Festival catering for all tastes

Excitement is building in Portumna as the eagerly anticipated Shorelines Arts Festival 2024 Programme is released. The dedicated committee have beavered away all year to bring a varied and colourful programme for the feast of craic from September 12-15. “The variety of events on offer have a wide appeal to entertain the local community and entice visitors to attend and try something new,” says co-chairperson, Breeda O’Connor.

Take the opportunity to attend a mosaic workshop with Alison MacCormaic or go with the flow of pen and ink in the creative writing workshop with Geraldine Mills. Put on the dancing shoes for a pre-festival set dancing workshop with Maureen Culleton in preparation for the opening night’s Céilí Mór with the famous Tulla Céilí Band. Learn a recitation for the annual Lines Learned by Heart, dip into the deep waters with Nuala Moore, author of Limitless, watch as guest artist Heidi Wickham reveals the magic of charcoal and drum your heart out in the Ghanian drumming workshop under the baton of Marie Edmonds.

SINGING WORKSHOP

There is also a singing workshop with the well experienced Liz Powell who loves to make singing fun, 5 Rhythms Dance event with Jenny Fahy in one of our new venues at Portumna’s Dowager House and another new event for will be the Shorelines Books & Buns hour presented by co-chairperson Anna Geelan and Dolores O’Shea. Comhrá agus Ceol, Tunes at Noon, and Music and Musings will all be on tap for the packed four days of this annual award winning festival. Well-known psychotherapist Richard Hogan will explore his publication Home is Where the Heart is at a talk in Portumna Town Hall.

MUSIC EVENTS

Friday night in concert at Shorelines will see Duke Special bring his unique musical experience to the stage at Christ Church. The following night, former Eurovision winner and regular Newstalk guest, Paul Harrington brings his live show of The Lyrics The Thing to Shorelines stage and will perform alongside musician, Graham Murphy.

Classical music from the Esposito String Quartet will waft from the Sunday afternoon stage with Mia Cooper (violin), Anna Cashell (violin), Joachim Roewer (viola) and William Butt (cello). Street entertainment with SambaWave and East Galway Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann promises to have feet tapping. Shorelines also showcasing upcoming singer-songwriter Sarah Szucs at The Café at Portumna Castle and features Quarter Jazz at the Boathouse Bar on Sunday afternoon.

DRAMA & LITERARY EVENTS

Other headline acts for 2024 include the return of Mikel Murfi with his memorable and moving show, I Hear You and Rejoice. Lunchtime drama with Pauline O’Driscoll’s Seven ages of MAM and a nod to Patrick Kavanagh with PJ Brady.

A highlight literary event with author, Nuala O’Connor in conversation with Emily Hourican will interest all those interested in history as the focus will be on Emily’s publication An Invitation to the Kennedys. Poetry readings from Doire Press writers, Breda Wall Ryan and Linda McKenna will also feature harpist, Laura O’Sullivan. A collaborative project with Portumna Pen Pushers and photographer, Michael Molamphy, reveals the impact of small things in the audio visual Shutter & Pen as part of the Visual Arts Programme.

EXHIBITIONS

The annual Shorelines Art Exhibition at the Irish Workhouse Centre runs daily from September 9-22 and the visual arts committee, led by Jackie Hogan, curated a variety of guest artists with mosaic, stained glass, charcoal and oil paintings. The opening of this exhibition, featuring Nana Bradley, Dana Sorokina, Heidi Wickham, Lucinda Robertson, Evan Connon, Alison MacCormaic and Helen Miles takes place on Sunday, September 8, with music from ConTempo Quartet.

The Gallery at Portumna Castle will be home for showcasing the art work from Portumna Community School students and will also house the wonderful creations from surrounding schools in the 2023/’24 Junk Kouture.

SHORELINES SCHOOL PROGRAMME

Exposing the local youth to that arts is a major focus of the committee. Breeda O’Connor and Anna Geelan have worked with local schools to provide performances in the schools and on the local streets during the festival. Drumming with Drumadore, creative writing with Helena Close and Méabh McDonnell, yoga with Jenny, Adventures with Bill and Fred as well as an in school lantern making project will bring activity to all the local primary and secondary school students.

FAMILY EVENTS & LANTERN PARADE

To open the festival weekend, a lantern parade will take place through the playground/castle/marina area where face painting and fun activities are planned for the children and families of the area. Lanterns created by the children in the schools, will be the centrepieces of this parade through our local nature.

The traditional Shorelines family events will take place on Saturday with Your Man’s Puppets, a children’s Print Your Own Tote Bag workshop with Hayley Aldous and a drumming workshop for all the family.

FILM PROGRAMME

As always Shorelines Film Club have lined up a programme of film shorts including The Golden West and Baby Steps as well as three other award winning films.

Full featured documentaries on the programme will highlight the historic Good Friday Agreement and the role of Fr Alec Reid in the film The Secret Peacemaker. In the other feature film, in a celebration of what it means to be Irish, the director, Frank Mannion will attend the screening of Quintessentially Irish.

THANKS

The Shorelines team would like to acknowledge the support of the Arts Council and Galway Co Council, without whom they would not be able to provide the range of events on the programme at a reasonable cost as well as a number of free events.

And, after the festival, Portumna Arts Group will host a monthly Friday live concert at Christ Church with Shorelines Steeple Sessions. Performers include some new names like Evelyn & Dec and familiar Shorelines voices like The Henry Girls, the melodic voice of Jack O’Rourke and Galway’s much loved Whileaways. Keep an eye out for booking details on Shorelines social media and website.

BOOKINGS

Due to the limited capacity of Portumna’s unique venues, early booking is advised and both programme and booking can be accessed online via shorelinesartsfestival.com Shorelines treasurer, Lisa Keane would like to thank all sponsors and friends of the festival for their continued support. Volunteers are always encouraged too and can contact the festival on 083 1444167 or submit their contact details online.