Aoife Thornton, Cathaoirleach at Listowel Municipal District, was very impressed with the superb programme put forward by the hard-working arts community in the North Kerry Municipal District again for Culture Night this year. Culture Night is an annual free event which will take place across the county on Friday 21st September from 5pm to 11pm. Arts and cultural venues in Listowel and surrounding areas are in advanced preparation to host many free events for the public to enjoy.
Kerry County Council Arts Office has been busy co-ordinating events again this year along with arts groups and other organisations happy to get involved and give a free night of cultural events to their communities.
LISTOWEL MUNICIPAL DISTRICT…There is a full programme in Listowel kicking off with many themed literary events organised by Listowel Writers Week. Events include Book Club Bingo, Swap A Book, Soup with a Seanchaí, an Autumn Pub Trail and a silent reading, see (www.writersweek.ie) for more information. The Olive Stack Gallery will be open late into the evening and is offering an insight into the lives of the artists who work from the space. Culture Night at St. John’s opens with an address by Councillor Thornton which will highlight all events in the area and the importance of culture to the Municipal District. The programme itself at St. John’s commences with an airing of a recent RTE Radio One Documentary on One which looks at events in the Parish of Listowel in 1946 between the Church, the local community and the State. From 8pm St. John’s will become a melting pot of music including, film, literary story, performances and readings that will suit all ages.
Across the Square at Kerry Writers Museum a Listowel Comhaltas Open House will include singers, dancers and group sessions and everyone is advised to bring along an instrument, or dancing shoes as they wish. A Kerry Writers event continues at the Kerry Writers Museum which allows visitors to learn about the history of the 19th Century Georgian building through poetry, story and song.
At 9.00pm in the Town Square near St. John’s, ‘Poetica Illumina’ will light up the square with a giant audio-visual projection. The illusion will be spectacular in nature and will push the boundary between art and technology, making it a very engaging experience for all.
John B’s Bar in Listowel will continue their great tradition of music and storytelling for Culture Night and guest musicians, local and visiting alike, will feature at Christy’s The Well Bar in the Square. In Ballybunion this year various venues throughout the town have organised a ‘Ceol agus Craic by the Sea’ event including Bunkers Bar, The Exchange Bar as well as the Feale Bar and at the Tinteán Theatre. Culture Night in Lixnaw kicks off at 7.00pm in The Ceolann Cultural Centre with a fun filled evening of traditional Irish music, song and dance.
Overall there is a very broad mix of exciting events on offer and the Arts Office is encouraging all ages to catch some free culture this year, it’s on our doorstep!
All events can be found on www.culturenight.ie/kerry or www.culturekerry.com or phone 066 7183541
