WHAT’S ON AROUND COUNTY WICKLOW
The Office Shop and Next Door Off-licence.
MICHELLE O’BRIEN AND DAMIEN MULLANE CONCERT
Michelle (fiddle) and Damien (accordian) take charge of the second concert in this year’s Music Under the Mountains festival, where they will be joined by Toss The Fiddles, a local trio of musicians featuring Aoife Doyle, Orla Greaves and Rachel Conlon. For tickets, costing €20, visit musicunderthemountains.com
LEONARD COHEN TRIBUTE
The great singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen will be celebrated at this special night in aid of Wicklow Cancer Support and Wicklow RNLI. Singers and musicians from around the county will perform songs from Cohen’s extensive catalogue, and explain why. Doors open at 7.30 p.m. Tickets, costing €10, are available from the hotel, Halpin’s Bridge Cafe, Track One Music Store and Wings and Things.
A NIGHT FOR RAY
Much-missed Arklow man Raymond Gaffney will be remembered at this muscial night in his memory, featuring Those Lazy Babies, Black Cherry, Brian Lawlor and other guests. Tickets cost €10 and are available from Raymond Gaffney and Sons, Christy’s and on the door.
MUSIC NETWORK CONCERT
Music Network presents this unique collaboration featuring Dervish front woman Cathy Jordan, founder member of Four Men and a Dog, Mick Daly, and current BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2017 nominee, Jarlath Henderson. Tickets, costing €15, are available from the Courthouse Arts Centre.
FUN DAY AND KICK FADA
Members and non-members are welcome along to Bray Emmets GAA Club for this day of celebrations, which will feature the 18th annual All-Ireland Kick Fada competition from 12.30 p.m. to 2 p.m. There will be lots of games, stalls and food stalls to keep young and old entertained. Entry is free.
JACKIE BURKE READING
As part of Bray Literary Festival, local author Jackie Burke will read from the latest book in her ‘Secrets of Grindlewood’ series, give writing tips for kids and engage in a Q&A. Suitable for children aged 8 to 11 years.
HONEY FESTIVAL
The sweetest day out for all the family, the inaugural Ashford Honey Festival will offer a chance to taste some top grade honey and see some bees in action. There will also be a raffle, face painting, bee-friendly plants and refreshments.
POETS IN CONVERSATION
As part of Bray Literary Festival, Dublin poet Nessa O’Mahony will be in conversation with Mayo’s Geraldine Mitchell and Jane Clarke from Glenmalure. Tickets cost €10, email braylitfest@gmail.com
KIDS’READINGWORKSHOP
Children are welcome to join author and illustrator Alan Nolan for a fun brain-swap workshop and make a mini-comic as part of Bray Literary Festival.
LIT FIX
Novelists and short-story writers Nuala O’Connor, Alan MConagle and Catherine Dunne will be shedding some light on their writing experiences as part of Bray Literary Festival. Tickets cost €10, email braylitfest@gmail.com.
MUSIC IN THE WOODS
Join in this walk through the scenic Hollywood forest to the sound of live traditional music – a true musical trail! This event is part of the Music Under the Mountains festival.
HAIRSPRAY
The talented performers of Blessington Muscial and Dramatic Society bring this wonderful show about following your dreams to the stage. Tickets cost €12 and are available from The Office Shop and Next Door Off-licence.
POETRY: ONES TO WATCH!
Prize-winning poets Paul Bregazzi, Annemarie Ní Churreáin and Eamon McGuinness, whose reputations are fast becoming established on the poetry scene, will read some of their works as part of Bray Literary Festival. Tickets cost €5, email braylitfest@gmail.com.
BOOK LAUNCHES FOR AUTHORS
During this free event as part of Bray Literary Festival, publicist Peter O’Connell will guide writers through the process of preparing for a book launch.
SHORT STORY WRITERS
Come and hear from successful short story writers Tanya Farrelly, Martin Malone and Órfhlaith Foyle as part of Bray Literary Festival. Tickets cost €10, email braylitfest@ gmail.com
TRAD MUSIC CONCERT
Join Kevin Conneff (bodhrán and vocals), Gay McKeon (uilleann pipes) and Tim Edey (guitar and accordion) for this Music Under the Mountains fesitval concert. For tickets, costing €20, visit musicunderthemountains.com.
WRITING ACROSS THE GENRE
Mary O’Donnell, David Butler, John MacKenna and Kelly Creighton are not only successful novelists, they also have won acclaim for their poetry, memoir writing and acting, among other areas. Tickets cost €10, email braylitfest@gmail.com.
CRAIC AT THE CLUB
The craic continues at the club with a performance by Paddy Casey, who will be supported by Third Smoke and Three Underneath in the marquee. DJ Cantina Bop will kick things off at 8 p.m. before the main show starts at 9 p.m. Tickets cost €20 - to book, visit eireoggreystones.com.
NEWTOWN AWARDS
Thepublichavevotedandnowkind, charitableandhard-workinglocalsare tobehonouredwithNewtownmountkennedyCommunityAwards. Tickets cost€10andareavailablefromthe postofficeoronthedoor.
NORA
Tickets cost €18/16 from the Mermaid.
FUNDRAISING NIGHT
This musical evening will raise funds for the old school in Davidstown. Tickets are available from local shops.
BRAY ARTS JOURNAL LAUNCH
As well as launching the journal, which is filled with the work of both established and up-and-coming writers, this free event will feature the Abraxas and Little Bray writers groups and an open mic night with singer-songwriter and poet BeRn.
SET DANCING NIGHT
Richie Cullen will kick off his fundraising campaign for Strictly An Tochar with an Irish night and set dancing event. A raffle will be held on the night. Admission is €5.
The 10km and 5km dash from Carlow to Wicklow is back! Runners, joggers, walkers and strollers are invited to take on this flat run over the border from Carlow to Wicklow. Registration takes place at St Joseph’s NS from 9.30 a.m.
POETRY CAFE
Join poets Anne Tannam, Stephanie Conn and Noel Duffy for this Bray Literary Festival event. Tickets cost €10, email braylitfest@ gmail.com
GLENCREE PEACE WALK
To mark the International Day of Peace, a group will walk from Glencullen to Glencree while raising funds to support the peace-buiding efforts of Glencreee Centre for Peace and Reconciliation. The walk cover a 10km stretch of the Wicklow Way, with a bus transfer at the end to the Glencree centre for refreshments and drop-off back to Glencullen. Anyone would would like to take part in the walk should email peacewalk@ glencree.ie or visit ‘The Glencree Peace Walk’ on Facebook.
ORIGINAL GARDEN OF IRELAND RUN STATIC SHOW
Day two of this vintage weekend will see Bray Vintage Car Club host the show section in its hometown of Bray. The show will feature all sorts of vehicles, including those with original Wicklow (NI) registrations. For more information, call Daphne on 086 1650353 or John on 086 2259215.
OPENDAY
With the garden still so colourful, the owners have decided to open it up for one last time this summer. There will be talks in the garden at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
PANELDISCUSSION
This free event as part of Bray Literary Festival will feature Tony Daly in conversation with Dermot O’Brien and Elena Hermosa from the team behind the seventh edition of ‘80-20 Development in an Undevelooped World’.
SINGINGSESSION
Singers of all ages, shapes, sizes and abilities are welcome along to this annual session as part of the Music Under the Mountains festival.
LADYKILLERS
Join crime novelists Sam Blake (aka Wicklow’s own Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin), Arlene Hunt and Louise Philips as part of Bray Literary Festival. Tickets cost €10, email braylitfest@gmail.com
CONCERTSINTHEORANGERY
The first in a series of three concerts in partnership with the Royal Academy of Music, will be a special opportunity to hear musical works nominated by distinguished writers, including Sebastian Barry, Anne Enright and Bernard MacLaverty, all performed by the academy’s prize-winning students. Tickets, which are available from Killruddery, cost €15/13.50.
PROSE: ONESTOWATCH!
Join Niall McArdle, Doreen Duffy and Adam Trodd for this Bray Literary Festival event. Tickets cost €5, email braylitfest@gmail.com
SONGWRITERS IN THE ROUND
Come hear BeRn, Keith Burke, Rachael McCormack and Mark Flynn perform as part of Bray Literary Festival. Tickets cost €10, email braylitfest@gmail.com.
STRICTLY MUSIC
John McHugh will host an evening of music as part of his Strictly An Tochar fundraising campaign. Roamin’ Cadillacs will perform. No cover charge but there will be a bucket collection and raffle.
THE VOICE SQUAD
The 2017 Music Under the Mountains festival draws to a close with The Voice Squad. Phil, Fran and Gerry are no strangers to the festival, having performed at the first one in 1991 and a number of others since. For tickets, costing €20, visit musicunderthemountains.com
VOICES FROM THE EDGE
Join Liz Quirke, Liz McManus, Lisa Harding and Arnold Thomas Fanning as the Bray Literary Festival draws to a close. Tickets cost €10, email braylitfest@gmail. com.
Declan Murphy welcomes all to the launch his new book ‘A Life in the Trees’, which follows the progress of a family of Great Spotted Woodpeckers in Co Wicklow. Refreshments and entertainment will be provided.
Tinahely Variety Group presents the one-act play Small Box Psychosis by Barry McKinley. Tickets €10 from the Courthouse Arts Centre.
RISQUE BUSINESS
Bringing a little Moulin Rouge to Greystones, Risqué Business is a celebration of not only that famous Paris theatre but also Germany’s decadent Weimar clubs, Ronnie Scott’s swinging Soho club and New York’s Cotton Club. It’s also a great big night of music, film, fun and fantasy. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets, available from whaletheatre.ie, cost €20 (€17 concession).