The sixth Happy Days International Beckett Festival, which ran from August 1-6, showcased an eclectic and inspiring selection of performance arts celebrating the work of acclaimed Nobel Laureate Samuel Beckett.
The festival programme, presented by Arts Over Borders, was a diverse offering of site-specific performance, readings and music, located around the island town of Enniskillen and its bordering areas.
Many Beckett enthusiasts came from far and wide to immerse themselves in the cultural surroundings of the avant-garde writer’s formative years. 
Local actors Adrian Dunbar and Ciaran McMenamin returned to their home county of Fermanagh to read fragments of short prose from Beckett’s collection ‘Fizzles,’ in the atmospheric setting of the Crypt at St. Michaels Church.
A new addition for this year’s festival, ‘Devenish Island Triptych,’ sold-out over all three days. The production, which took place on Devenish Island, was inspired by Beckett’s daily morning row to the island during his time at Portora Royal School. 
The event encompassed three complimentary elements; a reading of ‘The Tower’ by W B Yeats, a screening of television play ‘…but the clouds…’ and a composition by Beethoven performed by a string trio. It was a multi-sensory experience enjoyed by all present in the peaceful landscape of Beckett’s youth.
A highlight of the festival was James Bond actor Colin Salmon’s reading of ‘Texts for Nothing No. 9’ in the unique setting of the PSNI Enniskillen Police Station. As an additional element, Mr. Salmon began and ended his performance by playing a piece of music on the trumpet.
The festival concluded with a reading on Lough Erne from Beckett’s one-act play, ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’ by actor Patrick Bergin. As the boat anchored amongst the reeds, the stillness of morning provided a perfectly ethereal setting for Mr. Bergin’s rendition of the play’s romantic dream sequence.
The Happy Days Beckett International Festival will return for a final instalment from Saturday, August 18 to Sunday, August 19 with ‘Purgatorio: Walking for Godot’ at the Marble Arch Caves UNESCO Global Geo-Park. 
This site-specific event will take the audience on a walk through the caves and countryside ending at the Irish border. Installed especially for the occasion will be Antony Gormley’s ‘Tree for Waiting for Godot’ sculpture which will act as the setting for a rehearsed reading of Beckett’s most famous play.