Issue 23 Midland Arts-2:Layout 1 9/3/15 09:45 Page 1 Midlands andCulture ArtsMagazine A REVIEW OF THE ARTS IN LAOIS, LONGFORD, OFFALY AND WESTMEATH SPRING/SUMMER 2015 • ISSUE 23 THE WRITTEN WORD MUSIC & DANCE THEATRE & FILM VISUAL ARTS FREE Issue 23 Midland Arts-2:Layout 1 9/3/15 09:45 Page 2 MidlandsArts andCultureMagazine A Word from the Editor This is going to be an exciting year in the Street and its People..............................................Page 2 arts in the midlands – there are anni- Laois Workshop and Concert by Goitse................Page 2 versaries, festivals, numerous special events Life Through a Lens and activities that will appeal to every age Emma Williams • Tom Phelan ..............................Page 4 group and cater for all tastes. Shakefest • School of Rock ..................................Page 5 This year will also see the midlands become Gul...........................................................................Page 6 a destination – not just a stop on the way to somewhere else as Manchán Magan puts it Moate Community School Choir............................Page 7 in his article on pages 18 and 19 when he Longford Arts Office Technologist in Residence...Page 8 examines the role of artists in the midlands Sojourn by Paddy Slattery and the impact they are having on everyday Nuala Hayes............................................................Page 9 life and the development of tourism. Three Rivers • The Curse of Words....................Page 10 However, artists in the midlands “are not A Bower for the Sisters ........................................Page 11 STREETE the hand maidens of Fáilte Ireland” Music Generation Laois. according to artist Teresa Doyle. “We are Castlepalooza.......................................................Page 12 AND ITS infused and informed by this place, but that doesn’t mean we have an obligation to Golden Age of Whiskey ........................................Page 13 explain it to others. For me the real potency Laois Youth Theatre .............................................Page 14 PEOPLE of this area is along the by-roads – the quiet, Keeping it Classical .............................................Page 15 It was the idea of Fr. Joe McGrath to uninterrupted world where people are Nurturing Longford’s Artists produce a local history book to mark the living beautiful lives.” bicentenary of St. Mary’s Church, County Art Collections • The Paper Boat Mystery..Page 16 Boherquill – the parish church of Streete. Among the celebrations in 2015 are the Rural Charm • Rosie Hits the Right Notes..............Page 16 His vision was a handsome, durable, tenth anniversaries of Castlepalooza and Artists Rooting Out Midlands Beauty ...........Page 18/19 colourful, accessible coffee table book Shakefest at Charleville Castle in Tullamore. This year marks the 150th Mundy • Celebrating Yeats in Westmeath ........Page 20 packed with local history and pictures. Local parishioners donated anniversary of the birth of WB Yeats and LSM Trip to Scotland • Taking Poetry Outdoors...Page 21 photographs and memorabilia, of days in Westmeath there will be a series of Midlands 103’s Encore Arts Show•Saibhreas...Page22 gone by, in their local village and parish of events in the county’s libraries to mark this special occasion. If You Go Down to the Woods…............................Page23 Streete, Co. Westmeath. Snippets of memories and poems were also donated. Pigs on Parade • Patrick’s Day...........................Page 24 Longford is looking to the future with the In 2014 the publication Streete and Its appointment of a Technologist to the arts Longford’s New Portrait Competition..................Page 25 People was awarded second prize in the Scripts Making Waves office and a second season of the School of Nillson Local Heritage Competition at Rock which is certain to unveil a new Saidhbhín Gibson • Laois Arthouse...................Page 26 Listowel Writers’ Week, out of sixteen generation of musicians. John McCormack entries. Sitting • St. Brigid’s Cloak...................................Page 27 “It was a proud day for the parish The connection between whiskey and the when Streete and Its People was launched by arts is explored by Westmeath Arts Office A Place Called Home • The Midnight Court.......Page 28 Bishop Francis Duffy and an even prouder while the link between renowned artist Tim Durham • Good Hatchery Studios ..............Page 29 one when it achieved this award” Francis Bacon and the Laois town of Arts Encounters in Westmeath • You’re Ugly Too...Page 30 remarked Breeda Sullivan, a member of Ballacolla is examined by Thomas Byrne. Young people and their contribution to the Heart of Ireland Festival • String Theory.............Page 31 the local history team. Senior Executive Librarian of Athlone arts is definitely encouraged in Laois where Conor English • Sharon Murphy.........................Page 32 Library, Gearoid O’Brien said “Books on the county’s Youth Theatre and School of The Year of the Hiker ...........................................Page 33 parishes and villages come in all shapes Music have both achieved great success at David Fox's Echoes of Absence and sizes but ‘Streete and its People’ breaks home and abroad. the mould…. the editorial committee has Collette Sheerin • Bealtine Festival in Laois .....Page 34 Here’s to the future of the arts in the given us a great snap-shot in time of the Abbey Road Artists’ Studios midlands and the hope that we can all enjoy village of Streete, which will be of Dean Crowe Theatre • Foundation 15...............Page 35 “beautiful lives”. inestimable value to researchers in years Paul Moore ...........................................................Page 36 to come.” Vivienne Clarke of Acumen Media, Editor A look inside YOUR LOCAL ARTS OFFICERS County Offaly County Westmeath County Laois County Longford WHO: Sinead O'Reilly, WHO: Miriam Mulrennan WHO: Muireann Ní Chonaill WHO: Fergus Kennedy WHERE: Offaly County Council, WHERE: Westmeath County Council WHERE: Laois County Council, WHERE: Longford County Council, Charleville Road, Tullamore County Buildings, Mullingar Portlaoise, Co Laois Great Water St. Longford. CONTACT: Telephone 057 9357400 CONTACT: Telephone 044 93 32016 CONTACT: Tel: 057 8664109 CONTACT: Tel: 086 8517595 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.offaly.ie/arts www.westmeathcoco.ie www.laois.ie/arts www.longfordcoco.ie/arts_office.html 2 Issue 23 Midland Arts-2:Layout 1 9/3/15 09:46 Page 3 Midlands Arts and Culture Magazine | SPRING/SUMMER 2015 University of Limerick, World Academy of Music & LAOIS WORKSHOP and Dance. Laois natives James Harvey and Colm Phelan became nationally known in Trad circles from an early age and have greatly inf luenced their generation of banjo and bodhrán players respectively. CONCERT BY GOITSE Dundalk born singer and fiddle player Áine Goitse, an Irish word meaning ‘come here’, is catching on with major festival organisers in McGeeney is musical director of the recently formed Europe and America. Festival promoters understand it to be the name of a brilliant band Laois Folk Orchestra and teaches with a number of playing Irish music and Goitse are headlining at a number of prestigeous events this year. Comhaltas branches in Laois. Guitarist Conal O’Keane hails from Philadelphia and lives in Included on their calendar are the Cambridge Folk County Fleadh 2015. The band will give a Limerick where he teaches music at UL alongside Festival, one of the premier music events in Europe performance workshop for intermediate and Dubliner Tadhg Ó Meachair who plays piano and and one of the longest running and most famous folk advanced musicians earlier in the day. Early booking accordion. ‘We are committed to Irish music’ says festivals in the world, as well as Milwaulkee Trad is advised, similar concerts recently at Portmarnock, Colm Phelan who manages the logistics of the Fest, USA. Derry and Birr sold out quickly. Goitse is a five operation, ‘sharing this passion makes it easy for us member band with a distinctive sound founded on to collaborate and enjoy working together’. Readers of Midlands Arts & Culture Magazine can the quality of their own compositions interspersed meet Goitse, the Live Ireland award winners of ‘Trad with traditional tunes from Ireland and abroad, With three albums to their credit the band has a solid Group of the Year 2015’, in concert on Sat May 2nd which make each set entertaining and unique. repertoire of well polished music, critically at Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise. Laois Regarded by music critics as one of the most acclaimed. Music that’s brimming with energy and Comhaltas is very pleased to have the support of ‘vibrant, enthusiastic and thrilling’ trad groups creative zeal - John O’Regan, Irish Music Magazine. “A Dunamaise for this major event launching Laois touring the world at present, all five are graduates of Musical Maturity worthy of the Greatest” - Le Peuple Breton Magazine. Colm Phelan has also released his own album of traditional tunes featuring bodhrán accompaniment. Entitled ‘Full Circle’ it demonstrates the tasteful bodhrán playing of the world champion who is a master of rhythmic variation, while always maintaining the precise beat of the tune. Keep up to date with Goitse on facebook and at www.goitse.ie Tickets from Dunamaise Arts Centre, 057-8663355 or www.dunamaise.ie STUDENTS aim to capture life through a LENS by Patrick Conboy Right now, secondary school students across County