A host of events across Laois have been unveiled for Culture Night on Friday September 22.
The programme was launched in Aras an Chontae, by the Cathaoirleach, Padraig Fleming.
The programme includes a wide variety of free events open to the public to celebrate Culture Night 2017 on Friday 22 September, taking place in various venues across Laois.
Individual artists and arts organisations open their doors, hosting tours, talks & performances for you, your family and friends to enjoy.
The brochure is available in all the county libraries and in the Dunamaise Arts Centre and can be downloaded from the website www.laois.ie
The Laois Culture Night Ambassador 2017 is 17 year old Lucy Deegan from Luggacurran. Lucy was the overall winner in this year’s Texaco Art Competition.
An exhibition entitled ‘Time and Space’ – A Celebration of Texaco Children’s Art Success in Laois’ including works by Lucy and those by other prize winners from Laois takes place in the Laois Arthouse, Stradbally, and opens from 6.00pm-8.00pm on Culture Night.
Anam – Siamsa Tire, a percussive dance show featuring world class step dancers and renowned Irish traditional musicians, takes place in the Dunamaise Arts Centre at 8pm.
Anam features dancers Mathew Olwell (Appalachian flat foot), Joseph Kerry (North Kerry “Munnix”), Nathan Pilatzke (Ottawa Valley, Canada) and John Fitzgerald (modern Irish), and musicians Fergal Ó Mhurchú (voice), Mikey Smith (pipes & whistle) and Joseph McNulty (bodhrán & guitar).
This is a must-see and early booking is advisable.
A highlight event will be a Samba Drum Performance presented by Music Generation Laois at the Plaza, County Hall, Portlaoise starting at 5pm.
Led by Peter Crann and Eddie O Neill, a visiting Samba Band ‘Itchy Feet Drummers’ from Sligo will perform alongside Samba drummers from Laois, in a high-octane show including young samba drummers from local primary schools.
Equinox:Live Art will showcase live art including dance, painting, poetry and much more, taking place upstairs in Kavanagh’s , Portlaoise at 9pm ( over 18s event). Other events to note are Bennie Reilly’s New Works exhibition in the Dunamaise Arts Centre Gallery at 7pm.
In the Parish Centre Portlaoise, ‘Exploring Cultural Connections – Through Music, Dance, Conversations, Displays’ a unique opportunity to try a traditional Irish instrument with Portlaoise Comhaltas teachers.
Interested parties can also sign up for the International Folk Orchestra from 6pm-8pm.
In An Sean Chistin, in Irey, Ballyfin at 8pm, enjoy an evening of traditional Irish music, sean nós, poetry in English and irish ceílí dancing and set dancing.
Also, in Ballyfin, Artist Kevin Mc Cann will open his studio to the public at Glory, Glory, Old Deer Park, Ballyfin, from 5pm-11pm.
Durrow Library will host a Reading and Crafting evening where author Helena Duggan will read from her novel ‘A Place called Perfect’ , from 7pm. In Portlaoise Library students will enjoy a storytelling session with Jack Lynch from 11am-12pm.
Emo Court
Emo Court will open for two free guided tours starting at 6pm and 7pm. The Paddy and Hannah Flynn of Roundwood House, Mountrath, will also open their doors at 5pm for a tour of one of Ireland’s finest Georgian country houses, refreshments will be served booking required T 057 8732120.
s/r Muireann Ni Chonaill, Arts Officer, Michael Rainey SEO Sinead Ryan Assistant Co-ordinator MGL,
F/r Nuala Kelly Music School Co-ordinator, Patricia O’Rourke Arts Office, Bridie Keenan Assistant Arts Officer
Also in Mountrath Figure2Ground studios will be running an Artists Open Studio event in Murrays, Left Bank House where visitors can explore different aspects of digital art, from 5pm to 10pm, refreshments will be served.
‘The Fight for Colour and Wonder’ an exhibition by Melissa Donagher a young artist from Portarlington will open at The French Restaurant in the French Quarter Portarlington at 7pm. Portarlington Comhaltas will perform in the Hawthorn Function Room, Portarlington at 8pm . Spink Comhaltas will hold an evening of traditional music in Spink Community Hall at 7:30pm.
Rathdowney Men’s Shed invite all to attend an evening of music, dance, story-telling and a display of the Men’s Shed woodcraft work from 7pm.
Brochures
Culture Night brochures will details of events are available for the Libraries throughout the county and the Dunamaise Arts Centre. They are also available to download from the National Culture Night website www.culturenight.ie
For more information and for a full event listing contact: The Arts Office, Laois County Council, Áras an Chontae, Portlaoise, Co Laois T: 057 8664033/13, email artsoff@laoiscoco.ie or see the National Culture Night website www.culturenight.ie
Culture Night Laois is brought to you by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in partnership with Laois County Council.
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