This year's Spanish Armada Festival returns next monthand will be the 14th consecutive year that the annual event has taken place in Co. Sligo.

The event runs from Thursday 14th to Saturday 17th September and this will involve four locations: Grange, Streedagh, Cliffoney and in Sligo town.

Plenty of events are lined up reports the Sligo Champion over the course of the four-day festival covering arts, history, culture, music and the spoken word.

What is at the focus of the festival is of the three Spanish Armada ships that sank at Streedagh beach during storms on 21st September, 1588.

The armada wrecks, Afloat highlights comprise of the La Lavia, Santa María de Visón and La Juliana which got caught up in The Great Gale. This once in a generation storm resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,100 Spanish lives, including sailors and soldiers who perished at Streedagh.

Since the festival was established in 2009, the locals of Grange have welcomed Spanish visitors from far and wide to Sligo for the annual commemoration.

On the opening day of this year's festival there will feature a bus tour to Killybegs Harbour in neighbouring Co. Donegal. The tour to the harbour is to include a Spanish Navy ocean patrol vessel the Centinela (P-72) which is to make a special visit as part of the festival.This is where a reception to mark the Armada is to be attended by officers and ratings of the Centinela.

The Serviola-class patrol vessel, Afloat notes was built in 1990 by the Spanish shipbuilding group, Navantia which is part of Team Resolute, a UK consortium including Harland & Wolff, that is to assemble in building a trio of Fleet Replenishment Support Ships for the UK Ministry of Defence.

As for the festival's main event, this will be the Remembrance Parade which will be held on Saturday, the final day of events.

The public are invited to walk a trail from Streedagh to the Armada Monument so as to pay tribute to those lost in the tragedy, one of the greatest maritime tragedies to have taken place on the Irish coast.

More here from the regional newspaper. 

#SYMPOSIUM: SPANISH ARMADA - As part of the four-day long Celtic Fringe Festival, there will be an International Symposium on The Spanish Armada Wrecks in Ireland held on the weekend of 23 and 24th June. The symposium is to be held in Grange, Co. Sligo.

The maritime event will be visited by expert underwater archaeologists, surveyors, historians, authors, training officers and divers from Ireland and England.

They will piece together the fascinating story of 1588 through to the present day, detailing their own experiences and participation with underwater archaeological surveys, explorations, excavations, research, conservation and exhibition of artefacts retrieved from the Spanish Armada shipwrecks.

Particular focus will be given to the discovery & underwater archaeology of the three Spanish Armada galleons wrecked on Streedagh Strand, Co. Sligo; 'La Lavia', 'La Juliana' and 'Santa Maria de la Vision'.

A special symposium package costing €35 covers admission to the weekend held symposium. Also included is a buffet lunch on the Saturday. In the evening a Galician/Irish music session & seafood reception will be held. The symposium concludes on the Sunday at 1:30pm.

For further information including tickets, times and venue plus the list of guest speakers visit click HERE

As for the other events during the four-days of the Celtic Fringe Festival (20th - 24th June) there will be a programme of international musicians and dancers, drama, walks, tours, street entertainment, strawboys, food stalls and more. To view festival programme and ticket information visit www.celticfringefest.com