The Bealtaine Festival is the national festival celebrating creativity in older age and Ireland’s largest collaborative arts festival. Running from May 1-31 and co-ordinated by Age & Opportunity, the festival collaborates with local, regional, and national organisations to produce inspiring and innovative opportunities for older people to engage and participate in a whole range of arts events and experiences.
Tuar Ard Arts Centre, Church Street, Moate will be screening the film Julie and Julia, starring Meryl Streep on Tuesday May 24 at 7:30pm. This food-focused film by Nora Ephron is part of the Bealtaine film tour, and is presented courtesy of Access Cinema and the Irish Film Institute.
For more information please contact Catherine Ganley om (090 ) 6482042.
Mullingar Arts Centre will be host to Here We Are Again Still, a moving, funny and inspiring play about two broken men trying to make their way back from the margins, starring Eamonn Hunt (The Running Mate ), Andy Kellegher (Playboy of the Western World ), and Brid Ni Neachtain (Cre Na Cille, Ros na Run ). This production will take place Thursday June 2 at 8pm.
Care centres in Westmeath will host various events during the festival, from May 2 -18. St Vincent’s Care Centre Athlone will host numerous events such as storytelling, afternoon tea dances, a masquerade fancy dress, movie evenings, and more!
Castlepollard Library will host “Enchanting Lace” with Gráinne Uí Chonláin, a demonstration of all kinds of lace on May 4 with a lace exhibition from the May 4-31.
For more information contact Nicola Brennan-Gavin on (044 ) 9332199.
Active retirement groups within Westmeath will host a range of events during the festival. The 1428 Active Retirement Club in Mullingar will put on a musical production of Trying To Push The Boat Out, and a coffee morning with traditional music and dance will take place in a local school as part of a intergenerational project.
For more information contact Debbie Daly on (044 ) 9384290.
These are just some of the activities amongst a wealth of chances to celebrate creativity and ageing! For further details about what is happening in Westmeath and surrounding counties log on to http://bealtaine.com.
