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Days out
Conrad Astley17/ 3/2006
MANCHESTER'S 11th Irish festival has been rolling on since the
start of March, but a final weekend of events is about to get under
way.
A series of St Patrick's Day Specials will be held tonight
(Friday).
A host of bands and solo artists will play at a special acoustic
festival at the M19 Bar, on Stockport Road, Levenshulme, from
7.30pm-1am. The event will be headlined by Dublin-born songwriter
Ray Hefferman, who wrote Angels for Robbie Williams and has been
recognised for his work by music industry giants such Noel
Gallagher.
The singer will be supported by Belfast group Doctors in Session,
and there will also be sets from Dave Green, Adam Kelly and Redwood
Thinkers.
There will also be musical events at The Pack Horse and The Union
Inn, Chorlton's Irish Association and The English Martyrs Parish
Centre in Whalley Range, while writers Alan Keegan and Danny
Claffey will be signing copies of their new book More Irish
Manchester, at the Irish World Heritage Centre, in Cheetham Hill,
from 4-6pm today.
For more details on this weekend's events visit
www.manchesteririshfestival.co.uk.
WHILE winter seems to still be with us, Mancunians can look
forward to the summer as plans for an exciting season of events are
unveiled at Platt Fields Park this weekend.
More than 20 major public events are being organised at the
Rusholme park this summer, including a lantern parade, a Bob Marley
festival, a skateboarding festival and an international
circus.
Other projects on the drawing board include sports tournaments, the
creation of a eco-friendly gym and the building of a new
bandstand.
Members of the Friends of Platt Fields Park are also keen to regain
the coveted Green Flag award this year, given to public spaces
which have been ecological successes.
The organisation's annual meeting, held on Saturday, will set out
the ambitious programme for this year.
Anyone interested is welcome to come along and take part in
discussions on issues such as replacing the tennis pavilion, which
was destroyed in an arson attack six years ago, and what will
happen to the park's wildlife if the bird flu epidemic arrives in
Manchester.
There will also be questions about whether the popular Asian mela
festival will return this summer.
After the meeting, volunteers will clean up and paint the original
Edwardian bow railings at the back of the lake. All materials will
be provided, but volunteers are asked to wear old clothes and bring
some food to share while working.
The event will be held at the Lakeside Centre in Platt
Fields Park, off Wilmslow Road, from 11am-3pm on Saturday. For more
information contact Anne Tucker on 224 0020, or email
anne@streetsahead.org.uk, or Brian McKeown on 248
6501.
SHOPPERS will be able to buy freshly-grown organic products,
with a special market returning to Manchester city centre this
weekend.
The organic market was initially tried out in St Ann's Square last
year as a one-off, but it proved so successful with Mancunians the
organisers have decided to make it a regular occurrence.
It will now be held at Piccadilly Gardens on the third Friday and
Saturday of every month - this weekend being its regular
slot.
Shoppers will be able to buy organically farmed products including
meat, poultry, soups, fruit and vegetables - all of which are
guaranteed to be free of pesticides, artificial chemicals, colours
and fragrances.
Organically grown products are thought to be higher in important
essential minerals and cancer-fighting antioxidants.
The market will also contain a stall run by chef Carol Owens, who
will show how dishes made from organic ingredients can be tasty as
well as healthy.
Shoppers can get to see and taste her concoctions and she also be
holding demonstrations at 11am, 1pm and 3pm each day.
She will also provide recipe cards so shoppers can get to try the
dishes out themselves.
Carol said: "Organic food tastes better. But this gives shoppers
the chance to make their own minds up.
"The food is higher in micro-nutrients and has no chemical
residues, which are the cause of so many allergies today.
"It is also totally traceable, you could almost ask to see the
birth certificate of the cow!
"It is food you can trust."
Other stallholders include Christine Peart with her organic soups,
Jim Hadwin, from Mansergh Hall in Kirby Lonsdale, with his organic
meat, Sharon Clare from the Really Green Grocer with seasonal
vegetables, while the North West Organic Centre will be
representing producers from across the region with an organic
directory.
The market will be held at Piccadilly Gardens from 10am-6pm
today (Friday) and Saturday.
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