November 2022
VISUAL ART: Dētrīmentum by Katie Whyte
Dētrīmentum is a video and photographic installation by Kildare artist Katie Whyte. A Latin word meaning harm, loss, or damage, Dētrīmentum is an exploration of the journey of an object from an intact historical/archival piece, to an object that has fallen into disrepair and out of the collective memory. This installation focuses on presenting hidden and lost historical narratives in photographic form. Using new media glitching techniques, the detached narrative histories of these objects are interlaced with the code of…
Find out more »VISUAL ART: FIBRE Felted by Tamzen Lundy
Tamzen Lundy’s colourful exhibition FIBRE Felted introduces young people to the wonders and possibilities of felt making, the oldest textile making process in the world. Using 100% wool (and sometimes other natural fibres), soap and water plus rubbing, rolling and a little magic, the artist creates intriguing 2D and 3D objects and many familiar characters inspired by much-loved children’s books. The woollen textiles in FIBRE Felted are playful and experimental, the only tools required to create them are the artist’s…
Find out more »December 2022
WORKSHOP: Christmas Felting Workshop with Tamzen Lundy
Make your very own Scandinavian style Santa Claus! Your Santa Claus can be used as a wine bottle topper to gift to a neighbour or to dress your own Christmas table! Adult participants will be introduced to a few wet felting techniques, including an introduction to wet felting in 3D. All materials will be provided and each participant will take away their Santa project. This is an easy, fun and practical workshop suitable for beginners and those that would like…
Find out more »SPECIAL SCREENING: Nothing Compares
The extraordinary early career of Sinéad O’Connor is covered in the fascinating documentary Nothing Compares. Focusing on the years 1987-1993, the film looks at her troubled upbringing, her first steps into music, the meteoric rise she enjoyed after the release of her legendary single Nothing Compares 2U, and the very public protests that put her in the crosshairs of a cruel tabloid media. What emerges is a testament to a brilliant artist and impassioned activist, as well as an insight into a…
Find out more »SCHOOLS: Whistleblast Quartet
A very WhistleBlast Christmas Show including lots of favourites from Tchaikovsky to the Snowman, a sing along WhistleBlast Christmas Tale and other seasonal songs! Bell ringing and percussion for you to join in a joyful concert finale… Performed by fun loving musicians: Conor Linehan, piano; Ken Edge, saxes and clarinets; Oonagh Keogh, violin; and Mary Curran, French horn, in a highly accessible presentation. Suitable for everybody, of all ages. Come along and get yourself into the mood for a wonderful…
Find out more »SCHOOLS: Whistleblast Quartet
A very WhistleBlast Christmas Show including lots of favourites from Tchaikovsky to the Snowman, a sing along WhistleBlast Christmas Tale and other seasonal songs! Bell ringing and percussion for you to join in a joyful concert finale… Performed by fun loving musicians: Conor Linehan, piano; Ken Edge, saxes and clarinets; Oonagh Keogh, violin; and Mary Curran, French horn, in a highly accessible presentation. Suitable for everybody, of all ages. Come along and get yourself into the mood for a wonderful…
Find out more »FAMILY: Whistleblast Quartet
A very WhistleBlast Christmas Show including lots of favorites from Tchaikovsky to the Snowman, a sing along WhistleBlast Christmas Tale and other seasonal songs! Bell ringing and percussion for you to join in a joyful concert finale… Performed by fun loving musicians: Conor Linehan, piano. Ken Edge, saxes and clarinets. Oonagh Keogh, violin. Mary Curran, French horn in a highly accessible presentation. Suitable for everybody, of all ages. Come along and get yourself into the mood for a wonderful musical…
Find out more »LOCAL ARTS: Newbridge Musical Theatre Presents – Tale As Old As Time
Newbridge Musical Theatre presents Tale As Old As Time - a concert celebrating magical music from childhood classics and family favourites. You are invited to take a trip down memory lane, as some of the most iconic songs from Disney and beyond are brought to life by our award-winning ensemble of local performers. Both the young and young at heart are guaranteed to enjoy singing along to classic hits from celebrated composers such as Alan Menken, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Elton John,…
Find out more »LOCAL ARTS: Newbridge Musical Theatre Presents – Tale As Old As Time
Newbridge Musical Theatre presents Tale As Old As Time - a concert celebrating magical music from childhood classics and family favourites. You are invited to take a trip down memory lane, as some of the most iconic songs from Disney and beyond are brought to life by our award-winning ensemble of local performers. Both the young and young at heart are guaranteed to enjoy singing along to classic hits from celebrated composers such as Alan Menken, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Elton John,…
Find out more »LOCAL ARTS: Newbridge Musical Theatre Presents – Tale As Old As Time
Newbridge Musical Theatre presents Tale As Old As Time - a concert celebrating magical music from childhood classics and family favourites. You are invited to take a trip down memory lane, as some of the most iconic songs from Disney and beyond are brought to life by our award-winning ensemble of local performers. Both the young and young at heart are guaranteed to enjoy singing along to classic hits from celebrated composers such as Alan Menken, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Elton John,…
Find out more »CINEMA: See How They Run
In the West End of 1950s London, plans for a movie version of a smash-hit play come to an abrupt halt after a pivotal member of the crew is murdered. When world-weary Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) and eager rookie Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) take on the case, the two find themselves thrown into a puzzling whodunit within the glamorously sordid theatre underground, investigating the mysterious homicide at their own peril. Directed by Tom Georgre | 98 mins | Cert 12A
Find out more »SCHOOLS WORKSHOP: Tamzen Lundy Wet Felting Workshop
In this fun morning, children will learn the basics of wet-felting, the worlds oldest form of textile making. This is a fabulous introduction to a very sensory craft, suitable for beginners. There will be plenty of soapy bubbles and soft fibres. Roll up your sleeves and rub a dub dub! Tamzen (former chairperson Feltmakers Ireland and textile professional of 20yrs+ experience with experience teaching in schools as well as herding her own 3 free range kids) will introduce the group…
Find out more »EARLY YEARS: Music & Sensory Play with Catherine Hartnett
Music and sensory play class for toddlers aged 1 to 3 years and parents in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Toddlers will be given the opportunity to learn through music, movement and play, and explore different textures and sounds. This class, led by music teacher Catherine Hartnett promotes adult-child interaction as well as interactions between children. Dance, sing, listen, learn and play with musical instruments, scarves, mirrors, parachutes and more! Duration 60 mins Catherine Hartnett is a music teacher with…
Find out more »MUSIC: ABBA Sensations
ABBA SENSATIONS brilliantly perform Abba's timeless classics, bringing you the authentic ABBA sound, with stunning vocals, beautiful harmonies, musicianship and musical arrangement. Relive the magic of a live ABBA concert featuring all the big hits with choreographed dance routines and fabulous ABBA costumes. This show captures all the magic and excitement of one of the world’s most successful and entertaining bands.
Find out more »MUSIC: Freddie White
Freddie White has long been synonymous with music of the highest quality. He has been part of the fabric of the live music scene in Ireland since the 1970’s and his albums continue to sell well, amongst his loyal and newfound fan base. Born in Cobh, Co. Cork into a musical family, by age 17 he was playing professionally. At 19, he moved to London, where he busked in subways, and developed his unique voice and guitar style. His earliest…
Find out more »FAMILY CINEMA: The Greatest Showman Sing-a-long
Ladies and gents, this is the moment you’ve waited for…a special sing-a-long screening of The Greatest Showman! It’s your time to shine – have fun, sing loud and ‘Come Alive’ – It’s Showtime! Step right up and into the spellbinding imagination of a man who set out to reveal that life itself can be the most thrilling show of all. Inspired by the legend and ambitions of America’s original pop-culture impresario, P.T. Barnum, comes an inspirational rags-to-riches tale of a brash…
Find out more »MUSIC: Highly Strung
Welcome to Highly Strung’s Mid-Winter Musical Gathering. The ladies are delighted to return to Riverbank for their annual festive performance. The four friends’ diverse musical backgrounds create a mellow blend which hallmarks the spirit of Christmas for their audiences. Highly Strung casts a little star light on the darkest time of the year with a quirky perspective on favourites from Bach to Berlin. Featuring an acoustic blend of voice (Angela O’Toole), flute (Jeanette Behan), violin (Lisa Lazenby) and harp (Mary…
Find out more »CINEMA: Robust (Robuste)
George, an aging film star, who is known for being difficult, relies heavily on his security guard, Lalou, who is more of a personal assistant than security detail. When Lalou needs to take some leave, Aïssais appointed as his replacement. She Is a semi-pro wrestler who earns a living as a security officer. Between this pragmatic young bodyguard and disenchanted renowned actor, a singular bond begins to take root. Despite their individual differences, life has shaped them in ways more…
Find out more »January 2023
VISUAL ART: Freedom of Choice
In 2022 artist Clodagh Kelly led an artist residence programme at Riverbank Arts Centre, supported by the Kildare County Council Arts Service First Fortnight Award, in partnership with First Fortnight. Women of diverse ages, arts experiences and social backgrounds participated in the residency which resulted in Freedom of Choice - a body of work which gives a glimpse into these women’s lives. The artwork created shows their personalised take on health/wellbeing and journeys of healing whilst world politics, Covid and…
Find out more »VISUAL ART: A Daily Cloud by Chris Judge
A Daily Cloud is an interactive exhibition created by artist Chris Judge, based on his online cloud drawings. Chris started making the cloud drawings during the first Covid-19 lockdown in the Summer of 2020. He was spending a lot of time in the garden with his wife and young children, turning the garden into a little sanctuary for them to hang out in. Like many people, they were properly focusing on all the wonderful nature that surrounds us for the…
Find out more »THEATRE: Pure Mental by Keith Walsh
Following a 16-venue tour in 2021, Pure Mental returns to Riverbank Arts Centre for two special performances, as part of First Fortnight Festival. Having finished up a 5-year stint presenting on National Radio, in the pressure cooker that is a breakfast show, Keith Walsh found a bit of time for himself. More importantly, he found time to check in with his mental health. Midlife Crisis? Midlife awakening? Breakdown? Join him on a journey of introspection and exploration, as he locates his demons…
Find out more »THEATRE: Pure Mental by Keith Walsh
Following a 16-venue tour in 2021, Pure Mental returns to Riverbank Arts Centre for two special performances, as part of First Fortnight Festival. Having finished up a 5-year stint presenting on National Radio, in the pressure cooker that is a breakfast show, Keith Walsh found a bit of time for himself. More importantly, he found time to check in with his mental health. Midlife Crisis? Midlife awakening? Breakdown? Join him on a journey of introspection and exploration, as he locates his demons…
Find out more »FIRST FORTNIGHT: Mark Making Workshop with Martina McDonald
Join visual artist Martina McDonald for an evening of mark making. In the workshop you will be encouraged to create a mess with art materials! The practice of mark making is simple, fun and often calming. Martina will guide you through a range of ways to create different marks and textures on paper. These elements can then be collaged together, or simply just created for the fun of it. Zero experience necessary, curiosity is encouraged. About the artist Martina is…
Find out more »CINEMA: The Banshees of Inisherin
Set during the Irish Civil War, on a coastal island, lifelong friends Pádraic and Colm suddenly find themselves at an impasse when Colm unexpectedly ends their friendship. A stunned Pádraic endeavours to repair the relationship, refusing to take no for an answer. But when Colm delivers a desperate ultimatum, the whole village become involved in the standoff, with events swiftly escalating with shocking consequences. With his latest film offering Martin McDonagh brings us a gentle and brutal tale of a…
Find out more »SCHOOLS: A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen
Ibsen's classic play was greeted with shock in 1879, with both its style and subject matter being seen as subversive. It premiered in Copenhagen at the dawn of the suffragette movement and continues to be one of the world's most performed plays. It ushered modern drama onto centre stage, banishing aristocratic comedy and melodrama to the side-line. The ending of the play, a slammed door, sent shockwaves around the world that still echo today. Kildare Youth Theatre present a new…
Find out more »LOCAL ARTS: Kildare Youth Theatre Presents A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen
Ibsen's classic play was greeted with shock in 1879, with both its style and subject matter being seen as subversive. It premiered in Copenhagen at the dawn of the suffragette movement and continues to be one of the world's most performed plays. It ushered modern drama onto centre stage, banishing aristocratic comedy and melodrama to the side-line. The ending of the play, a slammed door, sent shockwaves around the world that still echo today. Kildare Youth Theatre present a new…
Find out more »SCHOOLS: A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen
Ibsen's classic play was greeted with shock in 1879, with both its style and subject matter being seen as subversive. It premiered in Copenhagen at the dawn of the suffragette movement and continues to be one of the world's most performed plays. It ushered modern drama onto centre stage, banishing aristocratic comedy and melodrama to the side-line. The ending of the play, a slammed door, sent shockwaves around the world that still echo today. Kildare Youth Theatre present a new…
Find out more »LOCAL ARTS: Kildare Youth Theatre Presents A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen
Ibsen's classic play was greeted with shock in 1879, with both its style and subject matter being seen as subversive. It premiered in Copenhagen at the dawn of the suffragette movement and continues to be one of the world's most performed plays. It ushered modern drama onto centre stage, banishing aristocratic comedy and melodrama to the side-line. The ending of the play, a slammed door, sent shockwaves around the world that still echo today. Kildare Youth Theatre present a new…
Find out more »ARTIST TALK: Freedom of Choice Panel Discussion & Workshop
Curated by visual artist Clodagh Kelly, Freedom of Choice exhibition offers a glimpse into the lives of ten women. Created by ten participating artists, the exhibition explores a range of topics including mental health, psychiatry and journeys of healing, nature, fertility, childbirth, visibility, homelessness and violence. Join the artists for a panel discussion (7pm) prompted by Freedom of Choice, chaired by Dr. Brid Connolly (writer and former Tutor with the Department of Adult & Community Education, NUIM). All welcome. The…
Find out more »WORKSHOP: The Ballad of Freaked Out Freddy – Interactive Storytelling with Paul Timoney
The Ballad Of Freaked Out Freddy begins with a little story about a normally, happy-go-lucky lad named Freddy who gets some rather spiky thoughts from time. He tries a couple of tricks to smooth out those spiky thoughts, but it's not always easy to come up with ways to do so by oneself, so it might be handy if twenty or so children, aged between 7 to 10, would come along and give Freddy a hand. This performance/workshop will use…
Find out more »FAMILY CINEMA: Onward
Set in a suburban fantasy world, Disney and Pixar’s Onward introduces two teenage elf brothers who embark on an extraordinary quest to discover if there is still a little magic left out there. Ian and Barley Lightfoot (voices of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) get an unexpected opportunity to spend one more day with their late dad and embark on an extraordinary quest aboard Barleys epic van Guinevere. Like many good quests their journey is filled with magic spells, cryptic maps,…
Find out more »PREVIEW: Lakelands – followed by Q&A
Lakelands is the debut feature from Robert Higgins and Patrick McGivney whose short film Drifting, starring the BAFTA-winning Paul Mescal, premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh last year to critical acclaim. After an attack on a night out, a young Gaelic footballer, Cian, struggles to comes to terms with a career-ending injury. Lakelands follows him as he undertakes a search for his own identity in a small town in the midlands, where Gaelic football is a religion and identity is…
Find out more »CINEMA: The Lost King
In 2012, having been lost for over 500 years, the remains of King Richard III were discovered beneath a carpark in Leicester. The search had been orchestrated by an amateur historian, Philippa Langley, whose unrelenting research had been met with incomprehension by her friends and family and with scepticism by experts and academics. The Lost King is the life-affirming true story of a woman who refused to be ignored and who took on the country's most eminent historians, forcing them…
Find out more »LOCAL ARTS: MAC Productions Present – Nunsense
Nunsense is the hilarious musical comedy about a convent of Nuns staging a fundraiser to help bury the last four nuns of their order who died in an unfortunate convent cooking accident (and who are temporarily being stored in the freezer!). The sisters decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show so they take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for a production of Grease. Here we meet the…
Find out more »LOCAL ARTS: MAC Productions Present – Nunsense
Nunsense is the hilarious musical comedy about a convent of Nuns staging a fundraiser to help bury the last four nuns of their order who died in an unfortunate convent cooking accident (and who are temporarily being stored in the freezer!). The sisters decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show so they take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for a production of Grease. Here we meet the…
Find out more »LOCAL ARTS: MAC Productions Present – Nunsense
Nunsense is the hilarious musical comedy about a convent of Nuns staging a fundraiser to help bury the last four nuns of their order who died in an unfortunate convent cooking accident (and who are temporarily being stored in the freezer!). The sisters decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show so they take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for a production of Grease. Here we meet the…
Find out more »LOCAL ARTS: MAC Productions Present – Nunsense
Nunsense is the hilarious musical comedy about a convent of Nuns staging a fundraiser to help bury the last four nuns of their order who died in an unfortunate convent cooking accident (and who are temporarily being stored in the freezer!). The sisters decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show so they take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for a production of Grease. Here we meet the…
Find out more »CINEMA: The Woman King
The African kingdom of Dahomey, 1823. General Nanisca leads the Agojie, an all-female group of warriors. A young woman named Nawi is taken in as an Agojie recruit, but it soon becomes clear Nanisca has a surprise connection with the new arrival. Meanwhile, Dahomey’s King Ghezo looks to make sweeping changes to the way the kingdom does business. But war is brewing with a rival empire involved in the slave trade… The Woman King is an epic historical action film…
Find out more »February 2023
WORKSHOP: Make a Flipbook Animation Workshop
Imbolc marks the beginning of Spring and what better way to celebrate this traditional Gaelic festival than by bringing some Celtic mythology and designs to life. Join animator Joseph Orr for this 90-minute workshop where you will learn to create your own Flipbook animation. Flipbooks are ideal for those interested in drawing and animation. You will learn how to use the basic principles of hand drawn animation to make your own creations come to life. The workshop is a mixture…
Find out more »WORKSHOP: Carding with Keith
Join Keith Walsh for a workshop of card-making and mindfulness. Rediscover the joy and fun of drawing, colouring and writing, while creating original cards for yourself and for loved ones. Over this 90-minute workshop, you can take time out to think about yourself and your life, and meet new people in a friendly environment. Suitable for grown-ups of all ages, no art or drawing experience is necessary. All art materials provided. Keith Walsh is a Radio & TV Broadcaster and…
Find out more »CINEMA: Corsage
Vienna 1877: Empress Elizabeth of Austria turns 40. Always famed for her beauty, Elizabeth is also a curious and intelligent woman, with a keen passion for life. But under increased public scrutiny, she finds herself battling between conforming as a mere “trophy” figure with a tiny waist (maintained by her tight corsets), or rebelling against expectations and pursuing the freedom she craves. Actress Vicky Krieps not only stars as Elizabeth, but also originated the idea for Corsage, making it a…
Find out more »WORKSHOP: BrickFlicks Stop Motion Animation Camp
In this special BrickFlicks Stop Motion Animation Camp, learn all the basics of how to animate in stop motion using your favourite LEGO character. Shoot spells, fight superheroes, blast rockets or fall through portals, use your imagination to make your very own movies. With plenty of hands-on learning and simple demonstrations, Createschool will take you on a journey from having a cool idea to making it into an awesome movie. You will learn the different elements of stop motion animation…
Find out more »WORKSHP: BrickFlicks Level-Up Camp
Have you already become a BrickFlicks animator? Then it’s time to level up! Bring your animating skills to the next level by learning what it is like to make your very own movie from start to finish. Build on the skills you have already made by learning about lighting and animating special effects as well as how to storyboard a short movie, create camera angles and how to create bigger and better sets. All you need is your imagination! This…
Find out more »THEATRE: Danti-Dan by Gina Moxley
“Listen girl, this is the kind of place that if you lost your virginity, somebody would find it and bring it home to your mother” In the middle of nowhere outside Cork city, during the interminable summer of 1970, a motley gang hang out on a short stretch of road. Dan is a busy 14-year-old cowboy, innocent Dolores and wily Cactus’ hormones are absolutely raging, while Ber is hoping you can’t get pregnant if you were standing up… By the…
Find out more »COMEDY: Jason Byrne Unblocked
Jason Byrne has had an upgrade. In his brand new show Unblocked Jason 2.0 talks about his new lease of life following heart surgery. The Six Million Dollar Byrne has cleared his arteries, his mind and his schedule to bring you an evening of pure unadulterated old fashioned fun. This is the ultimate celebration of life and never giving up brought to you by “The Outright King of Live Comedy”
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