Summer events with French connection

Chers Amis,
Information on some events with a French connection taking place over the summer ….

Bastille Day in Belfast

On 14^th July 1792 the Belfast Volunteers marched through Belfast accompanied by many citizens and assembled 5,000 strong in the central courtyard of the White Linen Hall where they passed a resolution unanimously supportive of the French Revolution.
To mark the 225^th anniversary of this event “Reclaim the Enlightenment” will recall that extraordinary assembly in …
First Presbyterian Church, 

Rosemary Street, Belfast

from 2.00pm to 3.30pm

on Friday 14 July 2017.

The programme involves dramatic re-enactment by Paula McFetridge and Vincent Higgins, music and songs from Maurice Leyden and Jane Cassidy, debate and discussion. 

All are welcome and admission is free.

Please see attached press statement.

If you find yourself in Dublin on 14^th July the Alliance Française Dublin is organising some special events …

Bastille Day Celebration at La Petite Boulangerie Friday 14 July 8.0am-3pm – 9 Camden Street, Dublin 1 – Admission free

Bastille Day Celebration at The Church
Friday 14 July 4.30pm-3am – Mary & Jervis Street, Dublin 1 – Admission free
For Further details see … http://www.alliance-francaise.ie/

Clandeboye Festival 2017

Thanks to Jonathan who brought to my attention the fact that, a little later in the summer (11th – 19th August), Barry Douglas and Camerata Ireland will present 'A Festival of French Music'.

With concerts in the evening as well as at lunchtime and in the afternoon the Festival is set to be a celebration of all things French with a feast of Gallic artists and composers.  Tickets are on sale from the Grand Opera House box office, and will also available on the night on the door.
For more information see …. http://www.camerata-ireland.com/clandeboye/


Have a lovely summer and “Bonne fête”
Philip

La Fête de la Musique 2017

Chers Amis,

La Fête de la Musique

The first Fête de la Musique took place in France on 21 June 1982 when between 8.30 pm and 9 pmmusicians, professionals and amateurs, came onto the streets in all the cities of France to play music. The event has enjoyed growing success year after year and has spread throughout Europe and indeed around the world.  This year in France and in around 130 countries and over 340 cities the Festival of Music will be celebrated on or near to 21^st June. 

For more information on La Fête de la Musique see ....

http://icalendrier.fr/fetes/fete-de-la-musique

https://www.timeout.com/paris/en/music-festivals/fete-de-la-musique

In keeping with the spirit of La Fête de la Musique, Bal Feitste have scheduled an extra Bal to celebrate the arrival of summer!

Date: Friday, 23 June

Venue: Sunflower Club, Union St, Belfast BT1 2JG (upstairs)

Dance workshop: 19.30-20.15
Bal: 20.30-22.30

Cost: £3 to members, and £5 to non-members 

Live music throughout from the House Band

Dance workshop - no experience or partner needed.

Bal - a time to practise the dances we have covered to date guidance will be given where necessary.

À bientôt, 

Philip

From haute cuisine to la cuisine

Bulletin mensuel juin 2017

Chers Amis,

The next meeting of the Cercle Français de Belfast will be …

on Mercredi 7 juin 2017 à 19h.30 

in Dark Horse Coffee House, 

30-34, Hill Street Belfast BT1 2LB

Topic: From haute cuisine to la cuisine

Speaker: Hélène GUILLET et Philip McGRORY

Hélène and Philip serve up a bi-lingual presentation in which they consider Haute Cuisine and its influence today in France and closer to home.

Dr Tariq Ramadan at the Crescent Arts Centre

As part of the Belfast Book Festival the Crescent Arts Centre welcomes Tariq Ramadan for a lecture and Q&A surrounding the ideas presented in his book Islam, The Essentials.

Every few years France gets swept up in a controversy over Tariq Ramadan. Hardly a day goes by without the mention of Islam. And yet, for most people, and in much of the world, Islam remains a little-known religion. Whether the issue is violence, terrorism, women's rights or slavery, Muslims are today expected to provide answers and to justify what Islam is - or is not. But little opportunity exists, either in the media or in society as a whole, to describe Islam: precisely the question this short and extremely accessible book sets out to answer.

Dr Tariq Ramadan is Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University, President of the think tank European Muslim Network (EMN) in Brussels and a member of the International Union of Muslim Scholars.

This event takes place in ..

Crescent Arts Centre

on Thursday 8th June at 5:30pm. 

Tickets are £7 and £5 concession.

For tickets and further details see:

https://crescentarts.ticketsolve.com/shows/873573832/events

Bal Feirste's monthly Workshop/Bal 

Date: Sunday, 11 June

Venue: Sunflower Club, Union St, Belfast (upstairs)

Dance workshop: 17.00-17.30
Bal: 17.30-19.00

(this is a free event, donations welcome - live music throughout)

Dance workshop - no experience or partner needed. This month a chance to learn to dance the Gavotte de Montagne.
Bal - a time to practise your moves, not just the dances of this month, but others we have covered to date guidance will be given where necessary.

À bientôt, Philip

Dîner annuel 2017

Annual French Dinner

You are cordially invited to our annual French dinner on Wednesday 31 May 2017, 7:30pm for 8:00pm at Harlequins Rugby Football Club, 45a Deramore Park, Belfast BT9 5JX

The cost is £29.50 per person for which we provide a glass of wine on arrival and choices of entrées, plats et desserts with an inclusive cheese course and tea or coffee. 

You will find full details on the flyer attached.

If you wish to attend the annual dinner please print out and provide details on the attached form and return it together with payment by Friday 26 May 2017 to:
 Ray Largan, CFB Treasurer,9 Dalboyne Gardens, Lisburn BT 28 3BX 

Debussy and friends

Bulletin mensuel: avril 2017

The next meeting of the Cercle Français de Belfast will be …

on Mercredi 12 avril 2017 à 19h.30 

in Dark Horse Coffee House, 

30-34, Hill Street Belfast BT1 2LB

Topic: Debussy and friends

Speaker: Hilary HEADLEY

Debussy's music was considered by French society to be not quite acceptable and, in one case, outrageous. The Belle Époque, however, brought revolutionary changes in music, art and writing. Debussy was among its leaders, and his influence had a very long reach. 

Bal Feirste's monthly Workshop/Bal 

Bal Feirste's monthly Workshop/Bal will take place on:

Date: Sunday, 9 April

Venue: Sunflower Club, Union St, Belfast (upstairs)

Dance workshop: 17.00-17.30
Bal: 17.30-19.00

(this is a free event, donations welcome)

Dance workshop - no experience or partner needed, devoting our time to a Breton dance -the "Pach Pi".

Bal - a time to practise your moves, not just the dances of this month, but others we have covered to date guidance will be given where necessary.

Christine Bovill: Piaf

Friday 28th April 8.00pm

Áras Mhic Reachtain

283-289 Antrim Road

Belfast

As part of the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival Christine Bovill, Scotland’s Little Sparrow and multi award-winning songwriter and performer returns to Áras Mhic Reachtain with her triumphant show Piaf. Bovill is the world’s best Piaf performer! No pretence. No gimmicks. Simply a voice. Pure and majestic. Singing of life’s triumphs and tragedies, resisting the temptation of retelling her life story, Piaf focuses instead on the music.

Support from Eve Belle

Tickets £10 - MORE THAN HALF ALREADY GONE! To purchase tickets click here.

Both Sides

The Dark Horse

Sunday 7^th May 3.00pm & 7.30pm

Tickets £8

Our friend Jane Coyle returns to the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival with a new play 'Both Sides'.  It is a development of 'Me Here, Me', the Beckett-inspired monologue which was at CQAF last year. You will see a big difference now that a companion piece - 'Before Before' - has been added.  The two musicians, Mark and Annette, will be involved again playing their atmospheric French dance music.

For further details and to purchase tickets click here.

Cercle Français de Belfast Annual Dinner

When going to press with our programme we still had not settled on the date for our annual dinner so you might like to note in your diary that this year  Cercle Français de Belfast's Annual Celebration Dinner will take place on Wednesday 31^st May.

Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday evening.

À bientôt, Philip