The Bealtaine Festival starts on 1st May. This year, we will have over 120,000 people celebrating creativity as we age. Will you be one of them? If you do, you will have a chance to discover a new talent or rediscover a long-dormant skill. You can engage with people of all ages, make new friends, collaborate in various events, be entertained and in general, have a great month.
Local authorities, art centres, libraries, Active Retirement groups, care homes, community groups, community clubs, various assocations from all over the country will get together to run Bealtaine events and celebrate creativity as we age.
We’re bringing you what we think are The Best of Bealtaine from their Nationwide events. Do let us know if you attend and what you think.
Ciaran and Caitlin Tour
If yo enjoy traditional tunes, you will love these award-winning musicians and their show as they breath fire into traditional tunes with a fiddle, concertina and dance. They will be travelling nationwide with their show.
Bird Song Project
Another nationwide project, the bird songs take place in five concerts and will be loved by anyone who appreciates traditional song. 34 older traditional singers are working on a performance project based around the collection and performance of songs, from within the Irish tradition, which reference birds or birdsong.
Emerging Older Artist Project
It isn’t just younger artists that emerge, in fact, it is never too late to do so. Working to challenge the idea that being older has any negative bearing on being dynamic, relevant or having impact. There will be eight sessions working with master printmaker Debora Ando in Dublin and the work will be displayed in an exhibition.
Knitted Together
You may have seen these previously? The textile sculptures, including a striking model of H and J Block of the old Fatima Mansions flatcomplex, have been featured in newspapers and online. They make versions of imagined or remembered buildings, like local shops, creating a personal documentation of their lives and their environment.
As part of Bealtaine, they are working on a cityscape where the new collides with the old; the real blends into the
imagined and you can get a glimpse into their own personal Dublin.
Visit Knitted Together in Dublin’s Mansion House on Tuesday May 19 and Wednesday May 20, as part of its 300 Years celebration and Bealtaine.
Bursary for Creative Writing
If you’ve long dreamt of doing a course in Creative Writing, this could be perfect. It’s a wonderful opportunity for anyone over 60 to avail of a €3,000 bursury for a course at the University of Limerick.
Next week, I’ll bring you the best from the county events, of which they are many! You can check for your county event here. Enjoy.
