCESTRY EVENT
Cavan Genealogy will host a two-day ancestry event called ‘In Anxious Expectation’, which will explore themes of emigration and immigration both past and current. The event will also feature an exhibition documenting the County Cavan emigration experience, genealogy workshops and an evening of music, poetry, song and dance will follow the first day of the conference.