HAKEFEST 2008 Charity Event at Charleville Castle in aid of “Gach Duine” Ethiopian Development project.

ShakeFest 2008 is an innovative and diverse festival that will take place on the June bank holiday weekend from May 30th to June 1st.

Whether you are into reggae or rock, indie or dance there is something here for you.

The festival incorporates energy, movement and dance with workshops, stalls and concerts. This year marks a milestone and major growth as SHAKEFEST in its 3rd year becomes a licensed event, with a variety of over 22 dance and culture workshops between 12-6pm. Workshops include 8 different specialty Bellydance workshops for the Middle Eastern Dance enthusiast plus the an exciting variety of dance workshops for all. We have the return of our healing area complete with Healing Tee Pee’s full of services to soothe and comfort as well as a colourful mix of market stalls complete with Indian and South American clothing, gorgeous Bellydance costumes and accessories, jewelry and luxurious seaweed treatments and products. Psychic Readings will also be available and is back by popular demand.

Friday night will have campers arriving and settling into life at the castle or if they prefer they can arrive on Saturday morning to the vibrant fair and festivities.

Saturday May 31st is bigger and better this year to suit every dance and culture enthusiast – we introduce Breakdance/HipHop for Adults, Salsa, the seductive Tango, the energetic Learn to Jive, the captivating Fire HulaHoop, wonderful Meditation exercises, earth-shaking African Drumming, funky Bollywood, sassy Gypsy Folk Dance, fun and playful Burlesque, and a wide variety of specialized Bellydance workshops such as mezmerising Dance with ISIS Wings, Arms Technique and Turns Workshops, Basic Tribal Bellydance, Basic Introduction to Middle Eastern Bellydance and more. Men and Women alike can also avail in the calming techniques of Tai Chi, and the energy and creativity of Capoeira martial arts. There’s something for everyone!

Saturday night will see the first ever Peace Concert at Charville Castle that is promoting the UN’s message of a 24hr Global Cease Fire. The line up includes acts such as Reggae artist Erik Noon from France, The Rye from Galway and Leanne Harte, Meteor Award nominee. Once the main stage finishes up there will be a large circus tent where the DJ’s will play later.

The camping facilities are some of the best as festival standards go with hot showers and toilets that are plentiful and functioning!

Sunday morning will allow for Barbeques and relaxation as things wind down .The weekend continues on Sunday with Children’s Breakdance/HipHop and Bellydance Workshops. There is the option to stay Sunday night but it is up to each individual camper.

This 3 day event will all be made available for only €40 with proceeds going to Irish organization Gach Duine which is working in a town called Adaba in the Bale Region of Ethiopia.

Gach Duine which was set up by Rachel O’Brien from Waterford earlier this year are trying to raise €30,000 to build a Community Centre for abused women and displaced children. There are many women in the village of Adaba who have suffered from severe abuse, rape and abduction and yet in spite of these unimaginable violations many women are still faced with the responsibility of caring for 10-12 children.

Gach Duine which is working with a local Ethiopian NGO called HWCA have begun women’s self-help groups whereby women meet on a weekly basis. At these meetings every woman brings 1 birr (10 cent) and this is kept in a collective credit system. After a number of weeks the women come together and decide what the money should be used for. It is often used to fund the education of local children or to help a woman improve her market stall through the acquisition of new materials. The Community Centre will give them a base for their groups and be used to provide skills traini

Whisper peacefully to me
And I shall sing you to sleep
Over mountains that roar to the sky
And Valleys that dwell in the Deep

Let the scorch of my Sun
Make Molten your veins
And so shall you dance
Like Lava through plains

Let my murkiest Ocean
Swallow you whole
And you shall know nothing
No Image, No Soul

Let my winds sweep you up
So you float on the sky
And you break into diamonds
That light up my eye

Fall,fall to Earth
Sink deep into mud
My feet shall explore you
Make Rhythm Your Blood.