UPCOMING EVENTS

SLIGO SALSA SOCIAL

Dance the night away with our salsa and bachata social: next Saturday, March 14th in the Riverside Hotel. 

The best salsa and bachata tunes from 9.30pm till late. €10 entry. 

FELIP CARBONELL AND THE GREAT SPANISH POETS

On Saturday the 7^th March 2020, exactly two years after the start of this project, singer songwriter and composer, Felip Carbonell will deliver chapter four of his series of concerts dedicated to the Hispanic poets and songwriters.

Having performed three unique concerts prior to this, La Nueva Trova Cubana (#1), Chile y Argentina (#2) and Boleros de Mexico y Cuba (#3), Felip will introduce us this time to the poetry of The Great Spanish Poets of the 20^th Century. The big names of Antonio Machado, Rafael Alberti and Federico García Lorca have always attracted a plethora of songwriters and composers from different parts of the world to explore their poems and compose music for them. 

This concert will feature a small selection of the works of these and other poets -all of them in Spanish - put to music by mainly Joan Manuel Serrat and Paco Ibáñez, two of the Spanish songwriters that influenced Felip’s early years as a musician.

The relaxed format of this concert will continue giving the audience the opportunity to interpret the meaning of the lyrics as well as the social and political factors involving the poets’ lives, and will include explanations and questions and answers in English (or Spanish if desired). 

Once again in collaboration with the Sligo Spanish Society, for the fourth chapter of this cycle, Felip will be accompanied by his NoCrows colleagues, guitarist Ray Coen and cellist Anna Houston.

The performance will take place in the Yeats Building, Hyde Bridge, Sligo on Saturday, 7^th March at 8 pm sharp with €10 tickets available at the door which will include a glass of wine.

SLIGO SPANISH SOCIETY are pleased to present a very special night of dance and Latin culture with international Bachata performers and teachers, Saray Jimenez and Denis Santana. It will take place at 8pm in the Yeats Building, Sligo, on Saturday, October 12th.  Bachata is a relatively new style of Latin dance that has taken off enormously in the last thirty years, and is now almost as popular internationally as salsa. It began in the Dominican Republic and quickly spread to all parts of the Latin world. Bachata is sensual and romantic - a dance to fall in love to! On Saturday, October 12th, we will be treated to a presentation about the history and origins of Bachata (in English and Spanish), followed by a demonstration by Saray and Denis of how the dance should look when done by professionals. Anyone curious to try Bachata will also get the opportunity, as our teachers will give those interested a short class to give a taste of this Latin dance sensation.  As always, we will have wine, tapas and chat afterwards, and maybe some more dancing. Tickets are €8/€6 and are available at the door. All welcome.

Nos complace mucho presentar una noche muy especial de cultura y baile latino, con Saray Jiménez y Denis Santana, profesores y bailadores internacionales de bachata. Tendrá lugar sábado, el 12 de octubre a las 8 de la tarde en el edificio Yeats, en el centro de Sligo. La bachata es un estilo de baile latino relativamente nuevo, que empezó en la República Dominicana en los años sesenta. Ha evolucionado en las últimas décadas y ahora es casi tan popular internacionalmente como la salsa. La bachata es sensual y romántica – ¡un baile con el que enamorarse! Sábado, el 12 de octubre, tendremos la oportunidad de ver una presentación sobre la historia y el desarrollo de la bachata (en inglés y español). Luego, Saray y Denis van a bailar, para demostrarnos como los profesionales lo hacen. La noche acabará con una clase de bachata para principiantes, para cualquier persona que quiera probar este baile tan sensual. Como siempre, habrá vino, tapas y conversación durante (y después) del evento. Entradas son €8/€6. Todos son bienvenidos.

BIO

Saray Jimenez and Denis Santana have participated in many Bachata congresses and shows in recent years, even sharing a stage with famous bachata artists Ataca and La Alemana at the 2018 Brazil bachata congress. Saray has danced flamenco since the age of eight, and is an internationally renowed bachata performer and teacher who regularly works with bachata artists Ataca and La Alemana. She often travels and hosts dance workshops around the globe. Denis Santana is a well-known DJ and dance teacher who has built a name for himself in the world of Latin music in Dublin and abroad.

Saray Jiménez y Dênis Santana han participado en muchos congresos del baile latino en años recientes, y durante el Congreso de Bachata en Brasil en 2018 compartieron escenario con los famosos intérpretes de bachata, Ataca y La Alemana. Saray baila el flamenco desde muy pequeña y es una bailadora, coreógrafa y profesora de bachata ya internacionalmente conocida, trabajando regularmente con los famosos intérpretes de bachata, Ataca y La Alemana. Viaja mucho, organizando talleres de baile en varias partes del mundo. Dênis Santana es un DJ y profesor de baile cada vez más conocido en el mundo de la música latina, en Dublín y en el extranjero. Dênis cree que bailar debe ser, ante todo, divertido, y intenta que sus alumnos aprendan con entusiasmo y diversión.

On Friday April the 5th we are pleased to organize our first English/Spanish table quiz. There will be questions in English and Spanish on sport, music, art, geography, history and culture, all based around Spanish and Hispanic culture. 

The quiz takes place at 7.30pm in The Yeats Building, Sligo. All are welcome. You do not have to form a team before the quiz; come along and we will find you a team. We will mix English and Spanish speakers on the teams. 

Tickets are €8 (€6 for students and the unemployed), which include tapas and wine. There are also prizes for the winners. 

THE HIDDEN SPAIN - LA ESPAÑA MENOS CONOCIDA - FEBRUARY 22ND, 2019

Sligo Spanish Society are pleased to present The Hidden Spain – La España menos conocida – in the Yeats Building, Sligo, next Friday the 22nd at 8pm, a talk by Madrid academic Fernando Cid Lucas. The talk will be in English and Spanish. Fernando will take us on a journey away from the big cities of Spain and the Costa del Sol, and through the lesser known – but still fascinating – locations in this varied country. It is the perfect opportunity for those who wish to get off the beaten track and see places that most tourists never experience – a chance to discover the Hidden Spain. Tickets are €7 or €5 concession, which includes tapas and a glass of wine or other refreshments.

Nos complace mucho presentar a Fernando Cid Lucas, que nos va a hablar de La España menos Conocida, en el Edificio Yeats, este viernes el 22 de febrero, a las 8 de la tarde. Fernando – un profesor universitario de Madrid – nos va a llevar en un viaje de descubrimiento de los lugares menos conocidos de su país. Evitando las grandes ciudades y las costas, vamos a aprender sobre los sitios que la mayoría de los turistas desconocen, pero que valen tanto como los lugares turísticos tradicionales.    Las entradas son €7 (€5 para estudiantes o parados), que, como siempre, incluyen tapas y vino.

FIESTA DE NAVIDAD, 2018 

We are delighted to announce that our Christmas Party this year will be next Friday, the 14th of December in the Yeats Building. Music - with Felip Carbonnel, Ray Coen and Martin....... - will begin at 8pm but doors open at 7.45pm. 

As always, we will have a fascinating mix of live music, Spanishfood (paella, croquetas, mole, tortilla) by Juani from

Flamenco Kitchen, washed down with plenty of wine from Spain, as well as great conversation and lots of dancing!

Entry is €10 (€7 concession). 

Our best night of the year - don't miss it. 

FELIP CARBONELL AND GUESTS

On Friday, October 12^th, Sligo Spanish Society are pleased to present Felip Carbonell and guests, in a very special concert in the Yeats Building, Sligo.

In this, the second in a series of one-off concerts introducing the songwriters and singers of the Spanish-speaking world to the Sligo public, Felip will talk about and sing the songs of the great Argentinian and Chilean songwriters of the sixties and seventies; foremost among them, Víctor Jara.

Felip, originally from Mallorca but a Sligo resident for almost two decades, will communicate to us his passion for the great Latin American songwriters of the last four decades. A special event, not to be missed.

Doors open at 7.45pm, concert begins at 8.00pm. €10 ticket price includes a glass of wine and tapas.

RELATOS SALVAJES, JUNE 8TH, 2017

This Thursday, June 8th, we are pleased to present Oscar nominated Argentinian film, Relatos Salvajes (Wild Tales). The film will be shown at 8pm in the Yeats Building, Sligo. 

Relatos Salvajes is in fact six different stories, united by a theme of frustration and vengeance. The Guardian described the film as "This delicious, chocolate box of nasty, untamed tales about revenge," and "a fantastically scabrous collection of movie tales from the dark heart of Argentina."

Admission is €5 (€3 for students and the unemployed), and includes wine, tapas and sangria after the movie. 

FLAMENCO AND THE CULTURES OF SPAIN with IRENE GONZÁLEZ

Sligo Spanish Society are pleased to present a talk and demonstration entitled The Cultures of Spain, with Irene González. The event will take place on Friday, November 18^th, at 8pm in the Yeats Building, Sligo.

Spain has been politically unified for centuries, but a closer look can reveal the variety of nationalities, cultures, languages and identities that make up this fascinating, diverse country.

Sligo resident, Irene González, has a unique perspective on the various cultures of Spain: her family is from Galicia, in Spain’s North-West, and she speaks gallego at home with her family. She was born and raised in Catalonia, in the North-East, and also speaks the Catalan language; moreover she has a passion for flamenco culture, which is based in the southern region of Andalucía, and she is an avid flamenco dancer; and yet she is still Spanish, and a speaker of the standard Castillian Spanish language that unites all Spanish people.

Irene will talk to us – in English – about her four Spanish cultures, her family history, and the varied cultural landscape of Spain. She will also give us a demonstration of passionate, vibrant flamenco dancing.

Admission to the event is €5, or €3 for students or the unemployed. Included in the price of admission is a wine and tapas reception afterwards. 

COSTA RICA - AN EXPLORATION OF THE UNKNOWN - FRIDAY, APRIL 29TH, 2016 - A TALK BY MARITZA LOAIZA

COSTA RICA – AN EXPLORATION OF THE UNKNOWN – FRIDAY APRIL 29TH,   8PM. We are pleased to present a talk on Friday April 29th on the fascinating Central American country of Costa Rica. The event will take place in the Yeats Building, Sligo at 8pm. The talk will be in English, and will be by Costa Rican native and Strandhill resident Maritza Loaiza. Maritza will tell us about the culture and food of her home country, as well as about the rich natural resources of Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a unique place. It was officially ranked the Greenest Country in the World in 2009, and it is known for putting a lot of emphasis on environmental protection. It also has the second highest life expectancy in the Americas and its health system has been rated better than many more wealthy countries. As many people know, it is also a country without an army, which it abolished in 1949. After the talk attendees will have an opportunity to sample some Costa Rican food that Maritza will prepare, and there will also be a glass of wine for everyone to enjoy. Entry is €5 or €3 for students or the unwaged. All are welcome.

COSTA RICA – UNA EXPLORACIÓN A LO DESCONOCIDO Tenemos mucho placer en presentar una charla sobre el fascinante país centro-americano, Costa Rica. El evento tendrá lugar en el Yeats Building, viernes el 29 de abril. Empieza a las 8 de la tarde. La charla será en inglés, pero con introducción y resumen en español. Nativa de Costa Rica y habitante de Strandhill, Maritza Loaiza nos hablará sobre la cultura y la comida de su país natal, además de los ricos recursos naturales de Costa Rica. Costa Rica es un lugar único. Fue nombrado como el país más respetuoso del medio ambiente del planeta en 2009, y es conocido como un país que valora su naturaleza. También es el segundo país en las Américas con mayor esperanza de vida, y su sistema de salud es reconocido como uno de los mejores en el continente americano. Además, no tiene ejército, lo disolvió en 1949. Después de la presentación los asistentes van a tener la oportunidad de probar comida costarricense que Maritza va a preparar. También vamos a poder disfrutar de un buen vino español. Entradas son €5 o €3 para parados o estudiantes.

THE ENGLISH ARMADA - A TALK IN ENGLISH BY LUIS GORROCHATEGUI - FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH, 7.30PM

In 1588 King Philip II of Spain sent a great Armada to attack England. This armada was defeated by a combination of the English forces and bad weather. This defeat left Spain vulnerable to attack. The next year, 1589, Queen Elizabeth I of England decided to take advantage of this Spanish weakness by launching a massive attack against Spain and Portugal (Portugal was at that time part of Spain and ruled by Philip II). This English Armada was even larger than its Spanish counterpart of the previous year, with more ships and more men. The destiny of this English fleet is at the centre of Spanish writer Luis Gorrochategui’s book The English Armada, which charts the series of calamities that befell the largest fleet ever assembled by England. The book also explains how such a disaster was covered up in the aftermath, and how it has faded from history, while the Spanish Armada of the year before has become one of European history’s great landmarks. We are pleased to present a talk, in English, by Luis Gorrochategui, on the topic of the English Armada. The talk will take place on Friday November 20th, at 7.30pm in the Yeats Building, Sligo. Admission will be €5 (€3 concession), and includes a wine reception afterwards.

En 1588, el rey Felipe II lanzó la Gran Armada para atacar e invadir Inglaterra. La armada fue derrotada por una combinación de las fuerzas inglesas y el mal tiempo. Esta derrota dejó a España temporalmente débil y vulnerable. El próximo año, 1589, la reina Isabel I de Inglaterra, decidió aprovecharse de esta momentánea debilidad española, y levantó una armada propia para atacar a España y Portugal (Portugal, en este tiempo, formaba parte de España). Esta fleta fue aún más grande que su réplica española del año anterior, con más barcos y más hombres. El destino de esta armada inglesa es el tema principal del libro Contraarmada, por el escritor español Luis Gorrochategui. El libro describe en minucioso detalle todas las calamidades que sucedieron a la más grande fleta de la historia marítima inglesa. El libro también explica cómo y por qué se ocultó este desastre, y cómo es que ha desaparecido de la historia, mientras la Gran Armada se ha transformado en uno de los mitos más importantes de la historia europea. Tenemos mucho placer en presentar una conferencia, en inglés, por Luis Gorrochategui, sobre el tema de la Contraarmada. Tendrá lugar el viernes, día 20 de noviembre, a las 7.30 de la tarde en el Yeats Building, Sligo. Entradas son €5 (€3 para estudiantes o parados). Una recepción con vino y tapas está incluido en el precio.

ABRE LOS OJOS - FRIDAY FEBRUARY 6TH, YEATS BUILDING

César (Eduardo Noriega) es un chico guapo y rico al que le gustan mucho las mujeres pero muy poco el compromiso. Sin embargo en la fiesta de su cumpleaños se enamora de Sofía (Penélope Cruz), la acompañante de su mejor amigo, Pelayo (Fele Martínez). Al mismo tiempo Nuria (Najwa Nimri), una antigua amante de César, le persigue sin tregua, provocando una serie de acontecimientos que cambia para siempre la vida de César. En esta película fascinante y curiosa, vivimos con César su viaje entre el sueño y la realidad. Rodada en 1997, se hizo un remake en Hollywood en 2001. La película norteamericana se llamaba Vanilla Sky, protagonizada por Tom Cruise, con Penélope Cruz en el mismo papel que hizo en la versión original.

César (Eduardo Noriega), is rich and good-looking, and likes girls but not commitment. However, in his birthday party he meets and falls for Sofía (Penélope Cruz), who has come with his best friend, Pelayo (Fele Martínez). At the same time Nuria, (Najwa Nimri) an ex-lover of César, pursues him relentlessly, and it is she that triggers a series of events that will change Cesár's life forever. In this fascinating and curious film, the viewer lives with César the impossibility of telling which is reality and which is the dream. Made in 1997, it was remade in English in 2001 as Vanilla Sky, starring Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz, in the same role that she played in the original Spanish film.

Nosotros en Sol y Sombra, la sociedad española de Sligo, tenemos el placer de presentar esta película el viernes, día 6 de febrero, a las 7.30, en el Yeats Building, Sligo. Entradas son €5 o €3 para estudiantes o parados. Este precio incluye, como siempre, vino y tapas después de la película.

We in Sligo Spanish Society, are pleased to present this film next Friday, the 6th of February, at 7.30 in the Yeats Building, Sligo. Entrance is €5 or €3 for students or the unemployed. This price includes a wine and tapas reception after the film.

OCHO APELLIDOS VASCOS

The most successful Spanish film of all time at the box office, we in Sligo Spanish Society are pleased to present Ocho Apellidos Vascos  - Eight Basque Surnames.

A comedy in Spanish, with English subtitles, the story revolves around Rafa, from Seville in the south of Spain, who is only interested in meeting women and living the good life. One day, everything changes, when he meets Amaia, a Basque girl from the north, and the first woman to resist his charms.

Rafa, determined to conquer her, travels to her village in the Basque country in the north. There, ready to do what it takes to win Amaia, he even passes himself off as a real Basque in order to win the approval of his prospective father-in-law.

The comedy and the plot of Ocho Apellidos Vascos revolve around the cultural differences between the different regions of Spain, between Andalucía in the south, with its sun, flamenco, and fierce pride in its traditions, and the Basque Country in the north, independent-minded, with its own language, suspicious of those in the south.

The film can be seen on Thursday November 27th, 2014, at 7.30 pm in the Yeats Building, Sligo. Admittance is €5, or €3 for students or the unemployed. As usual, included in the price is a wine and tapas reception afterwards.

Nosotros en Sligo Spanish Society, tenemos el placer de presentar la película española más taquillera de la historia, Ocho Apellidos Vascos.

Rafa, andaluz de pura cepa, nunca ha tenido que salir de su querida Sevilla para conseguir lo que más le importa en la vida: el fino, la gomina y las mujeres. Hasta que un día todo cambia cuando aparece la primera mujer que se resiste a sus encantos: Amaia, una vasca. Rafa, decidido a conquistarla, viaja hasta un pueblo de Euskadi. Allí, para conseguir a Amaia hará lo que haga falta, hasta hacerse pasar por vasco.

AUTUMN SPANISH COURSES

Our courses begin this year on Monday October 14th, and we have three levels available. There is a slight change this year in our registration process. 

If you want to insure a place on one of our courses, we ask people to come to our registration night, in Sligo City Hotel, on Monday October 7th, between 7.30 and 9pm, and pay the course fee. You CANNOT reserve a place by phone or email, as in the past. 

The venues for each course are at present being arranged and will be posted here when we have decided. The details of the courses available are as follows...

BEGINNERS: Every Monday for 8 weeks, starting Monday October 14th. Classes are from 8pm to 9.15. Course costs €110 or €90 for students or the unemployed.

IMPROVERS: Every Tuesday for 9 weeks, starting Tuesday October 15th. Classes are from 8pm to 9.15. Course costs €120 or €100 for students or the unemployed.

INTERMEDIATE: Every Wednesday for 9 weeks, starting Wednesday October 16th. Classes are from 8pm to 9.15. Course costs €120 or €100 for students or the unemployed.