Irish Music and Film Program in Holguin and Santiago

Finale of 2014 performance in Havana with 

Alma Mater dancers from the University

Tentative itinerary

Saturday, Nov 11  fly from Miami on American ASirlines to Holguin, check in by 8:30. arriving midday; rest and sightseeing

Sunday-Monday, Nov 12-13  concert, presentations at university and music and dance schools, sightseeing

Tuesday, Nov 14  Drive to Santiago (two hours), sightseeing

Wednesday-Thursday, Nov 15-16 concert, presentations for academics, musicians, music and dance schools

Friday, Nov 17  Mick, Athena and Robbie return to Holguin for flight to Miami/New York/Providence; Niall flies to Havana and Mexico; Leni, Charlie and John remain in Santiago; session with local musicians? (optional to join Charlie and John for a showing of A Captain Unafraid and visit to site Dynamite Johnny landed ib south shore)

Saturday-Sunday, Nov 18-19  return to Holguin, option of remaining a day or two or flight to Miami with connection home; session with Cuban musicians?; showing of A Captain Unafraid and visit to site Dynamite Johnny landed on north shore

Monday, Nov 20  Charlie takes taxi to Ciego de Avila and then by bus to Havana; others welcome; John my go by taxi to Gibara to see friends impacted by hurricane

Tuesday, Nov 21  John returns to Miami/NY

Sessions and sightseeing and going to Cuban music will be scattered in as appropriate while all are together.  Holguin offers the option of excursions to location Columbus landed and to vast farming estate of father of Fidel and Raul Castro.  Santiago includes Moncada barracks and museum (failed first attempt to overthrow Batista by Fidel), San Juan Hill, museum of Cuban Spanish American war, grave sites of Fidel and Marti.

Music and film participants:

Green Fields of America: Mick Moloney, Athena Tergis, , Billy McComiskey and Robbie O'Connell, joined by dancers Niall O'Leary and Leni Sloane

Charles O'Brien, filmmaker of the documentary about Dynamite Johnny O'Brien, "A Captain Unafraid"  Details here

Special guests from Havana and Pinar del Rio who perform Irish traditional music at a high level:

      Uilleann Pipes  Alexander Suarez Mendez, Rosalia Acosta Corrales
      Fiddle  Angelica Maria Gongora
      Sean nos songs  Yadira Hernández Barrera

Others are welcome to accompany us to enjoy the concerts, Cuban music and dance experiences, with prime but limited historical and cultural sightseeing.  We can help make arrangements for additional paid excursions.  Observation of presentations to local musicians and students by Mick and his colleagues about Irish music and dance may also be possible but cannot be confirmed at this point.  

All air bookings must be done by the traveler, based on our itinerary.  Other costs will be in cash as required.  The expense of bed and breakfast lodging, meals and local transportation should be around $100 per day with special excursions extra.  A contribution to FRD of $100 should be made here to reserve a place and for administrative support.