Update 28th July

Still time to see at BAF 2015

Text by Brendan McGee

The nationally renowned Boyle Arts Festival was officially opened by Paul Young of Cartoon Saloon on Thursday July 23^rd in King House and it will continue until Sat. Aug. 1^st. There is still time to see some fantastic performers, events and exhibitions over the coming days.

Making their first appearance in Boyle are The Henry Girls, who will perform in King House on Wednesday July 29^th. The three sisters from Donegal have gained a very high profile both here and abroad, with their melodic folk music and intricate harmonies.

There will also be superb musical performances from The Jazz Ladds, Donal O’Connor, The Urban Cowboys and David Byrne. Teenage Kicks returns to Daly’s Storehouse once again on Thursday July 30^th with a fantastic line-up of up and coming young talent. Dodd’s Bar is the venue for the always popular Singers Night on July 30th

In the Classical genre, BAF are delighted to welcome back tenor, Julian Hubbard who will be performing the songs of Schubert on Tuesday July 28^th.  The always popular lunchtime and coffee concert programme includes performances by violinist Patrick Rafter, the Cue Saxophone Quartet, pianist Adam McDonagh,  a guitar and piano recital by Liam and Alana McManus and a coffee concert with soprano Lynsey Curtin and tenor David Lynn,  on Saturday August 1^st. Composer in residence, Cathal Roche will present two specially commissioned

musical pieces,’ Lockhorns’ and ‘From Ashes’, on Saturday August 1^st in the long Gallery of King House.

If you’re looking for a bit of drama, Fregoli Theatre will present ‘Mary, Mary, Mary, on July 29^th and July 30^th in King House.

Also, look out for readings and talks by Kevin Barry, Belinda McKeon, David Murphy, Sam Moore, David Cameron, Patricia O’Reilly and The Moylurg Writers.

The short film, ‘Boyle-Above and Beyond’ is a stunning cinematic look at the town and its’ surroundings through the eyes of Darren Purcell and it will receive its’ premiere on Saturday August 1^st in the King House auditorium.

Comedian & author, David O'Doherty, is a recipient of the Edinburgh Comedy Award and a regular on UK television shows such as QI, Have I Got News for You & 8 Out of 10 Cats. His shows are a unique combination of talk and songs about every day observations and mishaps! See him at King House on Saturday, August 1^st.

For children there will be a chance to see the popular film Paddington on Friday July 31^st and the weekend would not be complete without a visit to the Exploration Dome in St. Joseph’s hall on Saturday August 1^st.

As always, the centrepiece of Boyle Arts Festival is the main visual Exhibition, housed in the beautifully restored King House. Several other exhibitions, including the highly acclaimed Local Artists exhibition, will take place during the Festival and details will be available in the programme.

BAF 2015 will conclude on Sat. Aug. 1^st with a fantastic gig by The Knotty String Band in Daly’s Storehouse. Stay on afterwards for a 1980s night with DJs from Turn It On, blasting out classic singles and mixes on vinyl!

The Boyle Arts Festival office, situated beside Marian’s on Bridge Street is open until August 1st. Details and tickets for all the events will be available from here. Tickets for a selection of events will be available to purchase in advance on www.eventbrite.ie

1^st  

For more information on Boyle Arts Festival 2015 please see our programme or go to www.boylearts.com  www.eventbrite.ie or email info@boylearts.com  Telephone 0719663085. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+

Boyle Arts Festival acknowledges the support of the Arts Council, Local Businesses, The Local Diaspora Engagement Fund, Roscommon County Council, Foras Eireann and RTE Supporting the Arts.

Update 23rd July

Boyle Arts Festival Opening Tonight!

By Brendan McGee

The 26th annual Boyle Arts Festival and Visual Arts Exhibition will be officially opened at 8pm tonight in King House by Mr. Paul Young of the Cartoon Saloon. The Festival which runs until August 1st will bring an exciting mix of music, drama, comedy, stunning art exhibitions, spoken word events, film, workshops and lots more over the ten day period.

The BAF Committee would like to say that the Festival is only possible due to the overwhelming support of the Boyle Community – and for this we are extremely grateful. We would especially like to acknowledge our many sponsors throughout the business community of Boyle and we urge everybody to support them, by shopping local.

We also wish to extend thanks to our many volunteers and helpers. We look forward to welcoming many visitors, friends and supporters from near and far during the course of the Festival and we would encourage everybody to bring someone along to some of the events. So, ring up that cousin down in Cork or send an email to that couple you haven’t seen since their wedding and tell them to come to Boyle for a day or two!

There’s comedy from David O’Doherty, music from De Dannan, Columbia Mills, Niall O’Sullivan, The Lost Brothers and The Henry Girls, drama from Jon Kenny, Mary McEvoy and Fregoli Theatre, spoken word from Carole Coleman, Geraldine Kennedy, Kevin Barry, Sam Moore and Patricia O’Reilly. Not forgetting film screenings, children’s and adults workshops, puppet shows, exploration domes and many more events. It all starts tonight, following the official opening, with a parade through the town featuring giant illuminated inflatables. Come along and join the fun from 9:30pm.

For more information see our programme, log on to www.boylearts.com  or call into the Festival office on Bridge Street. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ Telephone 0719663085 email info@boylearts.com 

Boyle Arts Festival acknowledges the support of the Arts Council, Local businesses, Roscommon County Council, Foras Eireann and RTE Supporting the Arts.

21st July

Visual Arts and Workshop Programme at Boyle Arts Festival

By Brendan McGee

Boyle Arts Festival are delighted to announce that Mr. Paul Young will open the eagerly anticipated 2015 Visual Art Exhibition, in King House, Boyle, on this Thursday July 23rd   at 8pm. A native of Boyle, Paul is a member of the internationally renowned Cartoon Saloon, who has just seen their Academy Award nominated film, Song of The Sea go on general release. Paul will also officially open the 2015 Boyle Arts Festival and this will be celebrated by an outdoor musical performance by the group Rakish accompanied by the aerial performance of Fi Rooney in the grounds of King House. This will be followed by a magical, illuminated night time parade through the town by the Castlerea Carnival Group from 9:30pm. Come along, bring the family, join the fun and line the streets for this enchanting event.

The Boyle Civic Art Collection consists of almost 300 artworks representing the very best of contemporary Irish painting and sculpture. This year, the theme of the exhibition is Conversation and to celebrate the 26th  anniversary of Boyle Arts Festival’s Visual Arts Exhibition, we have selected artwork from the Civic Collection and asked the artists concerned to respond to their own work by producing a new and complimentary piece to ‘converse’ with their earlier work. In the spirit of extending the visual conversation and looking to the future, we have also invited a selection of recent graduates from the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) to exhibit alongside Ireland’s creative elite. This year’s exhibition has been curated by Tony Murphy of NCAD.

Practicing artists from near and far include Sean McSweeney, Margaret O’Hagan, Nick Miller, Naomi Draper, Colm Brennan, Malachy Costello and Vivienne Roche. The Main Visual Art exhibition is open between 11am and 6pm every day and during events in King House, from Thurs. July 23rd until Sat. August 1st. Over the past 26 years, the Boyle Civic Collection has expanded to almost 300 pieces of art - the commission earned on art sales goes towards the purchase of a number of works from the Main Exhibition each year. The collection has been further enhanced by generous donations by artists, trusts and private individuals. The collection is exhibited in King House during the year and in recent times, works are shown in various premises in Boyle where they can be viewed and appreciated by the public.

The Local Artists Expo in the Parochial School provides a forum for artists who would otherwise find few opportunities to display their work. The art is always of an exceptionally high standard and the exhibition provides an important showcase of talent. Many of the artists from this exhibition, such as Vera Gaffney, Vivian Murray, Annette Gaffney, Vida Pain and Tina Brooks have excelled to higher levels in their own private exhibitions, or have been invited to exhibit in the main King House exhibition. Entrants are judged for three prizes and the overall winner receives the Sue Hill trophy and the most promising U25 artist receives the Éilís Kilgallen award. Open 10am to 6pm daily.

The renowned Boyle Camera Club, with over 50 members, will showcase a rich and diverse range of their photographic images in the town library at King House, during library hours from July 23rd to Aug. 1st.

Work by the Roscommon Visual Artist Forum can be viewed in the Roscommon Herald building, from 11am to 5pm daily. Shifting Perspectives will showcase work by artists working outside the cultural centres, creating a dialogue concerning art in rural contexts.

The Brothers of Charity will recreate the legend of Únabhán during BAF 2015. Watch out for characters and figures as they pop up around the town, during the week.  Also, don’t miss the exhibition of works by artist, Naomi Draper in the Harrington Studios, King House. Open from 1pm to 6pm daily.

‘A WoMaN Friend’ by the Mixed Hues Artist Group will present a collection of mixed art pieces, focusing on the places and objects artists hold dear in their emotions and memories. This exhibition will take place in the Family Life Centre every day from 11am to 6pm, until July 31st.

  

Also, keep an eye out for ‘pop-up galleries’ and small exhibitions in various shop windows in the town, during the course of the Festival.

 Please note that entrance to all exhibitions is free.

Once again, an exciting range of children’s and adults workshops have been organised for Boyle Arts Festival.

First up, for Children there’s Telling Tales with Naomi Draper. Tell your tale and delve into an exciting world of colours and shapes, bringing stories to life from bookmaking to moving image. Throughout one week, explore a range of different techniques including paper folding, collage, puppet making and stop motion animation. Suitable for 4 to 6 year olds and running from Monday 27th July - Friday 31st July, 10am-11.30am in Abbey Community College. 

Back by popular demand is Singskool with Roisín Egan, an exciting workshop action packed with singing & performing, allowing your child to really shine! Build their confidence by learning new musical, vocal & performance skills. Join fully qualified music instructors for a week of creativity and fun and then show off your new skills in a show-stopping performance at the end of the week for your family and friends. This workshop will run from Monday 27th July – Friday 31st July, 2.30pm – 4.30pm in Abbey Community College and is suitable for 7yrs – 14yrs.

On Saturday, July 25th Susan Boyle will lead workshops where you can make and design candles or design a colourful bag or T shirt. This workshop is suitable for children aged 7 years upwards.

For adults, there will be a workshop in singing, conducted by Niamh Parsons who has come to be known as one of the most distinctive voices in Irish music. This workshop will take place on Thursday July 30th, from 8-9.30pm at The Crescent Bar.

Also worth checking out is ‘Writing Better Poems’ by author and poet, Gerry Boland. The workshop will examine two poems in minute detail, exploring what it is about these poems that make them stand out, that make them truly memorable? 

Participants will be given writing exercises, the aim being to produce a first draft that has promise. Time permitting, a second draft will be worked on: adding, subtracting, fine-tuning, rearranging, even rewriting, if necessary. Some participants will – hopefully! – leave with a new poem of substance! Sat. August 1st at Boyle Enterprise Centre, 11am to 1pm.

John Mulligan, a writer and journalist from Boyle, is the author of three published books, Dancing on the Waves, Following in the Footsteps of the Four Famous Flannerys and No Place in the Sun.  John will conduct a workshop on ‘Flash Fiction and Routes to Publication’. 'Flash Fiction' describes very short stories, typically no more than 300 words long. This workshop offers techniques and tips for Flash Fiction, and the application of these techniques to other areas of writing. The workshop also includes practical advice on routes to publication for aspiring writers.

Saturday August 1st, Boyle Enterprise Centre, 2:15pm to 3:45pm. 

Please note that advance booking is required for all workshops. 

For more information, see our programme or call in to The Festival office, next door to Marian’s on Bridge St. The office is open every day from 11am, (excluding Sundays) from now until August 1st. For more information go to www.boylearts.com  Tel. 071 9663085. Email info@boylearts.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter and Google+

Boyle Arts Festival acknowledges the support of the Arts Council, Local businesses, Roscommon County Council, Foras Eireann and RTE Supporting the Arts.

17th July

Exciting Live Gigs, Comedy and Film Programme 

For Boyle Arts Festival 

By Brendan McGee

Boyle Arts Festival kicks off in just a few days time, opening on Thurs. July 23rd and running until Sat. August 1st.  Getting things off to a great start in the Live Gigs programme, with a very special appearance in the Church of Ireland on Friday July 24th are Frankie Gavin and De Dannan. For many years De Dannan were the forerunners in the Irish traditional music world but after a number of changes to the line-up, original founding member Frankie Gavin unleashed a new line-up which in his own words "will reflect a De Dannan of the 21st century.”. This superb current line-up includes the beautiful vocal talents of local singer, Bernadine Casserly. The concert will start at 8pm. Later, at 10pm in Wynne’s bar, enjoy an evening of song and stories with local songwriters and poets performing their work. The Boyle Songwriters Collective has always entertained their audiences with their eclectic range. Come along and share the joy! Admission is free.

One of the highlights of this year’s Festival will undoubtedly be a performance by up and coming ‘Indietronica’ band, Columbia Mills. The band, from Bray, Co. Wicklow, have just released their second EP, ‘Perfect Day’ and their set will include a hedonistic mix of musical textures, reverb saturated guitars, glorious beats & beautiful tragic sounds during a very special concert in Daly’s Storehouse on Sat. July 25th. The gig starts at 10pm.

On Sunday July 26th The Cornerboys, a six piece band with a shared passion for American music will surprise you with everything from Honky Tonk to Blues Stomp. Featuring songs from the 1930’s to now, this promises to be an eclectic and lively session of music in Daly’s Bar at 2pm. Later at 10pm, Mattimoe’s bar is the venue for a gig by The Lost Brothers, who band describe musical influences that range from Chuck Berry to Harry Nilsson to Beck, from Ennio Morricone to Jack Nitzsche, from Sweeney’s Men to Van Morrison, from Bob Dylan to Lou Reed and Nick Cave.

Join Colin Beggan and friends for an evening of the finest in Bluegrass music during a free gig in Mattimoe’s bar on Monday July 27th at 10pm. few. Lead vocalist Colin plays 5 string banjo, guitar and he will be joined by David Knight on guitar and vocals, Tim Kearns on bass and from New York the great Tom Hanway on blistering bluegrass banjo.

The Jazz Ladds are a 5 piece band with Trombone, Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Harmonica, Lead Guitars, Bass, Rhythm Guitar, Drums and vocals. They make a welcome return to Boyle with a gig in Clarke’s bar on Tuesday July 28th at 10pm.

Wednesday, July 29th is really music night with three super gigs lined up. With shimmering harmonies and delicate musicianship The Henry Girls interweave their traditional roots with contemporary elements, earning them both commercial success and spectacular critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic. The Donegal sisters will perform in King House at 8pm. At 10pm, you can choose between two of the finest musicians in the area. David Byrne will play a free gig in An Craoibhín, where you can expect the very best in acoustic cover versions, to get your feet tapping. Also at 10pm, The Tawnytaskin Centre is the venue for an intimate solo performance by local singer/songwriter, Donal O’Connor, who will perform songs from his own eclectic catalogue.

On Thursday July 30th, Teenage Kicks will give an opportunity to celebrate & enjoy emerging young musical talent in our midst. With plenty of variety to keep toes tapping & hands clapping, this event is one that the whole family will enjoy!! More than 15 artists will feature & this event is free to attend! So please come along & show your support in Daly’s Storehouse from 7:30pm. Mineral bar only. In Dodd’s bar at 10pm, the always popular Boyle Singers will showcase a range of mostly unaccompanied songs from Traditional, Folk, Irish and English origins. The Singers Night will be preceded by a workshop with Niamh Parsons.

Don’t miss the Cultural Fusion Evening at Ardcarne on Friday July 31st  at 8pm. Book your table now and enjoy a 3 course meal in the beautiful surroundings of the Cafe at the Ardcarne Garden Centre, accompanied by the sounds of Spain with music from Ocho Punto G, one of the best Latin Bands from Barcelona. Early booking is essential. Bring your own wine! At 10pm, join Paul Emmett and the Urban Cowboys to round off your Friday night with some musical treats with a free gig in the Patrick’s Well.

If it’s comedy you’re after, comedian and author, David O'Doherty, (the Kevin McCloud of the tiny keyboard), is a recipient of the Edinburgh Comedy Award and a regular on UK television shows such as QI, Have I Got News For You, 8 Out of 10 Cats and Would I Lie to You. His shows are a unique combination of talking, and songs about every day observations and mishaps such as the fantastic ‘Sent a Text to the Person the Text was About.’ Do not miss his appearance in King House on Saturday August 1st. The show starts at 8pm.

  

This year’s film programme features a unique short film compiled by photographer and film maker Darren Purcell. Darren moved to Boyle in 2013 and was quickly bowled over by the beauty of the town and the warm, welcoming nature of its people. 'Boyle - Above & Beyond' is a short film exploring Boyle in a way never done before, with sweeping vistas and spectacular aerial viewpoints.  See it in the King house Auditorium at 4pm on Sat. August 1st. For children, there’s also a chance to see ‘Paddington’ on Friday July 31st at 3pm.

 BAF 2015 winds up with a gig by the Knotty Pine String Band in Daly’s Storehouse on Sat. Aug. 1st. The band  have a strong country roots influence with songs from the likes of John Prine, Kris Kristofferson, Steve Goodman and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and they also like to take popular songs and give them a Bluegrass twist! A gig not to be missed! Why not stay on afterwards and join DJs from Turn it On, spinning the best of 1980s mixes on vinyl.

Bookings for all events can also be made at the Festival office, next door to Marian’s, Bridge St. Boyle. The office is open every day from 11am to 6pm (excluding Sundays) from now until Sat. August 1st. Online booking is also available at www.eventbrite.ie   For more information and our full programme go to www.boylearts.com  Tel. 071 9663085. Email info@boylearts.com or find us on Facebook.

Boyle Arts Festival acknowledges the support of the Arts Council, Local businesses, Roscommon County Council, Foras Eireann and RTE Supporting the Arts.

13th July

EXCITING
SPOKEN WORD AND DRAMA PROGRAMME AT BOYLE ARTS FESTIVAL
By Brendan McGee

Geraldine Kennedy, Carole Coleman, Jon Kenny, Mary McEvoy, Julie Sharkey, Patricia O’Reilly, Brian Farrell and Sean Boyne will all be in Boyle very soon as part of Boyle Arts Festival, which runs from July 23rd to August 1st.

This year’s spoken word & literature programme will start off at 1pm on Friday July 24th with an artist talk by Thomas Ryan RHA, who will conduct a tour of this year’s BAF Main Exhibition in King House. Later, at 6pm Oliver Fallon will discuss the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign of 1915, which cost the lives of many Irishmen, 100 years ago. The evening can be rounded of nicely in the company of Susan and Judith Boyle, who will present ‘Tales of Ales’ – an enjoyable and enlightening event, created especially for Boyle Arts Festival. Enjoy an evening of history, storytelling and beer tasting in Daly’s Bar where the fun will start at 10pm.

On Saturday July 25th, one of the highlights of BAF 2015 will be a conversation between journalist and author, Carole Coleman and former politician and Irish Times editor, Geraldine Kennedy. This unique event will take place at 1pm in King House and is not to be missed. Anybody attending this event would be well advised to stay in or around King House afterwards because at 4pm, photojournalist Brian Farrell will present a fascinating slideshow and talk entitled ‘Hold the Front Page’. Brian will showcase some of the most iconic images that have graced the front pages of our newspapers, over the last 35 years.

On Monday July 27th there will be a chance to hear a reading by former Irish Press and Sunday World journalist, Sean Boyne. Sean has written the first biography of legendary Emmet Dalton, a colossus of 20th century Irish history and this will form part of his talk in King House at 6pm.

On Tuesday, July 28th Cork born author David Murphy will discuss his latest book ’Walking on Ripples’ – a largely fictional account of ’romantic fishing’, taking an evocative and sometimes dark, sideways look at the world, down the length of a fishing rod! This is a free event in Mattimoe’s bar at 4pm. Later at 6pm in King House, author Patricia Reilly will discuss her latest book, ‘The Interview’, an account of the Irish designer and architect, Eileen Gray who by 1972, was living as a recluse in Paris. She was interviewed at that time by a Fleet Street journalist but the interview was never published. Patricia O’Reilly explores the facts and imagines what happened between the two!

On Wednesday July 29th, Bairbre Ni Fhloinn will discuss ‘From Ancient Greece to Green Street – John Reilly, Oney Power & the Hidden Histories of Boyle’. Bairbre lectures in Irish folklore at UCD and this evening’s discussion will look at the traditional singer John Reilly and the narrator Oney Power, both with conncetions to Boyle. This discussion will take place at 6pm in King House.

Join us in the Roscommon Herald building for ‘North West Curators in Conversation’. This free event takes place from 2pm to 4pm on Thursday July 30th and will include contributions from Megan Johnston, Sarah Searson and Linda Shevlin. Find out how these curators programme their visual art galleries and pick up some tips on how to get your work noticed.
Later at 8pm in King House, there will be a chance to hear prizewinning author Kevin Barry discuss his most recent work. Kevin will be joined by guest author Belinda McKeon.

Friday July 31st will see three writers reflect on the role of environment, landscape and locality in their fiction and poetry. David Cameron, Martin Dyer and Marie Kennedy will read selections from their work and discuss the way in which their style has been shaped by their respective backgrounds. This event will take place in King House at 6pm.

On Saturday August 1st, Sam Moore will present ‘Visiting the Otherworld – Myth, Legend & Archaeology in the Lough Arrow region’. This talk at 1pm in King House, will explore some of the principal tales associated with the region’s prehistoric natural features. An Evening with the Moylurg Writers is always a special event and Saturday August 1st will see an enchanting night of poetry and prose in King House. The writers will be joined by Joseph Woods, Geraldine Mitchell and Jane Clarke. This very special event will take place at 5:30pm.



The Drama programme will  jump into action with John B. Keane’s’ The Matchmaker’ in St, Joseph’s Hall on Saturday July 25th at 8pm. Starring Jon Kenny and Mary McEvoy, it tells the story of a local matchmaker who tries to make matches for the lonely and lovelorn from all over the country. Directed by Michael Scott, this show is not suitable for under 16s.
Starring Julie Sharkey, ‘A Game Called Lucy Finally Wins’  is a play within a game show where the stories of Lucy’s life are revealed entirely by chance and audience participation! This play will be performed in the unique surroundings of Margaret’s Café on Monday July 27th at 4pm. Admission includes Tea/Coffee.

The Fregoli Theatre Company will stage two presentations of their play ‘Mary, Mary, Mary’ firstly on Wednesday July 29th at 4pm and then on Thursday July 30th at 5:30pm. Both performances are in King House. Written by Boyle native, Maria Tivnan, this delicately woven poetic piece offers glimpses into the loves, lives and duties of three generations of Irish women. Performed with tenderness and heart, this really is a play worth experiencing.

 Two children’s puppet shows will take place on Saturday July 25th. Little Gem Puppets will present ‘Three Little Pigs’ at 2pm followed by ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ at 4pm in St. Joseph’s Hall.



Full details of all the events are in the festival programme. For booking and further information, call to the Festival office in Bridge St., beside Marian’s, open every day (except Sundays) from Thursday July 16th until August 1st. Office hours 11am to 4pm and until 6pm during the Festival. Also go to www.boylearts.com  Online booking for most events at www.eventbrite.ie  Email info@boylearts.com  Tel. 071 9663085 or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.


Boyle Arts Festival acknowledges the support of the Arts Council, Local businesses, Roscommon County Council, Foras Eireann and RTE Supporting the Arts.

6th July

Eclectic Classical Music and Trad. Programme at Boyle Arts Festival

By Brendan McGee

Showcasing the finest performers from the world of Classical and Traditional Music has always been one of the cornerstones on which the Boyle Arts Festival is firmly established and the 2015 Festival, which will start on July 23^rd, is no different.

This year, audiences can look forward to some very special appearances from some of the country’s finest performers in both the Classical and Traditional music genres.

The Classical music programme will begin with a coffee concert performance by pianist Peter Regan in King House on Sat. July 25^th. Admission includes coffee and the performance will start at 11am. Described by Michael Dervan of the Irish Times as a “major talent who plays with real musical maturity and easy command”, Peter is a multiple prizewinner having collected numereous trophies at both Feis Ceoil and the R.I.A.M. He was also one of six pianists to compete in the Dublin International Piano Competition.

 ‘An evening with Niall O’Sullivan and Friends’ showcases the trumpeter’s versatility performing in a variety of styles, from classical to jazz and musical theatre to tangos. Niall, who appeared at last year’s Festival will also be joined on stage by singing sensation, Shóna Henneberry, who performs musical theatre, traditional Irish and jazz. As a soloist, Shóna has performed in London, the Olympia Theatre & the National Concert Hall, Dublin. This concert will take place in King House on Sunday July 26^th at 8pm.

Harpist, Fiona Gryson enjoys performing a variety of different genres including classical, traditional Irish, South American, contemporary and popular music. She will perform a lunchtime concert on Monday July 27^th in King House. Her programme will include music on both Concert and Irish harp by Bernard Andres, Alphonse Hasselmans, Benjamin Britten, Louis Spohr and Marcel Samuel-Rousseau. Fiona is a Concert harpist from County Meath who is studying in DIT.

21-year-old pianist Sean Rooney was this year's Brennan Prize winner at the 2015 Dublin International Piano Competition. He currently studies under Professor Christopher Elton at the Royal Academy of Music in London and has previously studied under John O'Connor, Peter Tuite and Colma Brioscu at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin. This summer he has been invited to give a recital at the 2015 World Piano Teacher's Conference in Serbia and is also engaged to make his debut with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra. Sean will perform a concert in King House on Monday July 27^th at 8pm.

Tuesday July 28^th will see a lunchtime performance in King House, by the Cue Saxophone Quartet - a talented and ambitious new chamber group composing, arranging and performing music in contemporary, classical, jazz and popular genres. At 8pm on the same evening in King House, there’s a chance to hear renowned tenor Julian Hubbard perform the songs of Schubert. Julian has performed at many major international opera houses including English National Opera, Scottish Opera, La Monnaie Brussels and international festivals including the Aldeburgh and Edinburgh festivals.

The lunchtime concert programme in King House continues with performances by Violinist, Patrick Rafter who will perform there on Wednesday July 29^th. Pianist, Adam McDonagh will take the stage on Thursday July 30^th and perform works by J.S. Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Debussey.  Young musicians Liam and Alana McManus will perform at a lunchtime concert on Friday July 31^st.  Brother and sister, they   have won numerous awards and have performed on both guitar and piano in many national venues, including the National Concert Hall, Dublin.

The Classical programme concludes with an 11am coffee Concert on August 1^st with tenor,  David Lynn and soprano, Lynsey Curtin accompanied by pianist Mary Scarlett. David Lynn has performed at many operas in Ireland, including the Lyric Opera, OTC and the NI Opera while Dublin born Soprano, Lynsey Curtin, graduated from the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama with an honours bachelor degree in music in 2012. She recently appeared as guest soprano with ‘Queen Classical’ at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre.

 

The Traditional music programme will begin with a free performance by the band Rakish in the grounds of King House during the opening of Boyle Arts Festival on Thursday July 23^rd

The centrepiece of this year’s Trad. programme will be a very special performance by Frankie Gavin and De Dannan in the Church of Ireland on Friday, July 24^th. For many years traditional super group De Dannan were the forerunners in the Irish traditional music world but after a number of changes to the line-up, original founding member and world famous fiddle player Frankie Gavin unleashed a new De Dannan which in his own words "will reflect a De Dannan of the 21st century.” Frankie Gavin is the most celebrated Irish fiddle player of all time and has performed and recorded with rock legends The Rolling Stones, Jazz Legend Stephane Grappelli and world renowned violinist Sir Yehudi Menuhin amongst many others. The superb current line-up includes the beautiful vocal talents of local singer, Bernadine Casserly. The concert will start at 8pm.

Colin Beggan will be joined by a group of friends for an evening of Bluegrass music in Mattimoe’s bar on Monday July 27^th. Admission is free.

 On Thursday July 30^th, the always popular Singer’s Night will take place in Dodd’s Crescent bar at 10pm. This event will be preceded by a workshop in singing, conducted by Niamh Parsons who has come to be known as one of the most distinctive voices in Irish music. Born in Dublin, her music loving parents took herself and her sister to the local folk club, where the young girls were exposed to songs and singing from the likes of The Johnstons, Emmet Spice, Danny Doyle and many others.

Booking is advisable for all events and this can be done at the Festival office, next door to Marian’s, Bridge St. Boyle. Drop in to pick up a programme or to find out about the other exciting events. The office will be open every day (excluding Sundays) from Friday July 17^th  until August 1^st. Online booking is available for selected events at www.eventbrite.com  For more information, see our full programme or go to www.boylearts.com  Tel. 071 9663085. Email info@boylearts.com or follow us on Facebook, www.twitter.com/boyle_arts and Google+

Boyle Arts Festival is supported by the Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland

22nd June

Exciting Workshop Programme at Boyle Arts Festival

By Brendan McGee

Once again, an exciting range of children’s and adults workshops have been organised for Boyle Arts Festival.

 First up, for Children there’s Telling Tales with Naomi Draper. Tell your tale and delve into an exciting world of colours and shapes, bringing stories to life from bookmaking to moving image. Throughout one week, explore a range of different techniques including paper folding, collage, puppet making and stop motion animation.Suitable for 4 to 6 year olds and running from Monday 27^th July - Friday 31^st July, 10am-11.30am in Abbey Community College. Price:  €60 and places are limited. Naomi Draper graduated from NCAD with a Bachelor of Design specialising in glass in 2007. In 2011, she completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Community Arts Education at NCAD.

Back by popular demand is Singskool with Roisín Egan, an exciting workshop action packed with singing & performing, allowing your child to really shine! Build their confidence by learning new musical, vocal & performance skills. Join fully qualified music instructors for a week of creativity and fun and then show off your new skills in a show-stopping performance at the end of the week for your family and friends. This workshop will run from Monday 27^th July – Friday 31^st July, 2.30pm – 4.30pm in Abbey Community College and is suitable for 7yrs – 14yrs. Places are limited and the price is €60.

On Saturday, July 25^th Susan Boyle will lead workshops where you can make and design candles or design a colourful bag or T shirt. This workshop is suitable for children aged 7 years upwards.

For adults, there will be a workshop in singing, conducted by Niamh Parsons who has come to be known as one of the most distinctive voices in Irish music. Born in Dublin, her music loving parents took herself and her sister to the local folk club, where the young girls were exposed to songs and singing from the likes of The Johnstons, Emmet Spice, Danny Doyle and many others. Throughout her career Niamh has performed with a variety of artists, and has appeared at nearly every prestigious Folk Festival on either side of the Atlantic. She has recorded seven albums to date, and for the past 9 years she has been playing in a duet with Ennis based Graham Dunne. This workshop will take place on Thursday July 30th, from 8-9.30pm at The Crescent Bar. €5 Admission includes entry to Singer’s Night.

Also worth checking out is ‘Writing Better Poems’ by author and poet, Gerry Boland. The workshop will examine two poems in minute detail, exploring what it is about these poems that make them stand out, that make them truly memorable?

Participants will be given writing exercises, the aim being to produce a first draft that has promise. Time permitting, a second draft will be worked on: adding, subtracting, fine-tuning, rearranging, even rewriting, if necessary. Some participants will – hopefully! – leave with a new poem of substance! Sat. August 1^{st at} Boyle Enterprise Centre, 11am to 1pm. Admission €10.

John Mulligan, a writer and journalist from Boyle, is the author of three published books, Dancing on the Waves, Following in the Footsteps of the Four Famous Flannerys  and No Place in the Sun.  A sometime lyricist, he co-writes with the legendary Charlie McGettigan, and their published work includes the 'Moone Boy' song. In addition, he contributes features to a number of national newspapers and writes a weekly opinion column for the 'Roscommon Herald'. John will conduct a workshop on ‘Flash Fiction and Routes to Publication’. 'Flash Fiction' describes very short stories, typically no more than 300 words long. This workshop offers techniques and tips for Flash Fiction, and the application of these techniques to other areas of writing. The workshop also includes practical advice on routes to publication for aspiring writers.

Saturday August 1^st, Boyle Enterprise Centre, 2:15pm to 3:45pm. Admission €10.  

For full details of all the workshops, please see our Festival programme or go to www.boylearts.com and follow the link to ‘workshops’ under the ‘Festival’ heading. Please note that advance booking is required for all workshops.

 The Boyle Arts Festival office, situated next door to Marian’s on Bridge Street, will be open from mid July, every day (excluding Sundays) until August 1^st. Tel. 071 9663085. For more information, look out for our Festival programme, which will be available very shortly. Or to view our full programme go to www.boylearts.com  Email info@boylearts.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter.

 Boyle Arts Festival is supported by the Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland.