Monday 6th February, 8pm
Room: Main Auditorium with pre-concert lectures in The Kevin Barry Room (Times TBC)
Prices: €20
Donal O’Kelly actor and playwright (Catalpa, The Cambria, The Van)
Brian Dunning flute
Simon O‘Dwyer Bronze Age Horns
Breifne Holohan guitar
Michael Holohan composer and keyboards
Gerry Cullen singer (ex Voice Squad)
Barry Mc Govern readings (I’ll go On and Watt : Beckett)
Illustrated Lectures by Jonathan Shackleton, Dermot Somers and Michael Smith author
Special guest speaker: The Hon Alexandra Shackleton (grand-daughter of Sir. Ernest Shackleton).
A special treat for Polar enthusiasts and lovers of music, poetry and history.
Following the sell-out shows in The National Concert Hall 2009 and the Rotunda Pillar Room 2011 this special event will consist of illustrated pre-concert lectures based on the lives of the great Irish Polar heroes Shackleton, Crean and McClintock. The main evening event will feature The Hon. Alexandra Shackleton as guest speaker along with the renowned actor Barry Mc Govern. And always that wind composed by Michael Holohan , in memory of Shackleton, Amundsen and Scott will receive its world premiere by the virtuoso flautist Brian Dunning . Finally, the evening will conclude with a moving piece of music– theatre Where a single footprint lasts a thousand years composed by Michael Holohan and featuring the actor Donal O ‘Kelly as Shackleton. This piece was commissioned by The National Concert Hall for the Shackleton Centenary in December 2009.
Presented by The National Concert Hall in association with The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht With the support of Create Louth and Poetry Ireland

Martin Dyar is originally from Swinford in County Mayo. His poetry has recieved the Strokestown International Poetry Award, the In Sight of Raftery Award and the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award. Last year, Martin was selected for the Poetry Ireland Introductions Series and recieved an Arts Council Bursary Award in Literature. Martin has also written a play, Tom Loves a Lord, about the Irish poet Thomas Moore. He has a PhD in English from TCD, where he lectures Medical Humanities in the School of Medicine.

Located in the T K Whitaker Building, Dundalk Institute of Technology Library is open to the public, and hosts various cultural events designed for the college & wider community.  This includes a local  reading group which meets up every Tuesday at 1 pm and a writing group  meets up on the 1st & 3rd Thursday of every month at 7.30 pm.  New members are always welcome.  Further information is available on our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/dkitlib

Admission to the poetry reading is free and all are welcome.  For those who attend there will be a complimentary one year free years membership.

For more information, please contact the Library on 042 9370310.

‘Peter Fallon’s poetry has become very tough and alive, like a just-cut holly stick. Snappy and weighty. Very strong, sharp savour and where do you find that these days.’ Ted Hughes

Peter Fallon was born in Germany in 1951 and grew up on his uncle’s farm near Kells in County Meath. He is an Honours Graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, where, in 1994 he was Writer in Residence. At the age of eighteen he founded The Gallery Press which has published more than four hundred books of poems and plays by the country’s finest established and emerging authors and which is recognized as Ireland’s pre-eminent literary publishing house. Peter has given readings all over the US, in Europe, Canada, and Japan. He has conducted workshops at The Irish Writers’ Centre, Cúirt (The International Writers’ Festival, Galway) and the Yeats International Summer School (1999 and 2002). In 1990 he edited, with Derek Mahon, the best-selling anthology The Penguin Book of Contemporary Irish Poetry. His selected poems, News of the World, was published by Wake Forest University Press in 1993. An expanded edition, News of the World: Selected and New Poems, was published in Ireland in 1998 and was included in The Irish Times ‘Books of the Year. The Georgics of Virgil, a translation, was published in September 2004. A dramatization of Tarry Flynn, the novel by Patrick Kavanagh, received its first production “off Broadway” (in Pennsylvania, actually!) the same month. The Georgics was subsequently published by Oxford in its World’s Classics series. A new collection of poems, The Company of Horses, appeared in September 2007. Peter received the 1993 O’Shaughnessy Poetry Award from the Irish American Cultural Institute. He was Poet in Residence (1996-97) at Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts and, in the Spring of 2000, he was the inaugural Heimbold Professor of Irish Studies at Villanova University. In 2003 he was elected to Aosdána. He lives with his family in Loughcrew in County Meath.

May bank holiday weekend – Friday 30th April to 3rd May 2010.

The Drogheda Arts Festival has announced another exciting and varied programme for the 2010 Festival kicking off on Friday 30th April.   The festival, which runs over the May bank holiday weekend, will host an exciting lineup of local, national, and international artists including the first visit to Ireland by acclaimed Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina, a world premiere of a work by Conall Quinn from Upstate Live, music, visual art, family fun and outdoor celebration, and lots more.  There is only one place to be this bank holiday weekend – Drogheda!

Friday 30th April will see the official opening of the Festival in the Highlanes Gallery.  The Marienbad Palace, a visual art exhibition curated by Jacqui McIntosh is divided between two venues in the town, the Droichead Arts Centre and the Highlanes Municipal Art Gallery.  ’The Marienbad Palace’ brings together works by Laura Buckley, Diana Copperwhite, Jorge De La Garza, Alicja Kwade, Haroon Mirza and Ian Monroe. The exhibition, which includes collage, painting, sculpture, installation and video, takes its title from JG Ballard’s 1989 short story ‘The Enormous Space’ and Alain Resnais’ seminal 1961 film ‘Last Year in Marienbad’.  The exhibition explores ideas of reality in a world where virtual reality is always competing with accepted notions of time and space.  ‘The Marienbad Palace’ has been commissioned exclusively for Drogheda Arts Festival.

Over the past few years, Louth Contemporary Music Society has brought world renowned composers to Louth, including Arvo Pärt, Philip Glass, Terry Riley and Valentyn Silvestrov.  This year they are delighted to welcome Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina to the town as part of the Drogheda Arts Festival. One of the world’s greatest composers, Sofia Gubaidulina will visit Ireland for the first time to attend a concert celebrating her work. Entitled The Fire and the Rose: the Music of Sofia Gubaidulina, the concert which will take place in St Peter’s Church, Drogheda on May 1st, and will be preceded earlier in the day by the showing of a film on her life and work in the Droichead Arts Centre

Also Saturday 1st May West Street running through the heart of the town will become ‘West Street Wonderland’ for one day only!  The Festival aims to revitalize for this day some of the empty spaces on the street, transforming Drogheda’s main artery with music, outdoor performances, and workshops.  The emphasis will be on participation and fun, with opportunities for all ages to engage with artists and theatre practitioners.

The other side of the river on Saturday and Sunday will see the Drogheda Spring Food Festival, located on the Waterfront, Scotch Hall.  Experience this two-day mini-festival of food offering the tastes and delights of the local food connoisseurs, a farmers market, craft butchers, restaurant tastings, ‘grow your own’ demonstrations and wine seminars.

Theatre and performance also feature strongly in this year’s programme.

-          UPSTATE LIVE presents the world premiere of  THE ONES WHO KILL SHOOTING STARS A new play by Conall Quinn (winner of the Stewart Parker award), directed by Paul Hayes.    This is a highly original entertaining and surreal tale of love and death set on a County Louth beach during World War II.   Absurd, bleak and hilarious in equal measure, THE ONES WHO KILL SHOOTING STARS is commissioned by Drogheda Arts Festival, and will undertake a short national tour after its festival performances.

-          A double bill from award-winning dancer/choreographer Claire Cunningham showcasing her exceptional dance technique and impressive power. ME (Mobile/Evolution) is a show woven from humorous stories; about doctors and dancing, bikes and ballet; all threaded together and balanced upon, hanging from, spinning on and swinging on crutches.   ***** The Herald

-          Cirque de Légume will bring their award winning new show The Cirque de Légume to Drogheda. Marvel at the Veget- animal! Enthrall at the Leek of Power! Fantasize over the Onion Strip Tease! WINNER Bewley’s Theatre Award – Dublin Fringe Festival 2009 and NOMINATED Best Male Performer – Dublin Fringe Festival 2009.

-          Community involvement is a key element of the Festival and this year Droichead Youth Theatre will bring the audience on a special journey through Secondary School in a site specific theatre piece in St Mary’s Diocesan School.

The Festival once again offers a very strong music element. As well as the much anticipated visit by Sofia Gubaidulina, the other music elements will include:

-          Acclaimed South Korean born pianist YOUNG-CHOON PARK performing on the magnificent grand piano in St Peter’s Church Drogheda.  Young- Choon Park will be introduced by sports commentator and Lyric fm presenter, George Hamilton. “…individually refreshing, while demonstrating real passion and style as well as outstanding technical proficiency…”   Sunday Times

-          Music Changes Lives – the young musicians from the acclaimed RTE factual series come to Drogheda to perform at the Barbican Centre.  Accompanies by other young music ensembles, this concert promises to be an opportunity to hear great music, and act as an inspiration for all children to explore their musical talents

-          Dervish, who will perform for one night only on Monday 3rd May as part of their 21st anniversary celebrations.

-          Grammy Award-nominated musical duo, Zero 7 (also nominated for Best British newcomer at the 2002 Brit Awards) with support by Andrew K (External Sounds) & Rob Mullen (External Sounds).

-          DJ Ashley Beedle with support by Keith Kelly (External Sounds).

Other events will include a poetry reading and conversation with Poet Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin and the much loved traditional day at Millmount which will this year be held on Sunday 2nd May, with music, craft, Celtic warriors, the firing of cannons, boat-building, and the rapidly-developing Drogheda Fringe Festival.

Full programme details can be found at:  www.droghedaartsfestival.ie

The Drogheda Arts Festival is supported by: Louth Local Authorities, The Arts Council, and Fáilte Ireland.

The Fire and the Rose: the Music of Sofia Gubaidulina is presented by Louth Contemporary Music Society (LCMS) in association with Drogheda Arts Festival. The Fire and the Rose: the Music of Sofia Gubaidulina is funded by The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon and financially supported by the Drogheda Arts Festival with supported by Louth County Council .

Press information:

Gerry Lundberg Public Relations    Tel:  01 679 8476 / 086 259 1070 / 087 259 1070    glundpr@iol.ie

View the Programme here.

Louth Local Authorities operate a number of funding opportunities for individuals and organisations involved in the arts.

Please click this link to the funding page.

The event will last approx. 90 mins and will include refreshments. Time: 8 pm Adm €8. All welcome. Poster attached………..

Boyne Books
56/57 West St
Drogheda
041 987 3835