Linda Ervine, MBE and Council of State Member with her husband Brian officially opening Scariff Harbour Festival 2026 at Scariff GAA Club on Friday evening. Photograph: Arthur Ellis.
LOCAL LANDMARKS, stories from behind shop counters in East Clare, the lure of the Irish language in East Belfast and stories from Palestine were among the highlights of yet another successful Scariff Harbour Festival.
Soft rain did not deter the sing along crowds swaying to the songs of popular balladeers ‘The Kilkennys’, so called after their home city, as they brought Scariff Harbour Festival 2026 to a close.
Earlier young hurlers from East Belfast in their yellow and black club jerseys tucked into generous portions of spaghetti bolognese in the GAA Hall, already hoping they can return to play in the Barry Nash Memorial hurling tournament with so many other clubs.
“This was heartening to hear,” said Mike Rodgers, Chair of Scariff Harbour Festival Committee “and an indication that the festival’s efforts to continue building genuine relationships with the north is making a difference,” he said. It was also confirmed by Kimberly Robertson, Chair of East Belfast GAA Club, who chaperoned the young hurlers during their visit to East Clare.
Bilingual speeches by on-stage guests gave due recognition to passionate advocate of the Irish language, and former Club President of East Belfast GAA, Linda Ervine MBE, when she opened this year’s Harbour Festival on Friday night. Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Joe Killeen (FF), Éanna Rowe of Waterways Ireland and Harry O’Meara, Festival Co-founder spoke of Linda Ervine’s unwavering commitment to promoting not only the Irish language but sporting culture in protestant east Belfast.
“I was introduced to the Irish language fifteen years ago,” she said. “I had never learned a language at school. In fact, I never really had any interest in learning another language. Then I got the opportunity to learn a cúpla focal and it changed my life. When I started learning Irish all those years ago, my husband Brian was the leader of the PUP, and there was quite a bit of media interest in the fact that his wife was learning Irish. The newspaper articles encouraged others from the local community to learn Irish too, so we set up our own classes and it just took off,” said the newly appointed Council of State Member.
In welcoming Linda and her husband Brian, local pharmacist Harry O’Meara acknowledged the festival’s strong connection with Northern Ireland and Linda’s on-going cultural work, born out of her initial and surprising attraction to the Irish language. “She founded Scoil na Seolta, the first integrated school in Northern Ireland to teach through the medium of Irish, and now manages the Turas Project, one of the largest providers of Irish language classes in Belfast,” he said. The event concluded with a moving rendition by Brian Ervine, former teacher, playwright and politician, of his own song Leaving Dal Riada
Tens of familiar faces from families of past Scariff shopkeepers could be spotted in an audience of over 150 people at an illustrated talk ‘Behind the Counter’ given by Dr. Jane Halloran-Ryan. In it, the Mary Immaculate College lecturer and professional genealogist traced the story of local shopkeepers and their significant role in the community to a highly engaged audience. “The study is definitely a work in progress,” she said.
The Camino of Hope walk snaked its pilgrim way in drizzly rain to the Mass Rock in Cappabane, led by the Bishop of Killaloe, Fintan Monahan and local Parish Priest, Fr. Pat Larkin, with ponder stops along the route. It concluded with the celebration of mass at the historic penal site to over 250 people before returning with the aid of their complimentary pilgrim sticks to the noise of the festival town.
Not the only nod to local history, brothers and local history aficionados Martin and Micheál Pearl led the increasingly popular 3km walk, highlighting the origins of Scariff and the landmark story points along the way.
Indoors a deeply moved audience became immersed in the personal journey to Palestine of local couple Bonnie Boyle and PJ McNamara through their film The Art of Resistance-The Art of Sumud. It was followed by a discussion, chaired by Jim Collins of Scariff Bay Community Radio, and included the profoundly touching contribution of Fatma Abuawwad, a Gazan woman and former school principal, who spent time with her family in Scariff after leaving Palestine to escape the ravages of war.
Don Stiffe and the Voices of Ireland got the festival off to a popular start with a concert in the Church of the Sacred Heart. The Family Fun Day in the GAA park thrilled the younger folk, while teenagers took to adrenalin fueled water-based activities and TV Chef, Shane Smith captivated an enthusiastic audience with his animated cookery demonstration.
The Festival Chair, Mike Rodgers acknowledged sponsors Waterways Ireland, EKO Integrated Services, Michael McNamara MEP (IND) and everyone who supported the festival and very specially the hardworking committee who deliver so successfully every year. “It could not happen without you all,” he said.
All photographs by Arthur Ellis
