Here come the Doneraile girls!
'Art for the Heart' in Doneraile presented this year’s Celebration of International Women's Day on what was a very special evening, being the first opportunity for the group to get together since the start of the pandemic. The event was held in St Mary's Church of Ireland in the town, and the Reverend Meurig Williams shared some very thought-provoking words, followed by the official opening of the evening by Cllr Dierdre O’Brien.
On the evening, visitors were greeted with an exhibition of paintings by local artists, while also on display was a St Bridget’s Cross by Jennifer Hartnett, photography by Jenny Healy and alongside was pottery and woodcraft work.
Chair of Art for the Heart, Mary St Leger, compered festivites which opened with Michelle Williams on the uilleann pipes, followed by a song, “Give an Irish Girl To Me”. Nora O’Keefe entertained the crowds with her tale about the author Honor Treacy, while Catherine Murray and Marian Quirke added a little drama to proceedings with their enactment of ‘Miss Otis Returns’. Entertainment and celebration continued as Margaret O’Rourke took to the plinth to speak about the amazing work done in creating the crocheted and knitted Blankets of Hope, and Pauline De Cardonnel Hoare read some self-penned work.
Music on the night was supplied by Marian Quirke, accompanied on concertina by Shauna and Vicky Curran. Mick Quirke was on hand with guitar, while Isobel Cagney played Michael O Suileabhain’s ‘Woodbrook’. The Treblettes closed 'a great evening' with an a capella performance.
€190 was raised for the Red Cross Ukraine appeal on the evening, and the organisers would like to thank their sponsors, Eiley’s Bar and Centra Doneraile, and acknowledge that ‘none of this is possible’ without all those behind the scenes, “particularly Terry Gillett, Evelyn Reed and Hilary Sheehan.”