Vibrant midsummer celebration launched on picturesque Vinegar Hill in Wexford
The event, which is organised by Creative Places Enniscorthy, gives young people the opportunity to collaborate with professional artists, prop makers, and musicians.
Artist Facilitator Mary Doyle shared her excitement at the launch: "On June 7, the historic slopes of Vinegar Hill will come alive with an extraordinary pilgrimage to its summit. As dusk falls, this fantastical procession will weave together art, music, and performance, all led by the creativity of Wexford's young people. This year's theme is the return of the Gorse Goddess; we can't wait to welcome her to the hill!'
The Night Belongs to Youth is billed as a highlight of this year's Cruinniú na nÓg, the national day of creativity for young people, which will see over 50 free events take place across Wexford and over 1,000 events taking place across the country.
Speaking at the launch, Deryn O' Callaghan, Director of Creative Places Enniscorthy praised the vast creativity of all the young participants and their connection to the history of the town.
'The entire event has been led by the youth of Wexford. We are very mindful of the history of the area and the significance of the hill to the town, and we wanted to reflect that.'
"We would like to see this continue into the future as an annual summer gathering centred around the alchemy of ceremony, music, theatre, and youth-led initiatives. This is the rebirth of the kind of ancient festivals that would have taken place in Ireland around Bealtaine and mid-summer,' she added.
As part of the event, artist Mayumi Nakabayashi has been commissioned to create a site-specific land art sculpture.
'The artwork has been created in collaboration with young people from the area,' Deryn explained. 'The piece will take the form of a chain or woven rope made from plants, which will create a circle around the top of Vinegar Hill.'
"The chains will be carried by the participants of the event as part of the ceremony, serving as a symbol of connection and communication between humans and nature, as well as between the communities in Enniscorthy.'
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