IrishCentral Irish Arts - b5cc3275d518416eacb61d676e8d84d1

Dingle doesn’t disappoint with annual Feile na Bealtaine festival of Irish music and arts (IrishCentral)

Sun, 16 Jun 2013 04:34:28 PDT

Lumiere in Seamus Begley's caravanAs I was leaving Dingle town last month, a big May bank holiday festival was just getting underway called Feile na Bealtaine featuring a rich array of music and arts programming which I hope to return to in the future To say it celebrates the cultural diversity and depth to be found in that part of the world inhabited by West Kerry natives and wannabes is an understatement In particular, the link between poetry, song and music stands out, and some of that was brilliantly captured in a CD that I picked up there along with three others mentioned here in this column produced by three resident artistsAdmittedly I am a late catching up with Beal Tuinne, a performance that was recorded back in 2007 in St READ MORE

In twilight years and refusing to go quietly - 'These Halcyon Days' at The Irish Arts Center - VIDEO (IrishCentral)

Fri, 17 May 2013 05:03:58 PDT

Anita Reeves and Stephen Brennan star in These Halcyon DaysIt seems that the most vital voices in Irish playwriting currently belong to women For proof stop by the Irish Arts Center in New York this weekend and catch 'These Halcyon Days' by Deirdre Kinahan A lovely, understated marvel about life and loss and finding the courage to keep on going, it features pitch perfect performances by the two leads, Anita Reeves and Stephen BrennanSet in a nursing home (Kinahan’s dramatic instinct takes her to places other writers avoid), we meet the elderly Sean, who has essentially been abandoned by his loved ones, dropped off and completely forgotten READ MORE

Waterford artist Seamus Kelly bog art reflects on 13,000 years of Irish history (IrishCentral)

Tue, 14 May 2013 05:49:55 PDT

By: MICHELLE K SMITH

Waterford artist Seamus Kelly makes art out of thousands of years old submerged wood and ancient animal specimens that he finds in wetlands. Taking his inspiration from the Irish bogs, his iconic art gives a modern twist to Irish history.

Irish artist Roy Lyndsay's Art Exhibition comes to US for first time (IrishCentral)

Tue, 07 May 2013 02:18:39 PDT

Lobster Fishermen of SkelligsFor the first time ever in the United States, Irish artist Roy Lyndsay will be exhibiting his work at the Skinners Fine Art Auctioneers in Boston As part of the “American and European Works of Art” show, local art enthusiasts have a chance to view the breathtaking work of one of Ireland’s leading artistsRoy Lyndsay was born in Castlederg, Co Tyrone, Ireland in 1945 READ MORE

New Irish festival GaelFest to showcase music, dance, sports, arts and literature (IrishCentral)

Tue, 07 May 2013 05:20:47 PDT

By: JANE WALSH

On Saturday, June 1st 2013, Claddagh na nGael will present a brand new festival, GaelFest, celebrating traditional Irish culture in all its varied forms and expressions.

Irish Arts Center appoints Nik Quaife as Director of Communications and External Affairs (IrishCentral)

Thu, 02 May 2013 05:37:46 PDT

By: CAHIR O'DOHERTY

Nik Quaife, one of Ireland’s best known arts publicists and the founder and director of Dublin-based Zoetrope Arts Public Relations company, has been appointed Director of Communications and External Affairs at the Irish Arts Center here in New York.

Declan O’Rourke soothes the soul at the Irish Arts Center in New York City - VIDEO (IrishCentral)

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 05:03:28 PDT

Irish singer songwriter Declan O'RourkeThere is nothing that soothes the soul like going out and hearing live music and watching a talented and creative artist work their magic with a responsive audience That is one of the underlying principles stoking the music performance arena at the Irish Arts Center in New York City, a small Irish Cultural Center more than punching above its weight in massively overstimulated Big Apple marketplace Their recent initiatives like their Masters in Collaboration series and more particularly SongLives shows have sparked creativity and new performances at their black box theater space called the Donaghy Theater on the ground floor of the former garage building in Hell’s Kitchen, more fashionably known as Clinton these days on Manhattan’s far West Side in MidtownLast year , Dubliner Declan O’Rourke made an appearance with SongLives Curator and singer songwriter Susan McKeown as she sought to give much needed exposure to many gifted Irish singer-songwriters plying their trade on either side of the Atlantic these days READ MORE

Roald Dahl's Matilda battles bullies on Broadway (IrishCentral)

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:47:59 PDT

Bertie Carvel steals scenes and carries the showThe truth is Matilda isn't one of Roald Dahl's most interesting works Oh, it's a charming and typically dark effort by the old master and you'll certainly find yourself rooting for his bright and put-upon young creation, but there are contradictions in the narrative that make you wonder why it takes the time it takes for the story to end happilyThat's not the case with the Royal Shakespeare Company's absurdly entertaining new musical Matilda based on Dahl's book, now playing on Broadway READ MORE

A masterful pairing at the Irish Arts Center with Karan Casey and Aoife O’Donovan (IrishCentral)

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:17:54 PDT

Aoife O’Donovan and Karan Casey perform last week (Photo by Erin Baiano/Irish Arts Center)On any given night in New York City terrific music and entertainment choices abound, but one place seems to be having more than its share of successes in recent years and that would be the Irish Arts Center in Hell’s Kitchen This past week it played host to the Masters in Collaboration series in its seventh edition featuring singers Karan Casey and Aoife O’Donovan who performed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights after a scene setting interview night on Wednesday of last week Once again this innovative opportunity to peer into the creative process of dynamic performers in the Irish music scene is unparalleled in my opinion on either side of the Atlantic READ MORE

Step into a storybook garden with a fairytale castle at Lismore Castle and Gardens Arts Centre in County Waterford (IrishCentral)

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 04:33:00 PDT

Lismore Castle Gardens, Lismore, County WaterfordLismore Castle Gardens are exactly how I imagined my storybook garden to be, complete with a fairytale castle and Prince Charming throwin for good measure A place where I could wile away endless sunny afternoons in a floaty dress, playing Titania in "A Midsummer’s Night Dream" Or take afternoon tea in the shade of a gnarled old apple tree having painted yet another perfect botanical watercolorNeatly trimmed box hedges barely contain the flower filled borders with not a dead plant, bald spot or a weed to be seen anywhere READ MORE

Karan Casey and Aoife O’Donovan join forces at the Irish Arts Center for Masters in Collaboration series (IrishCentral)

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 04:32:43 PDT

Karan Casey and Aoife O'DonovanAmong many of the exciting programming features of Manhattan’s Irish Arts Center, there are none that appeal to me more than the Masters in Collaboration series now in its seventh editionIt’s coming up next week as singer-songwriters and interpreters Karan Casey and Aoife O’Donovan join forces for the week long exploration of one another’s music and creativityCasey, from Waterford, first burst upon the New York scene over two decades ago, breaking into national and international awareness with Solas, an all-star quintet, in 1994 before going onto a successful solo career with a number of very fine CDs and songs in her canon Perceived as one of Ireland’s finest interpreters of traditional songs learned from folks like Frank Harte to contemporary songwriters, she is now writing more of her own material at her home in Cork while still touring the world with a variety of artists READ MORE

Celtic Appalachia tops St. Patrick’s Day celebrations - Mick Moloney and Irish Arts Center triumph (IrishCentral)

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 05:17:26 PDT

Dana Lyn, John Roberts and Mick Moloney perform (Photo by Erin Baiano)Mick Moloney and the Irish Arts Center triumphed once again at the historic Upper West Side cultural bastion known as Symphony Space which serves as a large platform for its increasingly popular themed variety shows With a capacity crowd of nearly 800 people in the restored edifice (that is a tribute to the vision of the late Isaiah Sheffer who died last November) the Irish Arts Center latest show Celtic Appalachia II managed to upstage St Patrick’s Day celebrated earlier that day at the parade READ MORE

Irish Arts Center donates thousands of books in NYC for St. Patrick's Day (IrishCentral)

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:04:26 PDT

By: AMANDA DRISCOLL

New York will receive a free windfall of Irish and Irish American literature as a staggering 7,500 books are due to be given away as part of the third annual Irish Arts Center Book Day at eight locations across the five boroughs. The Give Away will begin at 7.30am this Friday, March 15, 2013.

Dubliner’s Luke Kelly is still alive, alive oh - there’s never been more ballad singers in Ireland (IrishCentral)

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 05:01:05 PST

I have great news for all of you arising from a lovely singing session in the town of Ennis the other night The good news is that the mighty balladeer Luke Kelly of The Dubliners is not dead at all Forget that story Luke Kelly is alive and well and singing away as good as ever READ MORE

A look at Irish books - from comedy and Typhoid Mary to history and more (IrishCentral)

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 05:31:16 PST

Wacky EireBy Geraldine ComiskeyIreland is the acknowledged home of surrealism and Geraldine Comiskey (a roving reporter for the Sunday World) often has occasion to encounter it at its source Having a journalistic resume that includes getting set on fire by stuntmen, dancing on the wings of a World War II bi-plane (well, who hasn’t?) and joining a circus trapeze troupe, she’s clearly ready for anythingIreland in Comiskey’s book is a magical place where all manner of weirdness awaits you down almost very boreen, so in a way her job is an ideal one, scouring the nation in search of funHer book is an eye-popping procession of dodgy faith healers, rural swingers, ghost hunters, GAA players, all of Irish life really READ MORE

Irish playwright Jimmy Kerr's House Strictly Private was a standout of the recent First Irish Theatre Festival (IrishCentral)

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 06:01:07 PST

Irish playwright Jimmy KerrTwo Irish playwrights emerged from the recent 1st Irish Theatre Festival in New York, and it's time to mark their achievements Playwright Jimmy Kerr is already well known to the Irish community here for his successful run of Ardnaglass on the Air, a knockabout rural comedy which played at the Manhattan Theatre Source in 2010, directed by actress Geraldine HughesBut House Strictly Private, a pitch-black comic drama, is an unexpected follow up to Kerr's rollicking festival debut Tackling the subject of an Irish wake, the play at first unfolds with deceptive simplicity READ MORE

Up below we live - The Irish relationship with death and the finest writers, James Joyce and Paddy Kavanagh included (IrishCentral)

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 05:30:27 PDT

Myself and Paddy Kavanagh on the banks of the canal (Photo: Jim Lowney)While heading out the door to a photo shoot recently, Honey Badger asked with a worried face, “Are you alright?”Apart from being awake too early and working on a Saturday morning, I was grand The question and expression were puzzling thoughShe later explained her concern that maybe I was in dark spirits because of my internet postings the night before while she slept One of them was from Samuel Beckett:“Hereunder lies the above who up below So hourly died that he lived on till now READ MORE

Look at books - Irish artists, fiction and history (IrishCentral)

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 06:32:36 PDT

Prodigals And GeniusesBy Brendan LynchThe Irish love a good pub within walking reach and Ireland’s most gifted artists and thinkers have been no exception As Paris has it’s Left Bank and New York has its Upper West Side, for decades Dublin’s bohemian quarter has been centered around Baggot Street and Leeson Street, fringed by the Grand Canal Among it’s familiars were four winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature and nearly every major Irish writer of the 19 century, including Oscar Wilde, WB READ MORE

“It’s not what you had in mind, but what you find!” - getting to know the poet Ciaran Carson (IrishCentral)

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:45:15 PDT

Poet Ciaran CarsonThe above quote was spoken to me by celebrated Northern Irish poet, Ciaran Carson, after his poetry reading (Friday, 24th February) at my beloved school, the University of Limerick (UL)Carson’s reading, organized by the School of Languages, Literature, Culture and Communication UL, as part of the Millstream Common Room Writers Series, was nothing short of inspiring Between his stirring poetic readings and his equally moving musical interludes (Carson is an accomplished flutist as well as poet), to merely say that Ciaran Carson held his audience in a state of transfixion would be doing his performances an injusticeHowever, it wasn’t just Ciaran Carson’s evident poetic and musical talent that motivated me that night READ MORE

Studying Irish literature in sunny Galway City - life is sweet for this Gaelic Girl (IrishCentral)

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 06:15:25 PST

Sun shines on Galway BayThe sun came out twice this week I was super excited Thursday was the sunniest day It was sunny all day and It made my day and walk to school awesome READ MORE