Waterford Graduate Richard E Grant named Patron of MTN Bushfire
Internationally renowned actor and director and Waterford alumnus Richard E. Grant (WK 73-75) has been named Patron of Swaziland's biggest music and arts festival, MTN Bushfire.
Grant's acceptance of the position combines his own experience and love of the arts with his fond memories growing up in Swaziland and attending Waterford. On the subject of returning to Swaziland he commented "It's where I was born and brought up, so like a swallow, I fly back every year."
As well as his epic rise to acting stardom with the release of the 80s cult classic Withnail and I, Grant's experience as a director has won him various plaudits. His directing of the autobiographical film Wah-Wah was the first time a movie was filmed in Swaziland and focused on Grant's childhood at the time of the country's independence.
MTN Bushfire (25-27 May 2012) is Swaziland's biggest music and arts festival and raises money for Young Heroes, a local charity supporting child-headed-households. Bushfire's founders are Waterford alumni, Jiggs (WK 83-89) and Sholto (WK 89-92) Thorne.
