Town is Booming for Cavan Calling!

Cavan Town will be ‘booming’ on Saturday, July 29, as it celebrates ‘Cavan Day’ with a packed programme of events taking place as part of the Cavan Calling Homecoming festival.

Free events are lined up from 9.30am until late and highlights include a spectacular fireworks display, street carnival, food markets, GAA parade, family activities, and a sellout concert by the legendary Boomtown Rats.

‘Cavan Day’ is the jewel in the crown of the Cavan Calling programme. This year is the fourth annual Cavan Day celebration, but the first to take place in person, following two hugely successful virtual events with a worldwide reach of millions.

Speaking ahead of the festivities, Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr Philip Brady said: “Cavan Town really is the place to be this Saturday, 29th July. Whether you’re travelling home from Boston, Brixton, or Blanchardstown, or if you’re living locally, you’re in for a treat.

"There are so many free events taking place for all the family, the only problem will be trying to get around to everything. I look forward to meeting members of the global Cavan family in Cavan Town on Saturday, and across the county during the many other exciting Cavan Calling events.”

Fittingly, the day gets ‘up and running’ with a special ‘Cavan Day’ Parkrun at Con Smith Park at 9.30am.

A cultural exchange between Cavan Calling and Rochester Fringe, NY, will see the hilarious improv comedy duo Bushwhacked! perform shows at Johnston Central Library at 11am, 12 noon, 3pm, and 4pm Saturday (booking required via townhallcavan.com).

An ecumenical service, which marks the Centenary of the home of Cavan GAA, Kingspan Breffni and commemorates the Cavan Diaspora takes place at 11am at the Cathedral of St Patrick and Felim after which, at noon, a colourful GAA youth parade will travel down Farnham Street and on to Kingspan Breffni.

The Cottage Market Cavan will bring the best of local and regional artisan food, beverages, and crafts to Town Hall Street and Market Square Cavan from 12noon until 6pm on Saturday and again on Sunday including gourmet pizza, sushi, Vietnamese spring rolls, and heavenly ice-cream. A stellar line-up of local musical talent will also keep crowds entertained throughout.

At 1pm on Saturday, the haunting melodies of Crux Vocal Ensemble featuring Eileen Coyle will reverberate around the beautiful and intimate Urney Church on Farnham Street. This is a ticketed event, and booking is available through Town Hall Theatre box office.

Also from 1pm Saturday, Farnham Street will erupt in a sea of colour, creativity, comedy, and craic with a street carnival featuring the cream of Irish and international circus and street theatre talent. Based at Cavan No.1 School, this free family event runs until 5pm and includes Horsebox Theatre, Alchemy Arts, Captain Cormac, Goyo Circus, Cikada Circus, Ronaldo Fanzini, King of Mayhem, and The Flea Circus!

As ‘Cavan Day’ moves into the evening, the focus moves to the Egg Market, Connolly Street, where the legendary Boomtown Rats will perform a sold-out outdoor concert with support from Eddie Cruizer and the Savage Hearts, with doors opening at 7pm and the show beginning at 8pm. In keeping with the homecoming theme of Cavan Calling, this concert marks the first time Boomtown Rats founder member Pete Briquette will have performed with the band (including fellow original members Simon Crowe and Bob Geldof) in his native Cavan, and he promises, “the band is really cooking at the moment”.

To finish off the ‘Cavan Day’ proceeding, a spectacular fireworks display will follow the Boomtown Rats’ performance, with the skies over Cavan transformed into a cascading reverie of light and colour.

For more information and to view the full programme for Cavan Calling, which runs from July 26-30, visit www.cavancalling.com