Canal festival promises 'Tales and Tunes from the Towpath'

A festival that begins in one location and then moves midway through to another might seem strange – but there’s a logic to the strategy says Noel O’Farrell, who with wife Martina is originator of the ‘Tales and Tunes from the Towpath’, event.

The festival, taking place on Sunday June 26, starts at the harbour at Coolnahay, and then moves on to Nanny Quinn’s at Thomastown. There is no charge to attend: just turn up and enjoy.

Poets, harpists, singers are among those lined up to participate in the festival, which Noel hopes might prove the start of something bigger, based on the canal, and involving events at various locations along its route.

Names on the bill include harpist Anita O’Brien; performance artist Paul Timoney; singer Eva Coyle; and singer and storyteller Noel himself, who is an award-winning songwriter.

“The canals are undergoing a huge revival,” says Noel.

“The Royal Canal, celebrated in song and story of course, originates in Dublin and enters the Shannon waterways down at Clondra and it goes through five counties along the way. And since the lockdown, loads of people have rediscovered the simple pleasure of walking by the canal: it’s peaceful, reflective, free.”

He and Martina walk it often, and love it, and say they are grateful to Westmeath County Council for the work it has undertaken on the footpaths to provide the walk and cycle paths.

“The thought came on how you would combine or celebrate creatively that canal and that peacefulness and reflectiveness with music or with song and story,” Noel said.

“We thought we could start something in Westmeath – set a kind of template – and see would it connect Dublin with Clondra and all the counties in between.”

Two obvious locations to involve in this ‘template’ were the café that is run by Wesley Whelehan in Coolnahay, and Nanny Quinn’s at Thomastown, where Rosie Ennis is the contact.

The two liked Noel and Martina’s idea thus was born ‘Tales and Tunes from the Towpath’.

“This only starts here,” said Noel. “We’ve spoken to the lads from Mary Lynch’s and they’re already on board for next year. We could have Ballynacargy Harbour next year, and then it pushes out to Abbeyshrule.”

All of that will hinge to some extent on how this inaugural festival goes.

This first iteration of the festival starts at noon at Coolnahay; and then at 3.30pm approximately, the action shifts to Nanny Quinn’s – and the events are free of charge thanks to grant aid from the Local Live Performances Scheme administered by the county council.

“The canal is a place that’s enjoyed by people in different ways: it is a lovely amenity. What we want to do is try to introduce some sort of creative performances that will complement that – not take away from it. So there’s no massive PA systems, no huge bells and whistles to this. This will be ambient and really easy – an opportunity just to kind of look at the canal and at the same time enjoy some amazing performances,” says Noel.