Latest news with #BealtaineFestival
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Grá review: Art drawn from the Crawford collection celebrates love in all its forms
Grá Uillinn, Skibbereen, Co Cork ★★★★☆ While Crawford Art Gallery , in Cork, is closed for redevelopment – it's expected to reopen in 2027 – what to do with its thousands of artworks? The solution has been to lend pieces to galleries and museums across Ireland. Rightly treating the Crawford collection as a piggy bank to be raided, Uillinn, aka West Cork Arts Centre, has teamed up with the local Salt & Pepper group and with the Crawford curator Michael Waldron to devise Grá, a group exhibition that 'celebrates love in all its forms'. Salt & Pepper is an LGBTQ+ creative collective of older individuals – the name refers to its members' greying hair – that was founded by Toma McCullim in 2022. The group began meeting on park benches during the Covid pandemic; these impromptu gatherings led to more formal collaborative activity, which in turn resulted in a series of artworks shown at Uillinn in 2022 during the Bealtaine Festival. Grá circles around themes of queer identity and romance. In the first room, for example, we are welcomed by an alabaster-white plaster model and a surreal portrait of a quiescent figure. READ MORE Grá: Uillinn has raided the Crawford collection. Photograph: Marcin Lewandowski Grá: Uillinn has raided the Crawford collection. Photograph: Marcin Lewandowski The sculpture is not attributed to an artist; it was produced in the mid-19th century as an educational prop, and although it's supposed to depict Aphrodite, it may in fact be a likeness of Sappho, the ancient Greek poet whose name has become synonymous with lesbian desire. The portrait, by Stephen Doyle, is called Meditating Tongqi; its subjects are the Chinese phenomena of tongqi, or women who have married gay men, and tongfu, or men who have married gay women, because they felt immense social pressure to conform. In addition to the works explicitly coded as queer, the curatorial team have clearly enjoyed drawing out connections among other artworks – links framed less as definitive statements than as interpretive, playful gestures, often established through witty juxtapositions or wry sideways glances. The rainbow hues in the works of Tom Climent and Isabel Nolan, for example – otherwise formally and conceptually distinct – serve as suggestive nods to the international symbolism of LGBTQ+ identity. Grá runs at Uillinn , Skibbereen, Co Cork, until Saturday, September 20th
Irish Independent
15-06-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Pics from Cork show a proud day for one community as its thriving Men's Shed is opened in style
Also in attendance were Cllr. Bernard Moynihan, Moira Murrell, CEO Cork County Council, Niall Healy, North Cork Divisional Manager, Cork County Council, Engineer Billy Dennehy, Minister Michael Moynihan, Leonora Kelly and Shane McHale representing IRD Duhallow. Cllr. Moynihan congratulated all involved in establishing the Shed, as well as the organisations that provided funding for the project. 'Sincere thanks also, to all those who do such great work around the village, and to those who promote the area. Everyone is deeply dedicated to community here,' he said. Paddy O'Connor, speaking on behalf of Kiskeam Development Association remarked that the Shed is 'an open door' for all the men who want to use it. 'Our aim was to develop a Men's Shed that would welcome people from all around Western Duhallow - Kiskeam, Ballydesmond, Cullen, Newmarket, Knocknagree and Rathmore, everyone is welcome. 'From the perspective of the Development Association, it was an absolute treat to work with such an enthusiastic group of people.' After cutting the ribbon and officially opening the Shed, Mayor of Cork County Cllr. Joe Carroll commended everyone involved in what he described as an exceptional project. 'I've met with so many communities all around the county and I've been hugely impressed by what they have achieved, but what you have here is exceptional, you can congratulate yourself. 'This is a marvellous day for Kiskeam, there is a fantastic community here. It's a great honour to be here today and what I'm seeing here is an inspiration to communities everywhere. 'To the people who use the Shed – I wish you great health, good conversation and plenty strong cups of tea! Thank you for inviting me,' the Mayor said. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Denis O'Mahony, speaking on behalf of the Men's Shed group outlined the progress of the project since it was first mooted two years ago. 'Kiskeam Development Association conducted a survey amongst members of the community in 2023. Following a positive response, the group organised an open night for those who might be interested in setting up a Men's Shed. 'Following the initial meeting, a committee was formed in November 2023. With generous donations from our local community fundraising, we sourced a shed from local suppliers ProSteel Suppliers which was erected during the summer of 2024 and subsequently opened in August 2024. 'We sourced tools and equipment from various partners and funding was secured from IRD Duhallow in August 2024. Since then, we have welcomed guest speakers on diverse topics such as Emergency Medical Response, Age Friendly Ireland, Social Welfare Financial Advice, Crime Prevention and Horticulture. The Men also hosted Open Evenings for the Bealtaine Festival and Culture Night. 'Going forward, our intention is to support good health and well being, support men's mental health, increase physical activities, facilitate workshops and collaborative projects within the community, and promote volunteering opportunities,' Denis said.
Irish Independent
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Bealtaine Festival's film tour brings Italian classic to Wicklow
For over 20 years the resource organisation Access Cinema – whose mission is to provide all audiences throughout Ireland with access to the best of Irish, world and independent cinema, via a national network of non-profit and voluntary organisations – has partnered with the Irish Film Institute to organise a May film tour. The screenings happen in May to coincide with the Bealtaine Festival, where audiences over the age of 55 are actively encouraged to get involved with the Arts in their local areas. Film is one of the most accessible art forms and each year titles are chosen that it is hoped will appeal to the target audience. The film tour has struggled a little in the post-Covid landscape so this year the approach was changed a little, and organisers asked some of the cinema-loving audiences to help programme this year's tour. A call-out was arranged for volunteers to meet (in person and remotely) over a few months to work together to choose at least one of the titles. The group – comprising of volunteers from Droichead Art Centre, Dunamaise Art Centre and Mermaid Art Centre, along with the IFI's Wild Strawberry film club counterparts – attended meetings and programming workshops to work towards a title selection. Brigid O'Brien was Mermaid's representative. Part of what informed the selection was this year being Bealtaine's 30th Birthday and its continued theme of 'Lust for Life', based on Iggy Pop's iconic punk-era song celebrating life's dreams and ambitions. After much debate and discussion the title chosen for the tour was the classic Cinema Paradiso, Giuseppe Tornatore's loving homage to the cinema. A winner of awards across the world, the film tells the story of Salvatore, a successful film director, returning home for the funeral of Alfredo, his old friend who was the projectionist at the local cinema throughout his childhood. Soon, memories of his first love affair with the beautiful Elena and all the highs and lows that shaped his life come flooding back, as Salvatore reconnects with the community he left 30 years earlier. The Wicklow screening for Bealtaine's film selection of Cinema Paradiso takes place in Mermaid Arts Centre, on Monday, May 26, at 5.30pm. Tickets €3 includes tea/coffee.
Irish Independent
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Wexford nursing home receives top award
Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) and Age & Opportunity are teaming up again this year to celebrate National Arts in Nursing Homes Day, taking place on Friday, May 16, as part of the 30th anniversary of the Bealtaine Festival. Now in its fifth year, this special partnership highlights and celebrates the vibrant creativity, artistic expression, and storytelling traditions flourishing within nursing homes and care settings across Ireland. Homes and day centres nationwide are planning events to showcase the wonderful creative work of their residents and members. Tadhg Daly, CEO of Nursing Homes Ireland, said: "We are extremely proud to partner with Age & Opportunity in supporting National Arts in Nursing Homes Day. This important initiative reminds us of the deep creativity, storytelling and artistic expression that lives within our nursing homes. Across the country, residents and staff are embracing the day with enthusiasm, showcasing the vibrant communities that thrive within them." Mr Daly also paid special tribute to Oakfield Nursing Home in Wexford, which has been awarded one of the National Arts in Nursing Homes Day Awards for 2025. Oakfield Nursing Home has collaborated with renowned community artist Rachel Uí Fhaoláin to develop a unique traditional song and folklore project focusing on St. Brigid and the local wells dedicated to Ireland's patroness saint. Oakfield Nursing Home has been recognised for its special collaboration with community artist Rachel Uí Fhaoláin on a traditional song and folklore project centred on St. Brigid and the local wells dedicated to Ireland's patroness saint. Through a series of traditional song and folklore workshops, residents are working with Rachel to develop a new cultural collection of stories, songs, prayers and social history, culminating in a community participatory event on 16 May. "Oakfield Nursing Home's collaboration with Rachel Uí Fhaoláin is a wonderful example of the creativity and cultural richness that nursing home residents contribute to wider community life," said Mr Daly. "Their work preserves vital traditions while giving residents an active, meaningful role in cultural storytelling and knowledge transfer across generations." Dr Tara Byrne, Arts Programme Manager at Age & Opportunity, added: "We are so delighted to congratulate Rachel Uí Fhaoláin and Oakfield Nursing Home on winning one of our National Arts in Nursing Homes Day awards for their special folklore project and event on 16th May. On the 30th anniversary of Bealtaine, and in our fifth year of running this important initiative with our partner Nursing Homes Ireland, we are confident that more residents of nursing homes like Oakfield are engaging in enjoyable arts activities that give both themselves and the staff of those settings a greater sense of purpose and meaning."
The Independent
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Spectators gather for ancient Celtic fire procession that welcomes summer
Hundreds of spectators have gathered for a Celtic fire festival marking the beginning of summer in Co Westmeath. A procession of light and fire was held at the Hill of Uisneach, an ancient ceremonial site steeped in Irish mythology. Performers dressed in Celtic costumes and donned leaf head-dresses as they re-enacted life and traditions from centuries ago. At the end of the procession, a huge fire was lit welcoming the summer, a ritual that dates back more than 1,000 years to the time of the High Kings of Ireland. The Bealtaine Fire Festival, held on Saturday, also offered a talk on prehistoric astronomy, poetry and storytelling, music and drumming before the procession began at sundown.
