Midlands andCulture ArtsMagazine A REVIEW OF THE ARTS IN LAOIS, LONGFORD, OFFALY AND WESTMEATH AUTUMN/WINTER 2016 • ISSUE 26 Celebrating of Midland Arts THE WRITTEN WORD MUSIC & DANCE THEATRE & FILM VISUAL ARTS FREE MidlandsArts andCultureMagazine Contents • 10th anniversary ..............................Page 2 Stradbally Studios Gary Dunne...........................................................Page 3 Longford Schools of Photography .......................Page 4 Origami Wonderland Leaves Lit Festival • Army Band .........................Page 5 Then & Now Eva Burke • Tomás Skelly..............Page 6 A Word from The Art of Blogging...............................................Page 7 High Achiever Awards • Top of the Rock ............Page 8 the Editor This year has been a remarkable one in so Pat Boran – When it comes to making Art .........Page 9 many ways – there were the 1916 Street Theatre • I’m Your Vinyl .........................Page 10 commemorations and I use that word Abbey Road Artists.............................................Page 11 deliberately, rather than celebrations, because so many facets of that troubled time were Sink: Sync: Surface............................................Page 12 horrific. 4 Degrees West • Orange Door........................Page 13 The purpose of art is to shine a light on all Dáire O’Muiri • Siege of Jadotville ...................Page 14 aspects of life. Culture, like history is not Archaeology of Cinema......................................Page 15 simply black and white. There are many Emerging Artist • Music Network.....................Page 16 nuances and shades that deserve to be highlighted. Stripes at Scripts • Bernice Harrington ...........Page 17 Studios and Manchán Magan looks back at ten ...........Page 18/19 Apartment In the midlands the arts offices in counties years of the arts in the Midlands Laois, Longford, Offaly and Westmeath offered now available an impressive variety of cultural events to mark Patrick Graham ..................................................Page 20 the centenary. One Family, Many Visions..................................Page 21 at The Laois Music Generation Laois Every artistic medium was utilised to convey Arthouse, the stories of heroes and heroines of national Observing Offaly.................................................Page 22 and local fame. It was particularly gratifying to Daniel O’Brien • Peter Doran ...........................Page 23 Stradbally, see the ‘children of the Rising’ remembered. This year also marks the tenth anniversary Culture Night in the Midlands.....................Page 24/25 Co Laois. of Midlands Arts & Culture magazine, as Michael McLoughlin • Poetic Note...................Page 26 Facilities include: Artists Studios, Manchán Magan tells us in his two articles Angela Tuite & Mary Grey Expo ..........................Page27 Exhibition Space, Rehearsal Space, on pages 18 and 19 there is much to celebrate Singfest 2017 Kiln, Garden, digital facilities, public but there is also much to be done. library. Fr John O’Brien book • Hullabaloo....................Page28 The late John F Kennedy said: If art is to nourish Dan Edwards book • Laois Youth Theatre.......Page 29 State of the Art Studios and one the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him.” 100 years, 100 faces • TR Dallas ...................Page 30 residential apartment –(min rental 3 months) Street Art Cruthu................................................Page 31 It is incumbent upon us to support art and artists in whatever way we can. In this the Foundation Arts • People of Longford Expo ....Page 32 Application form available contact: Muireann Ni Chonaill, Arts Officer, centenary of the new Ireland what better way Dunamaise Vvents.............................................Page 33 Laois County Council Tel: 057: than to encourage local art practitioners in Trench Award • Plot Ceapach...........................Page 34 8664109/8664033 or email: every way we can and to welcome others from farther afield so we might learn from them. John Ennis .........................................................Page 35 [email protected] For more information visit the website: Vivienne Clarke of Acumen Media, Editor Paul Moore’s Year ..............................................Page 36 www.arthouse.ie 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 Midlands Arts and Culture Magazine | AUTUMN/WINTER 2016 A PROFILE Centre and Theatre, Portlaoise, and the wider local arts scene. His sister is a TV producer in London and his younger brother is a visual artist in Canada while gary dunne his older brother lectures in Trinity College. by Caroline Allen “I’m in Laois every six weeks or so. I have a lot of Growing up in Portlaoise, immersed in the arts, a creative career was always on the friends there, many of whom are involved in bands, cards for Gary Dunne. While he followed in his father, John’s footsteps, and trained as gigs and festivals, so there’s very often music and general craic,”he says. a teacher initially, he soon found himself craving all things cultural for the day job. Management of time, people and projects is, he “I taught for a few years in Dublin while doing right notes in terms of content, production and admits, a constant challenge. “Creativity, ideas and music on the side before moving to London in visitor experience,”he says. vision are my lifeblood and have always come 2002,”he recalls. “For the next six to seven years, I The flexibility on location allows him to stay naturally to me, but I had to teach myself how to was a full-time artist, touring, recording, and giving connected to and be inspired by the very latest Irish manage. Ideas without execution go nowhere. It’s workshops.” cultural talent, making strategic connections with an ongoing journey.” In the late noughties, he got involved with Irish the venues, festivals and agents he works with in The Irish arts scene is vibrant, despite the challenges community organisations in London, and began a London, he contends. “My work has always of recent recession and related funding challenges, journey from volunteer to freelancer and then straddled the two environments.”The commuting he maintains. “People and organisations seem very Cultural Officer to Director of Arts at the London doesn’t faze him. “For someone with a background open to innovation and new ways of doing things. Irish Centre, an appointment he took up in 2012. as a touring musician, a 50-minute flight is a walk in Meaningful partnership work also appears to be of “Through that whole period, my working life has the park.” growing importance,” he says. “We partner with been a mix of culture, creativity and community,” scores of Irish artists and arts organisations every he reflects. The Irish art scene in year, from theatre companies to music agencies, Currently concentrating on the autumn/winter galleries to state agencies. Almost all are doing great schedule and the festival programme for London’s London is buzzing work for their audiences and communities in 2017 St Patrick’s Day Festival, he outlines that the challenging times.” main festival event will be in Trafalgar Square and Working in the arts is exciting, challenging, and the parade and wider umbrella festival will be at a Programming Irish events in London is challenging, hugely rewarding, says the St Mary’s CBS past pupil. whole mix of London venues. as the Irish community there is no longer based in So what advice does he have for those interested in one fixed area, he says. “It’s also very diverse in its Then there’s programming the Irish Arts Festival forging a career in the area? “It’s also a sector in interests, tastes and expectations. When confronted 2017, a multidisciplinary Irish arts event that will be which job descriptions can flow and change, so with tired stereotypes about the Irish in London, I held in London next June. A new Irish showcase anyone contemplating working it in should be ready always say that the Irish in London are at least as with Dermot O’Leary, patron of the London Irish to move comfortably from helping with a get-in to diverse as the Irish in Ireland.” Centre, is being organised. That’s in addition to the talking strategy with a creative team,”he counsels. events, courses and exhibitions held at the London The key guiding principles to his programming are You also need to love the buzz and energy of live Irish centre in Camden. quality, practice and production, community/social events and unpredictable creative work to thrive in focus and accessibility. “I’m also conscious of how “The Irish arts scene in London is buzzing. In the the area, he says. “The goal posts, creative vision and we tell the Irish story in a global capital of culture.” time that I’ve been programming and presenting funding position can change in days, so