Mayo and Manchester have joined forces to promote tourism in the West of Ireland ahead of this year's Manchester Irish Festival.

The team behind Mayo County Council’s Diaspora website - www.mayo.ie - have joined forces with the Manchester Mayo Tourism and Business Group and the Manchester Irish Festival.

Manchester Irish Festival's Lawrence Hennigan, whose parents are from just outside Ballina, said: "We are staging a Manchester-Mayo weekend to officially launch our group at the Festival and a whole series of Mayo events will be taking place to promote all things Mayo in Manchester.”

The annual two-week Manchester Irish Festival runs throughout the city from March 2-18.

Singer Tommy Flemming will be flying in from Mayo for the Festival launch at the Town Hall on Friday, March 9 where he will also be promoting his forthcoming British tour.

Tommy will also be performing a special festival closing party concert at the Manchester Opera House on Sunday, March 18.

The singer, who now lives in Castleconnor, said: "I am delighted to be associated with the Manchester Irish Festival and I look forward to playing this very special venue with my full band in March.

"I have been here a few times but this is my first time in The Opera House. It promises to be a fantastic night and I look forward to meeting all the ex-pats in Manchester."

Project manager for the Mayo.ie project, Martina Hughes said they are delighted to be involved with this year’s Manchester Irish Festival.

"The links between Mayo and Manchester has always been strong," she said adding, "The aim of our project is to provide a platform for Mayo communities to connect and share information both within their own communities and with other Mayo communities worldwide."   

Martina and her team are attending the VIP Festival reception at Manchester Town Hall on March 9 and will have a special Mayo Tourism stall at the Festival City centre market in Albert Square on Saturday, March 10 and Sunday, March 11.

The Festival's St Patrick’s Day Parade also takes place on Sunday, March 11. It comes through Albert Squareand is expected to attract over 100,000 visitors over the weekend.

Other highlights include the Manchester Mayo Association annual dinner dance on Saturday, February 25 at the Point complex at Lancashire Cricket ground.

A Michael Davitt concert will kick start the festival celebrations on Friday, March 2, while a special Manchester-Mayo weekend is being staged from March 9-10 in the Union Inn and M19 Bar & Venue in Levenshulme, South Manchester.

It will feature a two-hour Irish music concert with Reel Rhythms and Shake the Barley on the Saturday and an Irish music and dance tradfest with Attymass band Peel Your own Spuds on the Sunday.

There will also be a photographic exhibition by Ballina photographer Richenda Barrett.

A family friendly event takes place in Albert Square just outside Manchester Town Hall to coincides with the St Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 11.

For full Festival listings go to www.manchesteririshfestival.co.uk