The one and only Des Keogh delivers a one-man delight of comedy theatre in Confessions of an Irish Publican at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Monday June 8 and Tuesday June 8 at 8pm. Based on the work of one of Ireland’s best known storytellers John B. Keane’s Confessions of an Irish Publican, the lives of the inhabitants of Knockanee are brilliantly evoked in a tour de force performance by Des Keogh. Having premiered off-Broadway at New York’s Irish Rep Theatre, this hilarious one-man show sees the incomparable Des Keogh switch from character to character as he brings the play and its characters to life. Come and meet the publican MacMeer, the parish priest, the Reverend Mother, feisty Dublin woman Grace and many more…
Castlebar Gospel Choir to bring songs of freedom
The hugely popular Castlebar Gospel Choir presents its great new show Songs of Freedom at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Wednesday June 17 at 8pm.
Making a welcome return to the Linenhall for a wonderful evening of uplifting music, Castlebar Gospel Choir’s Songs of Freedom celebrates the spirit of freedom that has evolved in the USA from slavery, through the Civil Rights movement, to the inauguration of President Barack Obama. This history has produced some of the most enduring songs ever written, and on its 10th anniversary Castlebar Gospel Choir celebrates this powerful legacy together with some very special guests, under the musical direction of Kathy Fahey. Prepare to be uplifted!
Free family concert at the Linenhall
The Whistleblast Quartet gives a free, fun, family concert at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Thursday June 11 at 6pm.
In a relaxed and accessible format, the Whistleblasts (Mary Curran, French horn; Kenneth Edge, saxophone; Síle Daly, oboe, cor anglais; Andrew Synnott, piano ) will present a wide selection of music including Fauré, Britten, Stravinsky and the theme from The Simpsons. This concert will also feature the premiere of Irish composer John Buckley’s piece ‘As Far as the Eye can See’ which was especially commissioned for the Quartet by the Arts Council. Pupils from Derrywash National School will also perform a short piece with the Quartet which they will have composed during school workshops.
Poetry performance by Kin Rosen
Kim Rosen presents Saved by a Poem, an evening of poetry, music, and inspiration at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Thursday June 18 at 8pm.
Kim Rosen is a poet, performance artist and teacher of self inquiry who explores poetry's power to awaken, inspire and heal. In this evening, she interweaves the poetry of Mary Oliver, Rumi, WB Yeats, and many others with music, insight and audience interaction to create a magical presentation inviting people to discover the true power of poetry “as an affirmation or prayer... which can bring every level of being into alignment with what matters most to you”.
Aileen Lambert exhibition
Come and Gone is an exhibition of video, sound, and performance by artist Aileen Lambert currently on show at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar. Aileen’s practice is concerned with the relationship which the body has with its environment. According to artist and writer Shirley MacWilliam, “Throughout the works of Come and Gone, earth, air, water, and the heat of the sun and of the body are drawn into conjunctions - a finger melts through the ice of a puddle; a one-hour shadow cast across a frosty field creates a patch of unthawed grass; a voice is made visible as condensation in the night air.” Aileen lives and works in Co Wexford. Her work has been presented nationally and internationally. Come and Gone runs until Saturday June 27.
Postcard exhibition
An Post C Both Sides: An Exhibition in Postcards continues in the Foyer of the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar. An Post invited people from all over the country to create a postcard relating to their experience of Ireland in 2008. The response to the project was that people from all areas of the community contributed to a dynamic, informative collection of social history and art. An exhibition of those postcards, curated by Irish curator Helen Carey alongside Westmeath artists Teresa Doyle and Edel O’Reilly Flynn, appears here as part of national tour. “The huge response to the invitation from An Post indicates the project caught the public imagination,” said Helen Carey. The fascinating and engaging results are here for all to see. “An Post C Both Sides” runs until Saturday June 13.
Summer art camp for kids
It’s that time again! The Linenhall Arts Centre’s annual ARTCAMP2009 programme offers a whole bunch of week-long courses under the guidance of experienced community artists and teachers. As usual, booking has been red hot for these hugely in-demand courses (and remember, booking is essential: Tel: 094 9023733 ), but there’s still some availability.
