7 Things to do this week...
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WICKLOW CULTURE NIGHT: Wicklow celebrates an explosion of heritage and creativity on September 21 as part of the annual Culture Night programme. Luan Parle, Eamon Sweeney and others play in Nun’s Cross Church, while pianist Fiachra Garvey and mezzo soprano Rachel Kelly will be in concert at Russborough House, Blessington. An open day takes place at Tinahely Courthouse from 11 a.m. Bray Town Hall will host the Bray Literary Festival from 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. Health expert Karl Henry will be offering fitness and wellbeing advice at Greystones Library. The launch of Arklow’s new Secret Film Club also takes place at Arklow Library. Poet Jane Clare will be at Bridge Street Books in Wicklow town. Enniskerry Library will feature their ‘Yarn Bomb’ installation. Celebrity Chef Catherine Fulvio will be present at Blessington Library to talk about tasty meals you can prepare. The full programme of all the events and participating venues for Culture Night 2018 in County Wicklow and nationally is now available at culturenight.ie.
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ASHFORD HONEY FESTIVAL: The second annual Ashford Honey Festival takes place in Ashford Community and Heritage Centre on Saturday, September 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wicklow Rose Lorna Mallick will lend a bit of glamour and glitz to the whole occasion. The Honey Festival will have a host of children’s activities from storytelling to face painting, a children’s bee quiz and an art competition judged by local Ashford artist James Hanley RHA. There will also be an observational hive, honey tastings and sales, bee friendly plants and a talk from Philip McCabe, President of the world organisation of beekeepers Apimondia.
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HISTORICAL LECTURE: The West Wicklow Historical Society is bringing you an event with a difference with ‘Hello Delia Murphy’ at Baltinglass Courthouse on Wednesday, September 26, at 8 p.m. It’s the story of the singer Delia Murphy who was credited with laying the groundwork for the Irish folk revival in the 1930s – 1950s. Tickets, priced at €10, are on sale in advance. Enquiries to gorry@indigo.ie or 086 3301032.
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ALPACA OPEN DAY: Killruddery House and Gardens will play host to an alpaca open day on Sunday, September 23. Weatherpermitting, there will be talks, exhibitions and introductions to some of the alpacas of K2Alpacas from Newtownmountkennedy. There will be plenty of opportunities to get a photo will one of the fantastic alpacas too. While this is a free event, people must pay the entry fee to Killruddery in order to gain access.
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AUTUMN ART EXHIBITION: The first ever Autumn exhibition launched at Arklow Visual Arts Gallery, 61-62 Main Street, last night and runs until Friday, September 28. Arklow artists Mary Mitchell, Helen Hiney, David Owens, Tony Byrne, Michael Sheehan, Maisie Dillon, Patrick Power will showcase original works in oil, acrylic, watercolour, mixed media as well as wood creations. Admission is free and all are welcome to attend. Enquiries to arklowvisualarts@hotmail.com.
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WICKLOW FILM FESTIVAL: The third installment of this community film festival takes place from Friday, September 21, to Sunday, September 23, at the Mermaid Arts Centre. Screenings will include the docu-drama Citizen Lane, examining the troubled life of art collector Hugh Lane; Philomena, a true account of the devastating effects of forcibly removing children from unmarried mothers; Dublin Old School, a thought provoking examination of addiction and homelessness against the backdrop of a romp through the Dublin rave scene; Michael Inside, an exploration of the effects of incarceration; Oscar-nominated animation The Breadwinner; and a selection of film-shorts shot in Wicklow. Tickets are available from The Mermaid.
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30TH LA TOUCHE LEGACY SEMINAR AND 5TH FESTIVAL OF HISTORY: The history of county and country will again be examined as these two events take place at Greystones Golf Club over Friday and Saturday, September 21 and 22. Among the issues to be examined are the Irish ‘votes for women’ campaign, the Spanish Flu in Co Wicklow in 1918 and 1919, the legacy of the Irish Parliamentary Party in the Irish Free State and the role played by the periodical Dublin Opinion. RTE’s David McCullagh will present a lecture on ‘The Life and Times of de Valera’ while the Jim Brennan Memorial Lecture will be presented by retired lawyer and judge Liz Goldthorpe. Tickets (€30 for all lectures or €50 for all lectures and dinner) are available from 01 2875678 or 01 2876694.