2019 the Experience of Walking the Terrain
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kilkennyarts.ie Dreams and discoveries in Ireland’s medieval city 01 Welcome to eleven days of dreams and discoveries in Ireland’s medieval city… INTRODUCTION Kilkenny (Cill Chainnigh or the Church of Canice) offers the visitor one of Ireland’s most memorable architectural ensembles, as a vibrant Welcome to the 46th Kilkenny Arts Festival! living city still laid out along its ‘medieval mile’ from the castle to the cathedral. Its history stretches back 1,500 years to the arrival of Canice and his fellow monks to found a new monastic settlement on the hill where St Canice’s Cathedral still stands. Few festivals in This year’s programme is full of heart, passion and imagination and we can’t wait to share it with you. For the the world can boast such atmospheric ancient spaces, echoing their history but ideal for performance and embracing the visitors and 46th time, Kilkenny itself becomes the Festival stage, its stunning cityscape and extraordinary spaces temporarily audiences of today. taken over and set alight by artistic fire and spirit. Our creators and performers will thrill, excite and provoke you and we hope you’ll join them for artistic adventures in our beautiful city and beyond. There’s something for everyone in Kilkenny this summer. We’re collaborating on major productions with two very St Canice’s Cathedral, 13th century Kilkenny Castle, 12th century PAT MOORE PAT different but equally bold theatre companies: Rough Magic and Asylum Productions. We’re always eager to bring However special our musicians may be, there’s always an This imposing stronghold of the Ormondes and Chief Butlers PHOTO PHOTO you to new places and so, for the first time, you’ll experience our open-air Shakespeare in the special surroundings extra shiver down the spine when you hear their music of Ireland provides the Festival with a stunning space of the Quad at St Kieran’s College, while the town of Callan itself will be the stage for a promenade production of reverberate in the magnificent acoustics of the second for talks and conversation in the lofty Parade Tower. Its Thomas Kilroy’s iconic novel The Big Chapel. longest cathedral nave in Ireland with its glorious timbered magnificent demesne, the Castle Park, is an oasis of calm for ceiling. St Canice’s has been at the heart of the Festival since locals and visitors alike in the heart of the medieval city, and Since the very beginning, Kilkenny Arts Festival has invited the world’s leading artists to perform in some of the our first edition in 1974. also the location for many of our free performances for all most wonderful acoustic spaces in the country and this year’s line-up of international and Irish artists promises a ages. feast of simply gorgeous repertoire at St Canice’s Cathedral, the Black Abbey and St John’s Priory. The Watergate, St Kieran’s College, 19th century Cleere’s and Set theatres will play host to everything from theatre, readings, film and dance to a plethora of gigs Established in 1782, St Kieran’s College was the first Catholic St John’s Priory, 13th century from Ukraine to Senegal, and medieval Rothe House will host a special afternoon with Crash Ensemble. college in Ireland founded after Grattan’s Parliament had To step off busy John Street and into the intimate calm of relaxed the penal laws. The magnificent neo-Gothic building the Priory (called ‘The Lantern of Ireland’ for its famous We’re delighted to have the Marble City Sessions co-curated by the incomparable Martin Hayes and to partner was completed in 1836 and its quad provides the perfect stained glass before Cromwell arrived!) creates the perfect with Rollercoaster Records on a new series of great gigs across the Festival. space for outdoor performances. atmosphere to discover music, whether much loved or never heard before. During the day you can immerse yourself in the exhibitions at the Butler Gallery, the National Design and Craft The Black Abbey, 13th century Gallery and Dore’s Old Factory. You’ll be able to meet our artists, poets and leading thinkers in a varied Literature Founded in the 1220s by a group of Dominican friars, the Rothe House, 16th century and Spoken Word programme at the Parade Tower and to catch our pop-up concerts across the Secret Gardens of Black Abbey takes its name from the black ‘cappa’ that friars The last remaining example in Ireland of a renaissance the city and county. At night you can see a pair of thrilling new projection shows at the cathedral and castle. wore over their white habits in the middle ages. Converted to merchant’s townhouse is one of Kilkenny’s ‘must sees’. a courthouse by James I, it was restored and reopened in the During the Festival it buzzes with energy, the perfect venue We thank our core public funders The Arts Council of Ireland and Kilkenny County Council, without whom the nineteenth century and has hosted many memorable Festival for exhibitions and events, including pop-up performances in Festival simply could not take place. Fáilte Ireland, all our Sponsors, Event Partners and our very generous Festival performances over the years. its beautiful 17th-century merchant’s garden. Friends provide invaluable support in making this programme possible and, of course, our eternal gratitude goes to our extraordinary Volunteers, who are truly the heroes of this Festival! Finally, we thank our artists and you, our audience. Together you have been the beating heart of the Festival for 45 years, sharing your energy and passion, and creating magical moments and memories with us. So, dive into the programme and dive into Kilkenny, this absolute jewel of a city with its extraordinary spaces and people… we’re looking forward to welcoming you in August! Olga Barry Festival Director FESTIVAL TEAM PATRON Festival Director Programme Manager Artist Liaison Graphic Design Michael D. Higgins Olga Barry Lisa O’Brien Cornelia McCarthy Íde Deloughry President of Ireland Marketing & Production Manager Programme Editor Web Design Development Manager Aidan Wallace Alistair Daniel Pixel Design BOARD OF DIRECTORS Nollaig Healy Box Office & Friends Manager Strategic Consultant Official IT Provider Emer Foley (Chair), Brian Fennelly, Lorelei Harris, Festival Administrator Céline Reilly Annette Nugent BITS Conor Langton, Anna O’Sullivan, Michael O’Toole, Thomas O’Toole, Isabell Smyth Valerie Ryan Development Officer Publicity ROSS COSTIGAN Grace Kearney O’Doherty Communications #IrelandsAncientEast PHOTO COVER IMAGE: DAITHI MAGNER 02 03 For 46 years our funders and partners have played an invaluable role in helping Kilkenny Arts Festival to flourish. We greatly appreciate their continuing support! Check Out Our Friends! PRINCIPAL FUNDER Help make Kilkenny Arts Festival one of SPECIAL FRIEND FRIEND Europe’s finest artistic celebrations. Bank of Ireland Aidan Clancy As an individual or business, you’ll find Bernard Dunleavy Áine Ní Fhoghlú a range of Friend options and benefits Bluebird Care Ann Murtagh PUBLIC FUNDERS available, from complimentary tickets and Bluett & O’Donoghue Architects Anna O’Sullivan discounts to Festival Club membership and Breda Whelan Butcher Restaurant special events. Friends membership starts Carmel Dwyer & David Brown Butterslip at just €95. Caulfield’s Supervalu Loughboy Kilkenny Catherine Burke Dore’s Nostalgia Café - Michael Dore Crotty’s Coffee House For more information you can call the HEADLINE EVENT PARTNERS Dr Thomas O’Toole Dee & Harry Shine Festival Office on 056 776 3663, Ella Dunphy of DNG Ella Dunphy Ltd. Desmond & Barbara Duff email [email protected] or sign up Gillian Leo Desmond A Byrne Jeweller at kilkennyarts.ie/support-us o’neill foley Happy Times, Market Cross SC Florence Ryan-Downes Helen McCarthy Food for Life Holland Condon Solicitors Gaby Smyth & Co Ltd PATRON James Pike Gilligan & Co Accountants Jim Ryan James Delaney AIB John & Michele Keogan James Walsh Motor Parts Ltd Jane & Martin Duggan Anonymous Donor Kilkenny Castle Tea Rooms - Michael Dore Kilkenny Modern Printers John & Mary McEntagart MAJOR DONORS EVENT PARTNERS Claire Callanan Lavistown House John Dalton Ecopower Total Windfarm Solutions Mahony’s Pharmacy Jones Business Systems Bill & Denise Whelan Lyndon MacCann Maire & Maurice Foley Katherine Meenan Market Cross Shopping Centre Mary & Brian MacEneaney Manning Travel Mary Kelly Reidy & Foley Solicitors Michael & Mary O’Hanrahan Michael Lunt Michael & Zureena Hutchinson MEDIA PARTNERS The Kilkenny Inn Mocha’s Vintage Tea Room Restaurant Michael Reilly Consulting Engineer Mr & Mrs St.George Moth to a Flame Candles Orange Café Mr & Mrs John Grogan BEST FRIEND Pennefeather Café Murphy Stuart Insurances Séamus Crimmins Newpark Pharmacy Ayrfield Medical Practice Shiela Foley O’Brien’s Butchers Market Yard & Loughboy Siobhán Maher Conor Crowley O’Keeffe Auctioneers Stephen Ryan SUPPLY PARTNERS Ina & Joe Sweeney Ormonde Street Car Park The Cutting Vedge James Harte & Son Solicitors P McDonnell The Gourmet Store Kathleen & Gerry Moran Patricia Connolly The Nore Bar KILKENNY Patricia Tomasulo HONDA Kieran Boland, Boland Solicitors Tynan’s Bar Kilkenny CENTRE McDonalds Kilkenny Philip Crowe & Patrick P Higgins Ultan O’Gorman Pat Nolan Irish Origins Research Property Partners Buggy Yesterday’s CULTURAL PARTNERS Poe Kiely Hogan Lanigan Solicitors Sherry Fitzgerald McCreery R John McBratney SuperValu - Market Cross The Little Green Grocer BUTLER GALLERY Richard McCullough & Liz Nugent White’s Pharmacy Rudolf Heltzel Gold & Silversmith BUTLER GALLERY Sheila O’Donnell & John Tuomey BUTLER GALLERY We also acknowledge those Friends who have chosen to remain anonymous. 04 THEATRE laced with glee, invention and a shiver of anxiety THEATRE 05 The Irish Times on A Midsummer Night’s Dream at KAF 2018 PREMIERE ROUGH MAGIC & KILKENNY ARTS FESTIVAL Much Ado About Nothing Director By William Shakespeare Ronan Phelan Set Design Sabine Dargent Lighting Design On the deck of a deluxe mobile home a group of Sarah Jane Shiels friends gather for a week-long party full of cocktail- infused debauchery, bad dancing and questionable Costume Design gender politics.