September 2021
VISUAL ART: QUARANTINE PROJECT by Patricio Cassinoni with Nyree Yergainharsian
70 photos in 70 days, made entirely at home while in lockdown during a global pandemic. Quarantine Project is a time capsule from one of the most unique periods of recent history. We never imagined we would be making more than a handful of images, assuming any ‘lockdown’ may last two or three weeks. As news emerged of our need to stay away from everyone, so did our desire to connect and communicate. Quarantine Project is our version of life…
Find out more »VISUAL ART: Nomadic Series: Capturing Momentary Images – an exhibition by Olga Anacka
This exhibition is a record of artist Olga Anacka's experience of the last 18 months, a time when when she returned to her regular art practice. In this body of work, the artist expresses feelings and thoughts about experiencing the real. Perception is limited by the intellectual associations built upon societal codes and values. Olga Anacka attempts to establish such visual codes distinct to her, and the work is infused with references to nature and her Slavic heritage. The artist…
Find out more »CINEMA: NOMADLAND
In Chloé Zhao’s multiple award-winning feature, Frances McDormand plays Fern, a displaced woman in her 60’s, who, having lost her husband and her home, sets off on the road to explore life as a modern-day nomad. A mixture of fiction and documentary filmmaking, Nomadland features a cast of real life nomads: people living on the road, travelling for seasonal work, unencumbered by many of life’s obligations. There is freedom and comradery in their community, mirroring the same openness as their…
Find out more »SCHOOLS: CELLO, Nice to Meet You! with Greg Sinclair
We are delighted to present a very special event for the classroom with musician and composer, Greg Sinclair. A single class can join Greg LIVE on zoom for CELLO, Nice to Meet You! – a playful, interactive introduction to the cello and graphic notation. (suitable for 2nd Class-6th Class.) Greg Sinclair is an award-winning performer based in Edinburgh who specialises in work for young people. Greg will perform a tiny solo concert for your class and introduce children to the…
Find out more »LIVE Network: Republic of Shame
LIVE Network and Riverbank Arts Centre present a night of conversation and creative responses to the ongoing legacy of the mother and baby home institutions. Until recently, religious orders and the Irish state operated a network of institutions where thousands of women and children were disappeared into, separated from each other and exploited. Through breaking silences and sharing testimonies, generational survivors of this system in Ireland have become catalysts of change. In the search for answers, their voices must continue…
Find out more »October 2021
THEATRE: Seven Ages of Mam
A new, heart-warmingly funny yet poignant play starring Pauline O’Driscoll (Smalltown, The Young Offenders) in which Mam shares her hilarious take on motherhood, sexuality, grief, infidelity, ageing, love, lust and loneliness. A female-centric piece that will appeal to all. A contemporary reimagining of Shakespeare's most famous soliloquy - but from a Mam's point of view! Finally touring in Ireland for the first time having garnered rave reviews and been nominated BEST NEW PLAY at its World Premiere at Brighton Fringe…
Find out more »FAMILY: CBI Online Book Clinics
Riverbank Arts Centre is partnering with Children's Books Ireland on FREE online book clinics on Saturday 2nd October, 11am-3pm. Are you a young reader? Looking for a new series to delve into? Feeling uninspired by your bookshelves at home? Do you need a prescription for an exciting new read? Then pop into the virtual Book Clinic! Visit the Book Doctor and consult on your favourite reads – come away with a prescription for your next book which you can take…
Find out more »CINEMA: Redemption of a Rogue
After seven years in exile, prodigal son Jimmy Cullen (Aaron Monaghan) returns home to Cavan to make peace with his dying father. Within moments of Jimmy’s arrival, the old man breathes his last and the heavens open. All that remains is to organise the funeral, except his father’s will stipulates he cannot be buried on a wet day, otherwise Jimmy and his brother will be disinherited. And it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop raining anytime soon … Winner…
Find out more »Kildare Readers Festival: Shelving
Why do artists and writers shelve or abandon particular projects – books, artworks, ideas? What does this tell us about how artists and writers work? What does it tell us about the systems in which they work, the expectations placed upon them, the kinds of work considered viable, valuable, worthwhile? For this event as part of Kildare Readers' Festival, a number of practitioners from literature and the visual arts have been invited to present and talk about works they've previously…
Find out more »SCHOOLS: Geansaí Ottó le Sadhbh Devlin (bilingual – Irish/English)
Tá stíl ag Ottó agus is breá leis éadaí deasa. Ach ní thuigeann Mamó rud ar bith faoi chúrsaí faisin. Nuair a thagann geansaí gránna eile sa phost uaithi tá rogha ag Ottó - caithfidh sé rud éigin a dhéanamh... Léifidh Sadhbh óna leabhar úr-nua agus beidh deis agaibh bhur geansaithe féin a dhearadh freisin! Ottó has style and he loves fashionable clothes. Unfortunately, his Mamó doesn't understand anything about fashion and when another ugly jumper arrives in the post…
Find out more »MUSIC: EIMEAR CREHAN
Eimear Crehan is a songwriter based in Kildare and has been performing in the Irish Music Scene for over 12 years now. In that time her sound has really developed, having moved through lots of genres like funk, soul, gospel and rock. It is only now that her sound has found its true home, with its feet in soul and its body in the story-telling aspect of folk. Eimear loves beautiful melodies, powerful stories, and delicate instrumentation. She brings audiences…
Find out more »EARLY YEARS: Shimmer
A dance show for audiences of babies aged 3-12 months. Full of silver, light and wonder, Shimmer is a unique, dream-like dance show for audiences of babies and their adults. Shimmer invites its audiences into an immersive reflective space created by Katie Davenport animated by a twinkling original score by David Goodall, gentle choreography by Hayley Earlam that responds to its individual tiny audience members and stunning wraparound video art by Conan McIvor. Directed by Anna Newell Co-produced by Anna…
Find out more »EARLY YEARS: Shimmer
A dance show for audiences of babies aged 3-12 months. Full of silver, light and wonder, Shimmer is a unique, dream-like dance show for audiences of babies and their adults. Shimmer invites its audiences into an immersive reflective space created by Katie Davenport animated by a twinkling original score by David Goodall, gentle choreography by Hayley Earlam that responds to its individual tiny audience members and stunning wraparound video art by Conan McIvor. Directed by Anna Newell Co-produced by Anna…
Find out more »CINEMA: Annette
Henry and Ann are famous, and madly in love. The tabloids and gossip columns are frenzied: he is a shock-jock, stand-up comedian, while she is a beloved operatic soprano. They marry and welcome a baby daughter; Annette. But all is not well … Henry struggles, resenting his wife and the monotony of family life. As the darker side of his personality builds, tragedy is inevitable. When Annette reveals she has inherited her mother’s vocal talents, Henry begins to exploit his…
Find out more »MUSIC: Cassiopeia Winds
Cassiopeia: a group of five bright stars, to be found in the northern sky in the shape of a W. Cassiopeia Winds: a group of five exceptional musicians whose sheer joy in performing together is contagious. Cassiopeia Winds is an Irish chamber wind ensemble formed in 2010, whose performances are marked by vivacity, panache and a dedication to the exploration of fine sound-worlds. Though the ensemble has the capacity to expand or contract to suit its innovative programming, at its…
Find out more »Kildare Readers Festival: John Bowman & Abie Philbin Bowman
With a shared love of history and debate John Bowman and Abie Philbin Bowman are ideal interviewer and interviewee. KRF are delighted to bring you this exclusive interview as they discuss John Bowman's book Ireland the Autobiography: One Hundred Years in the Life of the Nation, Told by its People. This absorbing and highly acclaimed book which has been researched over decades draws on eyewitness accounts, diaries and memoirs from the perspective of people who lived in these times, how…
Find out more »Kildare Readers Festival: 10 Books You Should Read
10 Books You Should Read continues to be a favourite event at Kildare Readers' Festival. Its format is a simple one - the guests choose five titles each – conversation ensues, as recommendations - and the advocacy of same - volley back and forth. On this occasion KRF thought to have the conversation be amongst the keepers of our cultural collections. Simon O’Connor is the Director of the Museum of Literature Ireland, a creative collaboration between UCD and the National Library of Ireland,…
Find out more »Kildare Readers Festival: Luke Cassidy’s Iron Annie Cabaret
The Iron Annie Cabaret is a celebration of music, theatre and literature. Based on Luke Cassidy’s debut novel Iron Annie, it tells the story of Aoife, a major figure in Dundalk’s small-town underworld, and her fatal attraction to Annie, a magnetic and elusive force that barged into her life. Think Reservoir Dogs meets Thelma and Louise meets the Rocky Horror Picture Show. This production features performances by Eleanor McLoughlin as Aoife, accompanied by musical performances by folk duo the Dandelion…
Find out more »Kildare Readers Festival: The Alphabet of Birds
Sunday Mass and sea swimming; bird alphabets and stone collecting; Goya and Monet; the Stations of the Cross and the Sacred Heart of Jesus; bedrooms and bedsits; insomnia and parental love. Writer and artist Sara Baume covers wide ground in this spellbinding audio-visual essay. Ultimately, it’s a show about our obsessions and passions – the multitude of rituals that fill our daily lives with meaning. Live readings of Baume's new essay are interspersed with four short documentaries from Jamie Goldrick…
Find out more »CINEMA: Limbo
Omar (Amir El-Masry) is a young Syrian musician stationed upon a fictional remote Scottish island, where he and a group of new arrivals await the results of their asylum claims. Omar shares his accommodation with Farhad, a Freddie Mercury fan who fled Afghanistan; Nigerian Wasef, who dreams of footballing glory; and Abedi, a reluctant realist. Isolated from his family and any sense of belonging in a strange land, a broken arm leaves Omar feeling further adrift and unable to play…
Find out more »SCHOOLS: CELLO, Nice to Meet You! with Greg Sinclair
We are delighted to present a very special event for the classroom with musician and composer, Greg Sinclair. A single class can join Greg LIVE on zoom for CELLO, Nice to Meet You! – a playful, interactive introduction to the cello and graphic notation. (suitable for 2nd Class-6th Class.) Greg Sinclair is an award-winning performer based in Edinburgh who specialises in work for young people. Greg will perform a tiny solo concert for your class and introduce children to the…
Find out more »MUSIC NETWORK PRESENTS: Kit Downes’ Dreamlife of Debris
Kit Downes piano, organ Tom Challenger tenor saxophone Lucy Railton cello Sebastian Rochford drums An unmissable opportunity to hear Kit Downes’ highly anticipated and critically acclaimed album Dreamlife of Debris in concert. The wandering mind is a curious thing, and Kit Downes' Dreamlife of Debris explores its tangents and threads, subtleties and secrets in this stunning project inspired by W. G. Sebald's The Rings of Saturn novel. There is a suitably zero gravity feel to this music, buoyant, orbital, full of whorls and tendrils…
Find out more »EARLY YEARS: I Am Baba
I AM BABA a show for babies aged 0-12 months created by Anna Newell presented by The Civic, Tallaght I AM BABA is a theatre adventure for babies created by internationally renowned theatre director Anna Newell and composer David Goodall. Their shows for early years have been seen on six continents, off-Broadway and in every single Sure Start in Belfast. I AM BABA – a magical adventure of song, lights and textures for babies aged 0-12 months. It’s a show…
Find out more »THEATRE: Arán & Im by Manchán Magan
We need to find a way of talking about the Irish language - about the sublime beauty and profound oddness of this ancient tongue that has been spoken on the island for 2,500 to 3,000 years, and is now slipping slowly from our grasp. What can the word for the lonesomeness of a cow bereft of her calf, diadhánach, teach us about our current methods of food production? Why does one need to orientate oneself to the sun to give…
Find out more »FAMILY: TREEHOUSE by Ceol Connected
Join The Whistleberries in the treetops where a toe-tapping, tale-telling, hip-shaking hooley awaits! TREEHOUSE is Ceol Connected's unique big band music and puppetry performance for young audiences that is sure to have everyone singing along. With mesmerising original music and songs by some of Ireland’s finest musicians and performers, you can look forward to a wonderfully interactive show that will have audiences of all ages hooked. Musical Director Thomas Johnston (whistles and song) is joined by a stellar line-up of…
Find out more »FAMILY: TREEHOUSE by Ceol Connected
Join The Whistleberries in the treetops where a toe-tapping, tale-telling, hip-shaking hooley awaits! TREEHOUSE is Ceol Connected's unique big band music and puppetry performance for young audiences that is sure to have everyone singing along. With mesmerising original music and songs by some of Ireland’s finest musicians and performers, you can look forward to a wonderfully interactive show that will have audiences of all ages hooked. Musical Director Thomas Johnston (whistles and song) is joined by a stellar line-up of…
Find out more »November 2021
VISUAL ARTS: Beneath / Beofhód – an exhibition by Shane Hynan
‘Beneath / Beofhód’ is an ongoing photographic series examining the degraded raised bogs of the Irish midlands, and the communities connected to them. Peat harvesting and turf cutting are woven deep into the cultural fabric of the region however, these activities have also led to significant depletion. In recent years, legitimate environmental concerns have resulted in pressure to preserve the remaining bogs, heralding significant change for affected communities. Although the benefits of preservation are well documented, the human cost is…
Find out more »THEATRE: Pure Mental by Keith Walsh
Keith Walsh is Pure Mental. Having finished up a 5-year stint presenting on National Radio, in the pressure cooker that is a breakfast show, Keith has finally found a bit of time for himself. More importantly, he’s found time to check in with his mental health. Midlife Crisis? Midlife awakening? Breakdown? We’ll find out. This show is part of his therapy and you’re his therapist! Join him on a journey of introspection and exploration, as he locates his demons and…
Find out more »THEATRE: Pure Mental by Keith Walsh
Keith Walsh is Pure Mental. Having finished up a 5-year stint presenting on National Radio, in the pressure cooker that is a breakfast show, Keith has finally found a bit of time for himself. More importantly, he’s found time to check in with his mental health. Midlife Crisis? Midlife awakening? Breakdown? We’ll find out. This show is part of his therapy and you’re his therapist! Join him on a journey of introspection and exploration, as he locates his demons and…
Find out more »December 2021
COMEDY: OWEN COLGAN – On The Dry
Owen Colgan, Irish cult comedy hero is best known for his role as Buzz McDonnell from Hardy Bucks. Hardy Bucks has seen Owen star in four hit seasons on RTE and the Hardy Bucks hit movie which media coined 'the Irish Hangover' and was produced by the mammoth Universal Studios. Owen Colgan is a life coach from the west of Ireland who has seen it all. After 25 years addicted to pints and smoking, it seems he has finally knocked…
Find out more »January 2022
VISUAL ART: Invisible Cords – An exhibition by Clodagh Kelly
'Invisible Cords' is a collection of artwork developed by Kildare based Visual Artist Clodagh Kelly over the last ten years. Clodagh uses drawing, mixed media and natural materials to explore health, landscape, healing and form in space. This exhibition draws from three bodies of artwork 'Scratched Room', 'Cruel Nature' and 'Boundaries' allowing the underlying invisible cords that resonate between the different series to emerge. ABOUT THE ARTIST: Clodagh Kelly graduated from Fine Art D.I.T in 1997 and worked as a…
Find out more »May 2022
COMEDY: Dirtbirds – No Filter
In a world where women are expected to have the patience of Mother Teresa, the arse of Jennifer Lopez, the social media profile of Kim Kardashian and the BMI of Elle McPherson the pressure is relentless. Dirtbirds the comedy duo and internet sensation present their hilarious new show ‘No Filters’ which takes a close look at the barrage of bullshit we are subjected to on a daily basis and reminds us that despite what we’re told there is NO SUCH…
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