Donal O’Kelly live in Castlebar
The theatrical force that is Donal O’Kelly returns to the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar with his latest piece, the typically surreal and heartfelt Ailliliú Fionnuala on Wednesday July 3 at 8pm.
The story tells the tale of Ambrose Keogh who works for Shell. When the tunnel boring machine he named Fionnuala sinks into the bog in Erris, he is magically confronted by Fionnuala of The Children of Lir. Fionnuala puts a “geas” on him – he is bound to tell the truth about Shell’s operations, such as mysterious attacks on local opponents of the gas project. During his ordeal Ambrose meets his school classmate, Malachy Downes, a Shell-to-Sea activist, and echoes from the past resound. Donal O’Kelly’s award-winning solo plays include Catalpa, Joyced!, The Cambria, The Adventures Of The Wet Señor, and Vive La, and has performed his shows all over the world.
Seosamh Mac Gabhann Summer School
The official opening of the Seosamh Mac Gabhann Summer School takes place on Monday July 1 in Kilmovee Community Centre at 8.30pm. This is the third annual summer school and it will be opened by the world famous fiddler Seán Smyth, just back from another tour with his band Lúnasa. A great night’s music is guaranteed, as Seán will be followed by the monthly ‘Cois Tine’ Heritage Night of music, song, dance, and storytelling with a ‘cupán tae’ and home-baking thrown in for good measure. A raffle will also take place on the night. This is a free event and is open to everyone.
Registration for classes at the summer school will take place on Monday July 1 in the Kilmovee Community Centre at 9am for morning classes and 1.30pm for afternoon classes. To pre-register or for further details, contact the Kilmovee Family Resource Centre on 094 9649814 or visit the website www.kilmovee.info
Lundy exhibition opens in Castlebar
Habit is the title of a fascinating exhibition by artist Sarah Lundy that opens at the Linenhall Arts Centre on Friday July 5. As Sarah explains, “Habit is a multi-media exhibition of works exploring the repeated action and recurring result. The exhibition looks through cumulative arrangement of quotidian elements at Lundy’s ongoing inquiry into individual autonomy and collective homogeneity, society and self; formally it explores the binary significance of the single and plural, presence and absence, positive and negative.” The exhibition runs until Saturday July 27.
GMIT fine art graduates exhibit works
Threshold features paintings from the eight graduates who recently completed the degree in art and design at GMIT Castlebar. The artists, who studied part-time over six years, are Gabrielle Bishop, Bernie Bohan, Tina Burke, Maggi Geraghty, Jo Killalea, Kevin O’Donnell, Barbara Trawinski, and Carol Wood. Coming from diverse backgrounds, these artists bring together their distinctive interpretation and creativity in this show in the Linenhall Foyer, which is their threshold or point of entering into the wider art world. The paintings explore a broad range of personal concerns, experiences, and viewpoints. These include historical and cultural themes, and issues relating to nature and the environment, and aspects of the human condition such as the mind, memory, and identity. The exhibition runs until Friday next July 5.
