Festival Interceltique de Lorient

The Festival Interceltique de Lorient (fr) or Gouelioù Etrekeltiek An Oriant (br) was founded in Lorient, Brittany in 1971. This annual gathering takes place in the heart of the city every August and features Celtic traditional, classical, folk, jazz and rock musicians, singers, dancers, painters, sculptors, writers, …

They come from Brittany, Cornwall, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Cape Breton, Galicia, Asturias, in fact the entire Celtic diaspora!

The main festival sites are located throughout the city. The more formal events take place at the Palais de Congrès, Grand Théâtre or Eglise Saint Louis. The larger events take place at the Parc de Moustoir (the home of Lorient F.C. which can hold up to 10000 spectators), the Port de Pêche or in grand marquees.

The festival begins with the Cotriade (fr) or Kaoteriad (br), a traditional Breton seafood supper, which takes place in the Port de Pêche (fr) or Porzh Pesketa (br) harbour district accompanied by sea shanties and traditional Breton marine music.

On Sunday morning the spectacular Grand Parade of Celtic Nations takes place with over 3500 musicians, singers, pipebands and dancers from all over the Celtic world parading through the city streets in national costume.

The finals of the National Bagadoú Championship takes place at the Parc de Moustoir during the first weekend of the festival, with strong competition between Brittany’s finest pipebands. In addition individual competitions take place for pipers.

For those early risers, Master classes take place each morning with some of the world’s premier harpists, accordionists, fiddlers and pipers.

Every afternoon hundreds of performers appear in folk and traditional music concerts and dance displays, and again in the evening there is a choice of several major events , including orchestral concerts, rock concerts and the not to be missed “Nuits Magiques”, spectacular displays of pipe bands, dancers, choirs and fireworks!

Throughout the festival the “Marché Interceltic” (fr) or “Marc’had Etrekeltiek” (br) is open in the centre of the city offering food, music and literature, clothing and crafts.

On the final Saturday of the festival the focus again returns to the fishing harbour for the Nuit de Port de Pêche, featuring the best of Brittany’s folk and rock musicians.

There is, of course, much activity on the festival fringe, with musicians giving free performances in many of the city’s bars and pubs every evening until late.

The festival organisers have more recently embarked on similar ventures such as the St Patrick's Day concert in Paris, France which attracts a crowd of 70000 spectators and the Celtica concert in Nantes, Brittany.

Featured Artists

2005

Bates Motel (Cornwall) | Rory Cambell (Scotland) | Djiboudjep (Brittany) | Dominique Dupuis (Canada) | Annie Ebrel (Brittany) | Delyth Jenkins (Wales) | Nolwenn Korbell (Brittany) | Llan de Cubel (Asturias) | Lúnasa (band) (Ireland) | Carlos Nuñez (Galicia) | Pat O’May (Brittany) | Denez Prigent (Brittany) | Nóirín Ní Riain (Ireland) | Susana Seivane (Galicia) | The Silencers (Scotland) | Soldat Louis (Brittany) | John Spillane (Ireland) | Didier Squiban (Brittany) | Teada (Ireland) | Yann Tierson (Brittany)

2004

Christine Collister (Isle of Man) | Djiboudjep (Brittany) | Dominique Dupuis (Canada) | Ronnie Drew (Ireland) | Paddy Glackin (Ireland) | Meinir Heulyn (Wales) | Nolwenn Korbell | Mairi MacInnes (Scotland) | Maggie MacInnes (Scotland) | Carre Manchot (Brittany) | Merzhin (Brittany) | Cass Meurig (Wales) | Ramon Prada (Asturias) | Skolvan (Brittany) | Sonerien Du (Brittany) | Susana Seivane (Galicia) | Gilles Servat (Brittany) | Kathryn Tickell (Northumbria) | Triskell (Brittany)

2003

Back of the Moon (Scotland) | Blazin’ Fiddles (Scotland) | I Muvrini (Corsica) | Meinir Heulyn (Wales) | José Angel Hevia (Asturias) | Eilieen Ivers (USA) | Mairi MacInnes (Scotland) | Maggie MacInnes (Scotland) | Tony MacManus (Scotland) | Karen Matheson (Scotland) | Merzhin (Brittany) | Mercedes Péon (Galicia) | Denez Prigent (Brittany) | Sharon Shannon (Ireland) | Skolvan (Brittany) | Soldat Louis (Brittany) | Tejador (Asturias) | Toreth (Wales) | Tri Yann (Brittany) | Amy Wadge (Wales)

2002

Armens (Brittany) | Back of the Moon (Scotland) | Celtitude (Canada) | Cormac de Barra (Ireland) | Roland Becker (Brittany) | Robin Huw Bowen (Wales) | Cajuns Denbo (Wales) | Carreg Lafar (Wales) | Clandestine (USA) | Claymore (Australia) | Crasdant (Wales) | Djiboudjep (Brittany) | E.V. (Brittany) | Liam O'Flynn (Ireland) | Alasdair Fraser (Scotland) | The Hennessys (Wales) | Siân James (Wales) | Yann-Fañch Kemener (Brittany) | John Kenny (Scotland) | Kohan (Brittany) | Erik Marchand (Brittany) | Merzhin (Brittany) | Miosecc (Brittany) | Naked Feet (Cornwall) | Mercedes Péon (Galicia) | Carlos Nuñez (Galicia) | Skolvan (Brittany) | Gilles Servat (Brittany) | Didier Squiban (Brittany) | Katherine Thomas (Wales) | Amy Wadge (Wales) | The Waterboys (Ireland)

2001

Big Leaves (Wales) | Xose Manuel Budiño (Galicia) | Rita Connolly (Ireland) | Carré Manchot (Brittany) | Djiboudjep (Brittany) | E.V. (Brittany) | Liam O'Flynn (Ireland) | Gwerinos (Wales) | Hoogie (Scotland) | Karma (Brittany) | Yann-Fañch Kemener (Brittany) | King Chiaullee (Isle of Man) | Luar na Lubre (Galicia) | Murry the Hump (Wales) | Patrick Mollard (Brittany) | Alain Pennec (Brittany) | Denez Prigent (Brittany) | Rag Foundation (Wales) | Gilles Servat (Brittany) | Alan Stivell (Brittany) | Tartan Amoebas (Scotland) | Yann Tiersen (Brittany) | Tri Yann (Brittany)

2000

Ronan Le Bars (Brittany) | Dan Ar Braz (Brittany) | Arz Nevez (Brittany) | Avalon (Scotland) | Robin Huw Bowen (Wales) | Cajuns Denbo (Wales) | Capercaillie (Scotland) | Carré Manchot (Brittany) | The Chieftains (Ireland) | Clandestine (USA) | Rita Connolly (Ireland) | Diwall (Brittany) | Djiboudjep (Brittany) | Liam O'Flynn (Ireland) | Alasdair Fraser (Scotland) | Gaelic Storm (USA) | Deborah Henson-Conant (USA) | José Angel Hevia (Asturias) | Yann-Fañch Kemener (Brittany) | Manu Lann Huel (Brittany) | Donal Lunny (Ireland) | Eileen Ivers (USA) | Erik Marchand (Brittany) | Karen Matheson (Scotland) | Merzhin (Brittany) | The Mollag Band (Isle of Man) | Elaine Morgan (Wales) | Carlos Nuñez (Galicia) | Rag Foundation (Wales) | Red Cardell (Brittany) | Melanie O’Reilly (Ireland) | Sacred Turf (Cornwall) | Gilles Servat (Brittany) | Skyedance (Scotland) | Sharon Shannon (Ireland) | The Silencers (Scotland) | Soldat Louis (Brittany) | Sonerien Du (Brittany) | Telenn Du (Brittany) | Michel Tonnerre (Brittany)

1999

Altan (Ireland) | Armens (Brittany) | Bernard Benoit (Brittany) | Black Label Zone (Brittany) | Dan Ar Braz (Brittany) | Carré Manchot (Brittany) | Carreg Lafar (Wales) | Djiboudjep (Brittany) | Annie Ebrell (Brittany) | Alasdair Fraser (Scotland) | Galldubh (Ireland) | Iron Horse (Scotland) | Karma (Brittany) | King Chiaullee (Isle of Man) | Gaelic Storm (USA) | Melaine Favennec (Brittany) | Yann-Fañch Kemener (Brittany) | Dougie MacLean (Scotland) | Michael McGoldrick (Scotland) | Pat O’May (Brittany) | Malinky (Scotland) | Carlos Nuñez (Galicia) | Denez Prigent (Brittany) | Sacred Turf (Corwall) | Gilles Servat (Brittany) | Skeduz (Brittany) | Skolvan (Brittany) | Skyedance (Scotland) | Sonerien Du (Brittany) | Didier Squiban (Brittany) | Stone Age (Brittany) | Tejador (Asturias) | Telenn Du (Brittany) | Tri Yann (Brittany) | Xeliba (Asturias)

1998

Armens (Brittany) | Avalon (Scotland) | Elinor Bennett (Wales) | Martyn Bennett (Scotland) | Black Label Zone (Brittany) | Dan Ar Braz (Brittany) | The Bolingey Troyl Band (Cornwall) | Nollaig Casey (Ireland) | Emma Christian (Isle of Man) | De Dannan (Ireland) | Djiboudjep (Brittany) | Liam O'Flynn (Ireland) | Albert Fry (Ireland) | Gaelic Café (Ireland) | Galldubh (Ireland) | Anne-Lorne Gillies (Scotland) | Deborah Henson-Conant (USA) | Karma (Brittany) | Kate Me (Brittany) | Lia Luachra (Ireland) | Llan de Cubel (Asturias) | Mabon (Wales) | Karen Matheson (Scotland) | Natalie MacMaster (Cape Breton) | Rhona MacKay (Scotland) | Elaine Morgan (Wales) | The Picts (Scotland) | Ramón Prada (Asturias) | Gilles Servat (Brittany) | Soldat Louis (Brittany) | Didier Squiban (Brittany) | Alan Stivell (Brittany) | The Tholtan Builders (Isle of Man) | Kathryn Tickell (Northumbria) | The Whistlebinkies (Scotland) | Wolfstone (Scotland)

External Links

• Festival Interceltic de Lorient
• [http://www.nuitdelasaintpatrick.com/ St Patrick's Night in Paris
• [http://www.concertceltica.com/ Celtica at Nantes