|
|
 Thurles Halloween Festival 2014 Tipperary Councillor Jim Ryan, Chairperson of the Thurles Halloween Arts Festival 2014 reports.
The 7th annual Thurles week-long Halloween Arts Festival begins in 7 days time from October 24th to October 31st 2014 inclusive.
Once again this year there is a wonderful festival line up, with some of the best national and international acts (All now fully confirmed) performing in our midst this year.
A continued policy of Thurles community participation is very much evident once again and with so many different forms of ‘The Arts’ taking place here in Thurles this year, both local and an anticipated large turnout of visiting public will most definitely find something for each and everyone, in this year’s diverse programme of major events.
Daily Programme of Events for Thurles Halloween Arts Festival 2014
Friday 24th October
ART – “Art Exhibition.” VENUE: Cabragh Wetlands. TIME: Each Day of the Festival period – 10.00am to 5.00pm. ADMISSION: Free of Charge.
Exhibition by Artist Michael Fogarty whose work is mainly inspired by the Irish countryside. Artist will be in residence each afternoon during the festival.
BOOK LAUNCH – “Rights of Succession.” VENUE: Cabragh Wetlands. TIME: 7.00pm. ADMISSION: Free of Charge.
The book, a tale of early 19th century family intrigue by author Michael Fogarty will see the author on hand to sign copies of his new book.
DRAMA – “In Acting Shakespeare” – Written by and starring James DeVita. VENUE: Source Arts Centre. TIME: 8.00pm. ADMISSION: €18/€16 (concession).
“In Acting Shakespeare” expect a funny, touching and uplifting story of one man’s discovery of Shakespeare, acting and language. This is a show for anyone interested in Shakespeare or theatre. The show is followed by Q&A session with James DeVita.
Music – “Whistle This,” VENUE: Bowes Pub. TIME: 9.30pm. ADMISSION: Free of Charge.
A night of culture and music with some of the Premier County’s finest singer song writers, poets and musicians in an intimate atmosphere.
MUSIC – “CLEM O’ BRIEN BLUEGRASS BAND.” VENUE: Bowes Pub. TIME: 10.00pm. ADMISSION: Free of Charge.
Truly one of Ireland’s finest Bluegrass musicians, Clem O’Brien; brings his unique band to Thurles for a special performance not to be missed.
Saturday 25th October
MUSIC, FOOD & CRAFT – “SCARE IN THE SQUARE.” VENUE: Liberty Square. TIME: 12.00 noon to 4.00pm. ADMISSION: Free of Charge.
Come join us for live music, food & craft stalls, Street Entertainment, Funfair Rides and much more, as we transform Liberty square into a Halloween “Scare in the Square,” occasion. Note: This year we will be having a Halloween Scarecrow Trail around Thurles town. With the help of ‘Thurles Mens Shed’; over 25 Scarecrows will be put on display around the streets of Thurles during the duration of this years festival. We hope to grow this into a major event going forward and we hope you enjoy the creative skills of the volunteers who created these pieces of scary art.
LITERATURE – “Poetry in the Making.” VENUE: Source Arts Centre. TIME: 3.00pm to 5.00pm. ADMISSION: €20.00.
This poetry workshop, run by poet Enda Wyley, is suitable for emerging poets. It aims to celebrate the power of poetry and the making of it. Participants will be encouraged to create new work of their own and to enjoy poetry by established poets, including the work of Thurles poet Dennis O’Driscoll. (Limited capacity – early booking advised. Please book directly through the Box Office on 0504/90204.)
LITERATURE – “A Public Interview with John Kelly.” VENUE: Source Arts Centre. TIME: 7.00pm. ADMISSION: €10.00.
In memory of Thurles poet Dennis O’Driscoll. For many years John Kelly has been at the forefront of music and arts broadcasting in Ireland. Having presented ‘The View’ on RTÉ television for 12 seasons, and assorted programmes for BBC NI before that, John now heads up RTÉ Television’s brand new arts show ‘The Works.’ Known for his wide-ranging knowledge of music he has also presented some of the best-loved and most critically acclaimed music programmes on the Irish airwaves. From his shows on the BBC to the legendary ‘Eclectic Ballroom’ on Today FM and the award-winning ‘Mystery Train’ on RTÉ1, he has always put the music first. He currently broadcasts the ‘John Kelly Ensemble’ on RTÉ Lyric FM and ‘Radio Clash’ on RTÉ Digital Radio 2XM.
WORKSHOP – “Halloween Art and Craft Workshop.” VENUE: Bookworm, Parnell Street, Thurles. TIME: 11.00am – 5.00pm. ADMISSION: €5.00 per person.
Get in the Halloween spirit, come and get creative; experience the make construction of some Halloween arts and crafts. Each workshops begin on the hour and last for 50 minutes. Note: Please book in advance – Tel: 0504/22257.
COMEDY – “TOM O’ MAHONY & GUESTS.” VENUE: County Bar, Liberty Square. TIME: 10.00pm sharp. ADMISSION: Free of Charge.
Dubbed by the critics as a ‘Bad-ass of Irish comedy’ Tom starred alongside the legendary and late, great Rik Mayall on RTE’s hit comedy Damo & Ivor in 2013 and made his return in Season 2 (alongside Snatch’s Alan Ford) reprising his role as the intolerable toff ‘Tarquin.’ A finalist in RTE’s 2013 New Comedy Awards, this lad has starred in several TV adverts, (typically playing someone you wouldn’t like). In 2014 Tom played support to Nina Conti at the Cork Opera House and also Police Academy’s Michael Winslow on a nationwide tour. Playing the country’s biggest festivals, Tom supported the brilliant Stewart Francis at this year’s Vodafone Comedy Festival in Dublin. This year saw another sell-out solo show of Tom’s, “Bring on The Apocalypse” in theatres nationwide and at the Edinburgh Fringe. Tom has a weekly radio slot on Spin103.8 entitled “Mantime,” where he discusses the failings of modern blokes and how they can redeem themselves (There are a lot of stanley-knives and hammers).
Sunday 26th October
TOURS & TALKS – “Cabragh Wetlands Trust Open Day.” VENUE: Cabragh Wetlands. TIME: 11.00am to 4.00pm. ADMISSION: Free of Charge.
Cabragh Wetlands invite the public of Thurles and Tipperary to an all day open event. There will be a ‘Walk and Talk’ at 11.30am which will be repeated at 2.30pm, led by volunteers and environmental experts. Find out about their work in conservation and education, and their plans for the future. Take this opportunity to view their exciting new building, have a guided walk around the wetlands or wander around at your own pace, see what they do and join them for a cup of tea. All are welcome.
MUSIC – “Flamenco Guitarist John Walsh.” VENUE: Anner Hotel. TIME: 4.00pm. ADMISSION: €5.00.
John Walsh is Ireland’s leading Flamenco Guitarist and an accomplished musician and composer, performing solo since 2006. Along with performing concerts throughout Ireland together with venues in Spain and the UK, he has performed in one of the most historically important flamenco venue’s ‘El Candela’ in Madrid, as well as being the invited International Artist for the 2014 Flamenco Festival “Flamenco de Consuegra”.
MUSIC – “THE TIPPERARY JUNIOR CHAMBER ORCHESTRA.” VENUE: St Mary’s Church, Thurles. TIME: 8.00pm. ADMISSION: €10.00.
PARTY– “FANCY DRESS PARTY.” VENUE: Thurles Rugby Club. TIME: 10.00pm till Late. ADMISSION: €15.00.
Thurles Rugby Club presents its annual Halloween Fancy Dress Party with live music and disco. This event is one of the highlights of the year in Thurles and we would encourage those attending to purchase your ticket as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Tickets available from Hickey’s Pub or any Rugby Club Member.
Monday 27th October
FAMILY SHOW – “Halloween Trick or Treat Party.” VENUE: Anner Hotel. TIME: 2.30pm to 4.30pm. ADMISSION: €5.00 per child & €2.00 per adult.
This annual children’s party returns with all the usual favourites. Dress up in your favourite Halloween costume and let your child enjoy a wonderful and safe spooky party. Event includes: Party food and drink, Party music & games, Barney, Bob the Builder, Peppa Pig and Friends show, Magic show, Balloon Modelling and Face painting.
Tuesday 28th October
WRITERS – “A Writers Covert.” VENUE: Anner Hotel. TIME: 8.00pm. ADMISSION: Free of Charge
Writers from across Tipperary’s many regular writing groups will get together to read their own compositions and well-known writers works. This event is open to the general public, so do feel free to bring along your own work and join in. Note: Refreshments will be served.
WORKSHOP – “Pumpkin Carving and Painting.” VENUE: Bookworm, Parnell Street, Thurles. TIME: 2.00pm to 3.00pm. ADMISSION: €5 per person. Note: Pumpkins will be provided. Please book in advance – Tel: 0504/22257.
WW1 COMMEMORATION – “Ecumenical Thurles WW1 Memorial Service of Remembrance.” VENUE: St Mary’s Church, Thurles. TIME: 7.30pm. ADMISSION: Free of Charge, however a collection will be made during the Service with proceeds going to the St Mary’s War Museum. (Latter presently under re-construction and due to be reopened as a local tourist attraction on May 1st 2015 next.)
The Great War of 1914-1918 was so terrible and inflicted such large numbers of casualties on all sides that when it was over it was believed by many to be “The War to end all Wars”. Alas, by the end of four years of fighting from August 1914 to November 1918 many thousands of families around the world including some 72 households from Thurles were affected by this tragedy, through the wounding or loss of life of at least one of their family members.
The ceremony will begin with the naming of all 72 known Thurles WW1 soldiers who lost their lives.
Church music for this event is being provided by renowned local pianist M/s Mary Rose McNally, with special guests; music composer and much-loved Folk Singer M/s Nora Fogarty and Retd and former Aide de camp to H.E. the President of Ireland and Co Galway native, Commandant Michael Walsh, latter who will also give the commemorative address.
The remembrance service will be conducted in St Mary’s Church by the Rector Rev. Ian Coulter and will be followed by a rare display of local primary source artefacts pertinent to Tipperary participants in this Great War of 1914-1918 .
Continue reading Week Long Thurles Halloween Arts Festival
 60th Texaco Children’s Art Competition Winners Announced
There were three succesful competitors from County Tipperary named in this years 60th Texaco Children’s Art Competition, announced yesterday.
In Category F (6 years and under) a painting entitled “New Year’s Eve,” by Benjamin Franklin from Shronell National School, in Lattin, Co Tipperary wins for himself a €30 art box
In Category D (9 to 11 years) with her painting entitled “Crow In The Storm,” Miranda Yanez from Lackamore National School, in Newport, Co Tipperary wins for herself a €50 art box
While in Category B (14 to 15 years) with her painting “My Sister Aisling (Model)” Emily Bourke, from the Ursuline Convent, here in Thurles, wins herself a €100 Art Box
This year a total of 126 winners will be honoured at a ceremony in June next and the top 21 pieces selected from the competition will remain on display in the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin.
Congratulations and well done to all concerned.
W5, Ireland’s award winning science and discovery centre has acquired the services of Thurles-born model maker Mark Maher for an enchanting new model display called “Once Upon A Christmas.” W5, for those not familiar with this incredible exhibition centre, is part of the Odyssey, Northern Ireland’s Landmark Millennium Project, based in the Abercorn Basin, beside the River Lagan in Belfast.
So what has Mark Maher been getting up to recently. Well Mark has spent the last three years working in New Zealand as special effects artist for none other than Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of “The Hobbit.”
 Master model and effects craftsman Mark Maher from Thurles, Co Tipperary Mark has now been enlisted by W5 for his expertise as a miniature model maker and sculptor to recreate scenes for a brand new Christmas experience, where families will step into a world of ‘fairy tales’ and ‘happily ever afters’ as they stroll round a mythical castle square filled with Christmas ambience in the Odyssey Centre.
Wandering throughout this square will be wonderfully costumed fairytale and storybook characters, both meeting, greeting and posing for photos with all those who visit. To reach this castle square in the centre, visitors will enter through a display of old-style fashioned Christmas windows and discover model sets from six classic children’s books and fairy tales.
Each of these beautifully detailed models have been lovingly created by Mark especially for W5 and will feature scenes from Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland and The Snow Queen.
Mark has been working on these models at W5 now since July of this year and already some of his work has been described as “simply breathtaking.”
Of course Mark’s other work can be seen on the big screen (Trailer above) when the much anticipated “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” gets its cinema release on December 13th next. In this forthcoming screen episode the Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has gained the One Ring and they will all continue their journey to get their gold back from the Dragon, Smaug.
Visitors can get up close and personal with Mark Maher’s mini masterpieces for W5 when the festive fun starts at the Odyssey centre on Saturday November 23rd next.
Note: This model collection will go on tour as “Once Upon a Fairytale,” later in the year, as it has strong links to the National Curriculum for Literacy and Creativity.
Just a thought, but may I ask a question? “Has anyone got a few quid hidden away under the Bathroom Floor, in a Cookie Jar, the Fridge Salad Crisper Drawer or under your Mattress?”
“How much do you want?” I hear you scream excitedly.
Well to be honest it all depends on an item that goes under the hammer at “The Chatsworth Fine Art Sale,” to be held in Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny on Tuesday October 8th next. The particular item which generates my particular interest is, I believe, numbered Lot 727.
 Painting of Mary Francis Power Lalor (Ryan) It is a painted portrait of Mrs Mary Francis Power Lalor (nee Ryan) formally of Long Orchard, Templetuohy, Co. Tipperary. Mrs Power Lalor is featured wearing a black lace dress with pearl and diamond necklace, (Print Size about 130 cms x 105 cms or 51 ins x 41 ins) set in its original carved gilt-wood oval frame, signed and dated 1859.
This featured individual was born Mary Francis Ryan, daughter of George Ryan of Inch House, Thurles, Co. Tipperary and Catherine Whyte of Loughbrickland, Co Down. Her father was born on July 17th 1791 and died on September 6th 1884 at the age of 93. He had held the office of Deputy Lieutenant (D.L.) of County Tipperary and the office of Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for County Tipperary.
I believe this painting should now be purchased so as to remain in North Tipperary and preferably be proudly hung in Thurles Library for all to see and contemplate.
In early 1858, Mary Francis Ryan was presented at the State Drawing Room in Dublin Castle, to George William Frederick Howard, seventh Earl of Carlisle (Lord Morpheth of Morpeth Roll fame) being then Viceroy at that time, and in October of that year at the tender age of eighteen, she was married to Captain Edmund James Power Lawlor of Long Orchard, Templetuohy, Thurles Co Tipperary.
In 1859 Mary was presented to the Papal Court, during which time spent in Rome she was greatly admired for “her unusual beauty and a singular fascination of manner.” She visited some artist studios by special invitation and was painted at this time by G. Canavari.
After the death of her husband Edmund, James, Power Lalor, on August 4th 1873, and the following year by her daughter Helen Georgiana Power-Lalor in 1874, latter from meningitis, Mary devoted her life to charitable works and in 1880 published an appeal in the leading newspapers of the time on behalf of starving children following the famine of 1879 known as the “mini-famine” or An Gorta Beag. The New York Herald donated the massive sum then of £10,000 which enabled her to feed over 52,000 starving children throughout the country.
It was in this same year that on the Thursday evening of August 21st 1879, 15 people in Knock (Irish Translation: An Cnoc, meaning ‘The Hill,’ now more generally known in Irish as Cnoc Mhuire, “Hill of Mary”) County Mayo experienced an apparition of Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist, who all appeared at the south gable of the local church, together with an altar with a cross and the figure of a lamb, around which angels hovered. Two Commissions of Enquiry, in 1879 and 1936, would later accept their testimony as being both trustworthy and satisfactory.
This Knock apparition brought about a massive religious revival during this Irish famine, latter now erased and rarely remembered in Irish history. Many Christians even today believe that this visitation to the “Hill of Mary”, contributed greatly to the low number of deaths then experienced in 1879, compared to the earlier Great Famine of 1845 -1849.
Mary Francis Power Lawlor now took full charge of this fund, clothing children of all denominations, thus saving many from certain death. In 1886 Mary Power Lalor established the Distressed Ladies Fund; latter to assist poor Irish women suffering through the non-payment of rent and the then land depression in Ireland. This Fund also established in Dublin a home to care for the many poor old ladies living in garrets and cellars, which in 1887 was opened in Mountjoy Square (Then Rutland Square,). This house subsequently became known as the Power Lalor Home, with Queen Victoria as patroness, and Princess Louise as President of the Central Committee, when this fund was extended to include England.
In 1912 Mary Francis Power Lawlor took up the reins in Ireland of the International Catholic Girls Protection Society and opened the Bureau and Home for Catholic Girls in Dublin, in the same year. It is also to her that the people of Templetuohy owe a debt of gratitude for organising the building of the magnificent Church of The Sacred Heart, Templetuohy and the beautiful stained glass window, which she then had specially commissioned in memory of her late husband, with the fitting title “For The Greater Glory Of God.”
Mrs. Power Lalor died on March 26th 1913, (100 years ago this year) and is buried next to her husband in Templetuohy Graveyard.
It’s just a thought but if 100 people, including businesses and including myself, came up with €50 each, we could possibly meet the asking price (Between €3,000 – €5,000) for this portrait of one truly great Tipperary lady and take her home to her native County.
Anyone interested in venturing into this “Thurles Historic Art Investment Co-Operative Programme,” should contact me Email george.willo@gmail.com and sure who knows, it might just sell for less than its asking price.
There I go, possibly dreaming again, but in recessionary times we all must dream.
All budding local artists are invited to get to work and submit their entries for this year’s Credit Union National Art Competition which has just been launched by Thurles Credit Union Ltd, illustrating this year’s theme “Gotta Lotta Colour.”
Our pictures above show winners from last year’s competition (set centre) together with just some winning posters, courtesy of four competitors: namely Tommy O’Sullivan, Joseph Bourke, Rocel Flores and Niamh O’Sullivan.
Now in its 30th year, the competition attracts up to 50,000 entries through 300 credit unions nationwide and caters for all ages, with categories ranging from under 7 to over 18 years. There is also a Special Category for those with physical or intellectual disabilities.
Thurles Credit Union here in Co Tipperary are inviting anybody with an interest in art to enter this local competition. Entry forms have been distributed to all local primary and secondary schools. Closing date for entry is Friday 1st November 2013.
Winners, runners up and merit award winners here at local level will go on to represent the credit union at regional level and if successful, then at national level. Local winners will receive their prizes at a local prize giving ceremony and their artwork will be displayed as part of an art exhibition in Thurles Credit Union.
Speaking at the Thurles launch Mr Michael Harty (Marketing Officer Thurles Credit Union) stated; “Following on from the great success of last year’s competition we want to encourage and reward self expression, creativity and imagination amongst all artists young and older, throughout our community, so let’s go and get creative. Thurles Credit Union are proud and delighted that a large number of our local representatives have gone to success both at regional and national levels in recent years.”
So request your entry form from your Art Teacher or your busy School Principal and get busy straight away, keeping strongly to the chosen theme “Gotta Lotta Colour.”
|
Support Us Help keep Thurles.info online by donating below. Thank you.
Total Donated 2025: €130.00
Thank You!
Daily Thurles Mass Livestream
|
Recent Comments