THE CHARM and sounds of the Emerald Isle filled a Warrington shopping centre which played host to a town-wide Irish Festival.
Golden Square was one of the venues for Warrington Irish Celebration Week organised by Culture Warrington.
Shoppers put down their bags and tapped their toes to music from local Irish bands and watched the dancers from the town’s Rogers Academy of Irish Dancing in Old Market Square.
Music from Beer for Breakfast, a four strong Irish and Ceilidh band playing the best in traditional and contemporary Irish music, Shannagh, a veteran of several Irish tours plus regular appearances at Manchester’s Irish Festival, and Celtic Knot, a Merseyside six piece band, finished off the entertainment.
Ian Cox, Golden Square director, said: “As the shopping centre at the heart of the town, we are always pleased to work with community partners such as Culture Warrington to host such events which bring a fun and lively atmosphere to a Saturday shopping day.
“It is all part of the efforts to celebrate the town’s cultural heritage and we are pleased to be a part of it.”
Maureen Banner, chairman of Culture Warrington, said: “This free event in the Old Market Square kicked off an exciting week of art and culture celebrating our town’s Irish heritage.
“There’s plenty to see and do all week from seeing The Stars of the Commitments from Dublin to kicking up your heels to a live ceilidh band at Pyramid, with Shannagh and Rogers School of Dancing, on Friday.”
Councillor Mike Hannon, deputy leader of Warrington Council, said: “Irish Celebration Week will see the town’s Irish community celebrating their proud cultural traditions, and, in a truly Irish and generous fashion, sharing their rich culture of music, dance and craic with all of Warrington’s townspeople.
“The free event down at Old Market Square was a lively mixture of people of all ages and backgrounds enjoying the friendly and fun atmosphere.”
Pictured: Irish dancers at Golden Square.
