This article is from page 10 of the 2008-05-27 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 10 JPG
MOUNTSHANNON is the place to be this week for fun-lovers and cul- ture vultures alike, with the Inisceal- tra Festival of the Arts in full swing until June 1.
The official opening of the week- long festival was performed at the weekend by Theo Dorgan, poet, writer, broadcaster and member of Aosdana and The Arts Council.
One of the highlights of this year’s festival is the family boat-building weekend, with craftspeople showing land-lubbers how it’s done.
Each family – or group – gets a kit which they put together under su- pervision, to be followed by a boat launching on Lough Derg to test how well the budding boat builders learned their craft.
With music, drama and dance per- formances from local and visiting eroups, some of the highlights of this year’s festival include musical performances by Eoin O’Neill, Orla Harrington and John Feely to name but a few.
There will be a film night, a free storytelling family event and an art exhibition, opened by well-known artist, Charles Harper.
The Fishbowl Youth Group present an acoustic evening of entertainment – music, poetry, prose and dance – in
a candlelit café-style setting. Visiting German students and young people
from The Alfa Project school will work with artists to create a sculp- tural riverside installation for the festival on the river bank from Scar- iff Harbour to Lough Derg. Free boat trips are being offered by local boat owners to see the resulting creation.
Also planned are a céili with The Four Courts Céili Band. Weekend classes and workshops will be held in sean nos dancing, traditional mu- sic and singing as well as African drumming.
‘Does It Grow Corn?’, the feasi- bility study to determine the need for a new community/arts centre for Mountshannon, will be unveiled during the festival and there will be plenty of music, craic and a family fun day with puppets and entertain- ment.
On Sunday, June 1, there will be a Green Fair at the Aistear. Hosted by members of CELT, the Irish Seed Savers Association, and the Alfa Project, this will feature demonstra- tions, information and workshops in a variety of traditional crafts includ- ing metalwork, stone carving, wood and willow skills and textiles.