Arts Over Borders
Ireland presents Frieldays – A Homecoming 2025-2029
FrielDays – A Homecoming is a five-year centenary celebration of Brian Friel. The festival explores the rich literary and theatrical legacy of Friel through performances in locations that inspired his work.
August 1-31 2025
Five plays by Brian Friel in performed-readings at site-specific locations in North-west Ireland: Dancing at Lughnasa, Faith Healer, Translations, The Home Place and Volunteers.
Dancing at Lughnasa
7.30pm August 1 & 2 2025 (Previews)
7.30pm August 6-10, 12-17,
2.30pm August 2, 3, 9, 16
St. Columba’s Comprehensive School, Glenties, Co. Donegal
Faith Healer
August 8–10 & 15-17 2025 (6 presentations).
4.30pm Bus meeting point The Market Hall, Glenties, Co. Donegal
West Donegal venues: Edeninfagh – Portnoo – Ardara – Glenties
Finish c.10pm
The Home Place
2.30pm August 23-25 2025
3 presentations in the afternoons
Sion Stables Heritage Education Centre, 120a Melmount Road, Sion Mills, BT82 9ET, Co.
Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
Finish c.5.45pm
Translations
7.30pm August 22-25 2025
2.30pm August 23,25 2025 SOLD OUT
Gweedore, Co. Donegal (NB venue tbc by May 1 2025)
Volunteers
August 29-31 2025
7.30pm August 29 2025
8.30am (Act 1) & 4.30pm (Act 2) August 30 2025
8.30am (Act 1) & 4.30pm (Act 2) August 31 2025
The Keep, Ebrington, Derry~Londonderry
Tickets for all performances on Arts Over Borders website.
Brian Friel was born in Omagh, County Tyrone, in 1929, and died in County Donegal in 2015. His plays include Philadelphia, Here I Come!, Translations and Dancing at Lughnasa (1990) which won the 1992 Tony Award for Best Play in New York; it was adapted for screen and filmed on location in Ireland in 1997. In addition to awards for his plays, Brian Friel received a lifetime achievement award from the Irish Times in 1999. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Royal Society of Literature and the Irish Academy of Letters. He was elected a Saoi of Aosdána in 2006. The Gallery Press has published many of Brian Friel’s plays and his Collected Plays in five volumes.
