PROGRAMME
March – June
2022
Linenhall Membership Scheme Fiona Neary
Join The Linenhall Arts Centre as a member and immerse yourself in the very best of arts and culture in the West!
Interim Director Filling Bernie’s shoes for 2022 is an honour and a delight. It is a time of reconnection, for artists, audiences, performers and arts administrators. The last couple of years have thrown us about in different ways. We were all in the same storm, but not all in the same boat. We took shelter in different ways. But here we are, sharing experiences again, sharing musical and theatrical adventures again, sharing spaces again. We couldn’t be more delighted to be fully open and operational.
Seán Reynolds Technical & Building Manager Seán Reynolds is our Technical and Building Manager. Seán has worked in television production for over 12 years as a location sound engineer and post-production sound engineer. He has worked with RTÉ, TG4, ITV, and a host of smaller production companies. Seán is also a music composer, and his work has featured in several television series.
Mary Callaghan
FRIEND: €40* . Programme delivered to your door three times annually . Special members’ only invite to The Linenhall’s end-of-year celebration * The fee of €40 is warmly welcomed to assist with our mail-out costs and would be greatly appreciated. If €40 is a little too much, then feel free to give what you can.
LEVEL 3: €80
LEVEL 2: €60 . Linenhall membership keyring . Programme delivered to your door three times annually . 2 free tickets per year to a show (Director’s choice) . 10% off at Linenhall Coffee Shop during show times (1/2 hour before show time and intervals) . Special members’ only invite to The Linenhall’s end-of-year celebration
LEVEL 4: €150
Administrator
. Linenhall membership keyring
. Linenhall membership keyring
Mary Callaghan is our Administrator and joined the team in 2021. She is an accomplished photographer in her own right, has an arts background and is passionate about supporting artists. She’s looking forward to meeting and connecting with our loyal audiences and to making the Linenhall Arts Centre a welcome space for audiences and artists alike.
. Programme delivered to your door three times annually
. Programme delivered to your door three times annually
. Concession rate on all bookings
. Concession rate on all bookings
. 2 free tickets per year to a show (Director’s choice)
. 2 free tickets per season to a show of your choice
. 2 free tickets to a film screening of your choice
. 2 free tickets to a film screening of your choice
. 10% off at Linenhall Coffee Shop all year
. Concession rates on all film screenings
. Special members’ only invite to The Linenhall’s end-of-year celebration
. 10% off at Linenhall Coffee Shop all year
Deirdre Melvin Arts Access Officer Deirdre Melvin is our Arts Access Officer. Deirdre also joined the team in 2021 after working for many years at the Hawk’s Well Theatre, Sligo. Her role involves creating access to the arts for everyone in the community, including our schools and creative learning programmes, and our beloved RoolaBoola Children’s Arts Festival. Deirdre loves meeting new people and she’s looking forward to getting to know our audiences.
Front cover image: Maria McKinney (see page 16)
. Special members’ only invite to The Linenhall’s end-of-year celebration
Please note: Terms and conditions apply. For full details see www.thelinenhall.com or call us on 094 9023733
Box office: 094 9023733
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Book online: www.thelinenhall.com
GALLERY
ARTIST NETWORKING
11th March – 16th April
21st March, 25th April, 16th May | 10.30am
Hubris.2 Oscar Dempsey
Creative Coffee
Oscar Dempsey’s Hubris.2 is an installation of different sculptural works and creatures in dialogue with one another. Using the anatomy of Hyenas as a visual focal point, Dempsey took influence from their “dominance hierarchy”, which consists of intra-sexual conflicts in a matriarchal system. The two main figures appear to be in tension with one another. The larger creature holds a provoking stance, aiming its rage at the smaller figure, who appears unaware, wrapped up in its own narcissistic tendencies. The sculptures also contradict this point of aggression by resembling limbless figures from Classical Art periods. Dempsey works with various arts projects and production companies to design and manufacture for performance, art and film. Dempsey has exhibited their work internationally throughout Ireland, UK, Denmark, Czech Republic and Finland with stage productions, exhibitions, art fairs and a Performance Quadrennial. Their work moves between visual arts and live arts as their role may be artist, scenographer or designer. Exhibition launch on Friday, 11th March (please see our website for details). Exhibition runs from 12th March until 16th April.
MUSIC 16th March | 8pm
Ceol Nua Mhaigh Eo – Beo New Music of Mayo Born in the lockdown of 2021 and harnessing the creative energy of gifted traditional artists from Co. Mayo, the New Music of Mayo project brings imaginative, contemporary compositions of music, song and poetry rooted in the rich cultural landscape of the county. This is an opportunity to experience brand new repertoire performed by the musicians and singers who composed it. Featuring artists from all corners of Mayo, the concert gives us a unique perspective on traditional artists’ approach to composition in an ancient art form. Look forward to hearing Joe Carey (accordion), Holly Geraghty (harp), John Hoban (voice, mando-cello, fiddle), Fiachna Ó Mongáin (accordion), Mary Staunton (accordion) & Jerry Mulvihill (banjo), Stephen Doherty (flute), David Doocey (fiddle) and Ger Reidy (poetry). Adm: €16/€14 (full/concession)
Creative Coffee is a new monthly event for artists interested in connecting with others in a relaxed and welcoming space. Artists of all disciplines and interests are invited to attend. March’s guest speaker is Elaine Mears (pictured). Visual artist, theatre maker and costume and set designer, Mears recently returned to her roots in Mayo. She is currently Artist-in-Residence at The Linenhall. Creative Coffee will be held monthly in 2022, with each session being led by a different artist across a variety of art forms. Local creatives are invited to gather and get inspired! In these challenging times, Creative Coffee aims to give artists a chance to re-energise amongst their peers. Adm: This event is free but spaces are limited so booking is strongly recommended.
FILM CLUB 22nd March | 8pm
Lola and the Sea (Lola vers la Mer) Director: Laurent Micheli Cast: Mya Bollaers, Benoît Magimel, Sami Outalbali Film info: 90 minutes, Belgium, France, 2021, CLUB Lola, 18 years old and transgender, suddenly learns of her mother’s death. Returning to the family home, Lola immediately comes into conflict with her estranged father, Phillipe. Compelled together to fulfil her mother’s last wishes, they reluctantly embark on a journey to the North Sea. Along the way, they discover this trip maybe more revelatory than either was expecting. Adm: €7/€5 (full/concession)
Book online: www.thelinenhall.com
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Box office: 094 9023733
MUSIC
OUTDOOR EVENT
25th March | 8pm
27th March | Various times (see below) | Duration: 30 minutes Location: The Green, Castlebar
Patrick Dexter in Concert Patrick Dexter is a globally-renowned cellist from Ireland. Though Patrick spent much of youth in Dublin, he now lives in a tiny stone cottage in County Mayo with his wife and daughter, surrounded by immense amounts of nature. The remoteness provided both solace from the business of city life and excellent fodder for writing music. During the coronavirus lockdown, Patrick developed a habit of practicing the cello outside. One day, he posted a video of himself online, and the internet took the wheel (as it tends to do). His performances started to rack up millions of views, and messages from people all over the world who had taken comfort in his rich, expansive playing flooded in. He was invited to do a talk on the healing power of music for TEDX Stormont, and his virtuosic arrangements of classical, traditional Irish folk and contemporary pop music saw him skyrocket to international notoriety, all while he wasn’t allowed more than 5 kilometres from his front door. Adm: €17/€14 (full/concession)
THEATRE 26th March | 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm)
If Walls Could Talk – Elaine Mears The Green in Castlebar emits an energy as though it has a memory, a keeper of the secrets of many past lives who walked this space before. So much history is steeped in its soil – the centre of the town and once the centre of control. What is this place to us now? Only by exhuming the ghosts of the past and laying some of our more shadowy histories bare, can we really come to understand who we are as a people. As darkness falls on The Green, a door to olden days will open, allowing these past stories to come to life and reveal the truths hidden beneath the surface. This sitespecific piece will disrupt space and time, by interweaving lives and stories from different ages, finding a commonality in place in a synchronised moment together. This is a work in progress and an outdoor show. Headphones will be supplied to the audience. Funded by Art Council Ireland and The Linenhall Arts Centre. Times: 5.15pm, 6pm, 6.45pm, 7.30pm, 8.15pm, 9pm, 9.45pm Tickets: €7/€5 (full/concession)
The Man In The Woman’s Shoes Written and performed by Mikel Murfi
THEATRE
Set in October 1978 – Pope John Paul I is not long dead, autumn is closing in and Pat Farnon has ‘some business’ to do in town.
30th March | 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm)
The Man In The Woman’s Shoes follows Pat Farnon as he walks to town and back again. It is a beautifully observed piece, utterly simple and has been widely praised. The show is funny, tender and at times downright daft.
Looking for América
The show was originally commissioned by Sligo County Council Arts Service and The Hawk’s Well Theatre, as part of the Bealtaine Festival 2012. In 2015, it toured to Manhattan and Philadelphia as well as a sell-out, three-week run at the Abbey Theatre on the Peacock stage in Dublin. In 2016, it returned to NYC and also played to full houses over three weeks at the Tricycle Theatre in London. It played again at the Irish Arts Centre in NYC in Sept/ Oct 2018 and has been touring Ireland ever since. “Astonishing acting….” – New York Times “Extraordinary physical performance…sharp observational comedy” – Sunday Times Adm: €16/€14 (full/concession)
Looking for América is the real life story of writer and performer Federico Julián Gonzáles, in which he and his family had to flee El Salvador’s Civil War when he was only 5 years old, and which led to his fascinating journey to Ireland via Cuba. The show is currently running as part of Assembly’s digital Fringe programme in Edinburgh, thanks to support from Culture Ireland. Adm: €16/€14 (full/concession)
Box office: 094 9023733
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Book online: www.thelinenhall.com
THEATRE
MUSIC
2nd April | 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm)
6th April | 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm)
Halcyon Days
Chamber Philharmonic Europe
By Deirdre Kinahan Produced by Directions Out Theatre Company Patricia has a zest for life and men when she is thrust together with Sean who is languishing in a nursing home. They form a funny and spiky relationship but is friendship the most important thing? Starring Barry McGovern and Una Crawford (Fair City). Directed by Joe Devlin (In Search of Mr B by Brian McAvera and The Kiss by Jimmy Murphy). Adm: €16/€14 (full/concession)
Kammerphilharmonie Europa or Chamber Philharmonic Europe is an orchestra of talented young musicians recruited from 18 European nations. Founded in Cologne in 2006, it has achieved an outstanding artistic level and tours widely across Europe. The repertoire of the Chamber Philharmonic Europe ranges from baroque to modern: classical symphony concerts, chamber concerts, operas and operettas. Featuring Cyrill Gussaroff (trumpet), Michael Kibardin (Violin) and Tsai-Chen Juan (oboe) will showcase their talent and the eight-member ensemble will treat us to an evening of much loved classical music. Adm: €18/€16 (full/concession)
FILM CLUB
THEATRE
5th April | 8pm
8th April | 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm)
Wheels of Fortune and Fantasy
Snapshot
Genre: Drama Language: Japanese Film running time: 121 min An unexpected love triangle, a failed seduction trap and an encounter that results from a misunderstanding. Meiko is startled when she realizes that the man who her best friend starts to have feelings for, is her ex; Sasaki plots to trick his college professor out of revenge, using his class-friend-with-benefits Nao, while Natsuko encounters a woman who seems to be someone from her past, leading the two to confess the feelings they have harbored in their hearts-stories about the complexities of relationships, told through coincidences that happen in the lives of women in love. Adm: €5
“Do you remember where you were when...?” Snapshot is a play inspired by 44 real-life interviews with people in the Sligo area about their experiences of the first lockdown. It is a record of a global event through a local lens. The comedy-drama is set in the early days of the first lockdown. It is a story of two sisters trying to connect in a disconnected world and finding their footing in a changing landscape. Through their relationship, we explore loss, loneliness, and shared memories, all with deft humour and lightness of touch. This is a Hawk’s Well Theatre production produced with the support of the Arts Council and Creative Ireland. Adm: €16/€14 (full/concession)
Book online: www.thelinenhall.com
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FILM CLUB
FOLKLIFE
19th April | 8pm
28th & 30th April
Petite Mamam
Faoin Spéir
Director: Céline Sciamma Cast: Joséphine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz, Nina Meurisse Film info: 73 minutes, France, 2021, PG Petite Maman is a beguiling tale about the power of memory and imagination. Following her grandmother’s death, eightyear-old Nelly returns to her mother’s childhood home. While exploring the nearby woods, Nelly befriends a girl of her own age, with whom she finds she has a remarkable amount in common. Delicately, Sciamma conjures a deeply affecting story about loss and acceptance. ★★★★★ “..simple, elegant and very moving.” – Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
Box office: 094 9023733
FOLKLIFE, curated by Culture Works, is an outdoor multi-disciplinary and artist residency programme of inclusive and engaging arts events and interventions. The programme takes its inspiration from The National Museum of Ireland – Country Life Collection, the natural beauty of Turlough Park and the Great Western Greenway (Castlebar to Turlough).
Adm: €5
On April 28 and 30, FOLKLIFE marks the liminal space between spring and summer when we come together to once again celebrate the changing seasons.
MUSIC
On April 28, celebrating the Art of the Word, and on the occasion of Poetry Day Ireland, FOLKLIFE takes to the Western Greenway for a poetry trail featuring some of Mayo’s and Ireland’s finest minstrels and poets. Experience the work of poets Terry McDonagh, Ger Reidy, Geraldine Mitchell, Sasha Terfous and Nithy Kasa with musical friends as they journey along the Greenway.
26th April | 8pm
The Bridge When Cuban guitarist Ahmed Dickinson Cárdenas first heard the music of fellow countryman Eduardo Martín he felt euphoric. Martín’s style has an expansive sense of freedom that taps into pre-Columbus traditions, jazz, flamenco, pop, Afro and traditional Cuban. The guitar is his favoured instrument to mirror the melodic and rhythmic intricacies of the Americas’ cultural diversity. Before moving to England, Dickinson Cárdenas took lessons with Eduardo. Since then, their friendship, idiosyncratic empathy and mutual respect have transformed into a vehicle that connects, incorporates, juxtaposes their different generations, musical ideas and ultimately a spiritual journey that drives this unique duo. The show compiles some of Grammy nominee composer Eduardo’s most alluring works for two guitars. Prepare to listen to classical styles merged with rock and son montunos; old Yoruba chants or feel-good rumbas with funk- boleros, and new age tunes and cinematic pieces sitting alongside Cuban tumbaos with slap bass. The Bridge represents a timely celebration of the past and present of the many traditions enriching the Latin guitar, conveying a true sense of continuity and fluidity through its tunes. Adm: €16/€14 (full/concession)
On April 30, FOLKLIFE artists in residence Jane Cassidy and Breda Burns, in collaboration with Mayo Artsquad, will present new works on the grounds of The National Museum of Ireland – Country Life, alongside a newly commissioned artwork by visual artist John Conway. Join us for the launch which will include performances by Eriko Uehara Hopkinson and youth choir and internationally acclaimed folk band Landless featuring Ruth Clinton, Meabh Meir, Sinead Lynch and Lily Power. Creative Coffee At The Linenhall Arts Centre, we welcome FOLKLIFE artist in residence Dr Rajinder Singh, a movement artist and choreographer, who will work with a group of artists drawn from our Creative Coffee network. In the coming weeks, they will collaborate to develop a simple body-based choreographic guide to the spaces at The National Museum of Ireland - County Life. We look forward to working with Rajinder Singh and seeing the results. For further information and updates, visit: https://www.mayo.ie/arts/folklife2022 FOLKLIFE is funded by the Arts Council through the Faoin Spéir/ In the Open 2021 – 2022 nationwide programme and locally by Mayo County Council Arts Service, The National Museum of Ireland – Country Life, The Linenhall Arts Centre and Mayo Artsquad
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Box office: 094 9023733
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Book online: www.thelinenhall.com
PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION
FILM CLUB
28th April – 30th May | Linenhall Foyer
2nd May | 8pm
Terry O’Brien’s Mayo
Memory Box
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the filming of The Ballroom of Romance in Ballycroy, in 1982, this exhibition brings together 50 photographs from the film. Cyril Cusack, Niall Tobin, Bríd Brennan, Brenda Conroy and a remarkably youthful Mick Lally all feature.
Maia, a single mother, lives in Montreal with her teenage daughter, Alex. On Christmas Eve, they receive an unexpected delivery: notebooks, tapes, and photos Maia sent to her best friend from 1980’s Beirut. Maia refuses to open the box or confront its memories, but Alex secretly begins diving into it. Between fantasy and reality, Alex enters the world of her mother’s tumultuous, passionate adolescence during the Lebanese civil war, unlocking mysteries of a hidden past.
Terry has also selected photographs from his black and white 1970s and 1980s Achill collection.
Adm: €5
“At 14 (1965/1966), I went to Currane, Achill on holidays with a boys’ club form Milltown in Dublin and I fell in love with the place. I cycled a 3 speed bike from Dublin, it took 99 miles on the 4 days and 99 miles on the last day to go into Currane at 11.00pm to bonfires. I moved to Achill in 1977.”
MUSIC 30th April | 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm) A family-run bookshop in the heart of Castlebar, offering a wide selection of books, school books, stationery, greetings cards and wool. We specialise in titles on County Mayo and our catalogue is available online.
Sarah McQuaid Born in Madrid (to a Spanish father and an American mother), raised in Chicago and holding dual Irish and American citizenship, Sarah McQuaid has made England her permanent residence since 2007. Her sixth solo album, The St Buryan Sessions, was recorded and filmed live in the beautiful medieval church of St Buryan, not far from Sarah’s home in rural West Cornwall. Released in October 2021 on CD and limitededition double LP, it features stunning solo performances by Sarah on acoustic and electric guitars, piano and floor tom drum, her lush, distinctive vocals echoing through the soaring space. Adm: €16/€14 (full/concession)
T: 094 902 4422 | E: sales@mayobooks.ie | E: thecastlebookshopcastlebar@gmail.com
Castle St, Castlebar, Co. Mayo F23 PD90 Photo: Phil Nicholls
www.facebook.com/CastlebarBooks
Film Club Music Theatre Theatre Outdoor Theatre Film Club Music Theatre Film Club Workshop Music
8pm 8pm 8pm 8pm Various 8pm 8pm 8pm 8pm 8pm 10.30am 8pm
22nd March 25th March 26th March 30th March 27th March 2nd April 5th April 6th April 8th April 19th April 25th April 26th April
Film Club
8pm
17th May
GMIT 2020 Graduates’ Exhibition
Theatre Film Club Exhibition
8pm 8pm
2nd June 14th June
Music Film Club Theatre
8pm 8pm 8pm
24th June 28th June 29th June – 2nd July
Writing Workshop Collage Workshop
8pm 8pm
28th June 28th June
World Collage Day with Hazel Walker
Writing History with Terry Reilly
Comedy Workshop with Ger Staunton
Matilda – The Musical
Souad
Booking: 094 902 3733
€40 €20
25
€70 (4-wk course)
€15/€10
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€5
€16/€14
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€16/€14
Free/€16/€14 23
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€5
€18/€16
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Free
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€16/€14
Free
Free
€5
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Free
€16/€14
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€16/€14
€5
€16/€14
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€16/€14
Free
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€5
€16/€14
€18/€16
€5
€16/€14
€7/€5
€16/€14
€16/€14
€17/€14
€7/€5
Free
€16/€14
Free
ADM.
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www.thelinenhall.com
COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES: For Family & School Workshops/Tours, see page 26
Comedy Workshop
7–9pm Begins 21st March
CREATIVE ADULT LEARNING
My Aunt & I, Four Generations
Theatre
8pm 23rd June
No Crows
Crash Ensemble
See page Art & Theatre
The Visit
Creative Coffee
17th & 21st June
17th June
Escher
Workshop
10.30am June (date TBC)
Drive My Car
Film Club
8pm
31st May
The Handyman
Theatre
Home To Mayo – Pipe Band Procession 8pm
Music
26th May
Memories
Fighting Words – Young Playwrights
Colour & Expression
Lamb
Creative Coffee
The Magpies
Aindrias de Staic
Maria McKinney
Memory Box
Sarah McQuaid
Terry O’Brien’s Mayo
Faoin Spéir
The Bridge
Creative Coffee
Petite Mamam
Snapshot
Chamber Philharmonic Europe
Wheels of Fortune and Fantasy
Halcyon Days
If Walls Could Talk
Looking for América
The Man In The Woman’s Shoes
Patrick Dexter in Concert
Lola and the Sea (Lola vers la Mer)
Creative Coffee with Elaine Mears
New Music of Mayo Live
Hubris.2 – Oscar Dempsey
EVENT
28th May
Theatre
Theatre
23–27th May
22nd May
Exhibition
Workshop
10.30am
16th May
7pm
Music
8pm
12th May
21st May – 11th June
Music/Storytelling
8pm
6th May
Gallery
Film Club
8pm
2nd May 6th May – 11th June
Music
8pm
30th April
Exhibition
Workshop
10.30am
21st March
28th April – 30th May
Music
8pm
16th March
Folklife
Gallery
TBC
11th March – 16th April
28th & 30th April
GENRE
TIME
DATE
What’s on at The Linenhall... at a glance!
Book online: www.thelinenhall.com
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Box office: 094 9023733
GALLERY
MUSIC
6th May – 11th June
12th May | 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm)
Maria McKinney
The Magpies
Maria McKinney was awarded the 2021 Bolay residency from Linenhall Arts Centre. Her practice combines hand-craft with response to context, reflecting on the wider societal implications brought about by developments in agriculture and genetic research. During her time at the Linenhall she visited farms in the surrounding area who maintain rare native breeds such as the Irish Moiled and Old Irish goat, as well as delving into the archives of the Museum of Country Life. New work made in response to this research will be exhibited alongside existing elements of other recent projects. Maria McKinney’s exhibition developed as part of the Bolay Residency will launch in the Linenhall Gallery on Friday 6th May and will run from 6th May to 11th June.
MUSIC & STORYTELLING
It has only been a short space of time since The Magpies burst onto the UK folk scene, but they have already made a huge impression with their fresh brand of transatlantic neo-folk and have been “making waves wherever they play” (Phil Beer, Show of Hands). Three accomplished musicians in their own right, The Magpies is a combination far greater than the sum of its parts. Celtic Connections’ Danny Kyle award-winning guitarist, banjo-player and singer Bella Gaffney, clawhammer banjo player and singer Kate Griffin and acclaimed fiddle-player and tunesmith Holly Brandon draw on their wide-ranging influences to create a unique blend of transatlantic folk. Adm: €16/€14 (full/concession)
6th May | 8pm
Aindrias de Staic The small town seanachaí of Shrule is back! A rare opportunity to catch the eclectic, elusive seanachaí as he fuses traditional storytelling with his own contemporary tales. A collection of stories, music, myth and magic with a blast of wild Atlantic wit. Hear tall tales and short stories of a hidden Ireland and of course, the latest and greatest misadventures of Galway’s favorite bard. Aindrias is the Best Radio Comedy Winner - Celtic Media Award 2018; Finalist, Irish Comedian of the Year 2016; Three Weeks Editors’ Choice Award Winner 2009; Malcolm Hardee Nominee Alternative Comedy Award Edinburgh 2008. Adm: €16/€14 (full/concession)
FILM CLUB 17th May | 8pm
Lamb In rural Iceland, a childless couple discover a strange and unnatural newborn in their sheep barn. They decide to raise her as their own, but sinister forces are determined to return the creature to the wilderness that birthed her. Adm: €5
Box office: 094 9023733
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Book online: www.thelinenhall.com
VISUAL ART EXHIBITION
THEATRE
21st May – 11th June | Linenhall Foyer
23–27th May
Colour & Expression
Memories
Lillian McCormick & Jane Gaffney
Elaine Mears, Associate Artist of The Linenhall
An exhibition of joyful art works by two artists passionate about colour and painting. Lillian: “I share a passion to express my love of colour through the power of being creative.” Jane: ”I have had a love of art and colour from my childhood, and grew to develop my emotions and talent through my love for oil painting. I would like to share this with others.” Official opening on Saturday, 21st May at 2pm. All welcome.
THEATRE 22nd May | 7pm
Fighting Words – Young Playwrights Live
If you could only keep one object that has sentimental value to you, what would you keep, and why? This visual arts piece is a culmination of the collection of memories from people in the county which have been infused into a tapestry for the senses. It seeks to explore the significance we place on items and the memories an everyday item can evoke. This artwork includes representations of people’s precious objects, recordings of stories, smells, and blended materials which combine to bring all the memories together in one place. No story is ever too small. This project is very kindly supported by Mayo Arts Office and Creative Ireland as part of the Bealtaine Festival.
The Linenhall & Fighting Words Mayo Join us for a rehearsed reading of new short plays, devised and scripted by emerging teenage writers from Mayo. This spring, The Linenhall & Fighting Words Mayo volunteers mentored a group of young playwrights. Now each young writer has been matched with a professional theatre director and professional actors to create this unmissable live performance. We are thrilled with calibre of young Mayo talent and the directors and actors involved and think you will be too! Adm: Free
MUSIC 26th May
Home To Mayo – Pipe Band Procession The Manchester-based Fianna Phadraig Pipe band are the UK’s longest-running awardwinning pipe band. They will be starting their procession from The Mall, Castlebar and making their way to the Linenhall for an outdoor performance. Adm: Free. This is an outdoor event so appropriate clothing should be considered.
Book online: www.thelinenhall.com
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Box office: 094 9023733
THEATRE
THEATRE
28th May | 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm)
2nd June | 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm)
The Handyman
The Visit
Written and performed by Seamus O’Rourke Hugh Spotten is the local Handyman. He is about to receive an award for his contribution to the community... but all is not what it seems in a small town, falling in on itself. Seamus O’Rourke explores friendship, relationships and how best to get noticed on your last day. The Handyman is hilariously funny, yet a poignant poetic look at small-town life in rural Ireland. Adm: €16/€14 (full/concession)
Rose has washed and ironed her cowgirl shirt and skirt. She carries it on a hanger. She likes the way the fringe swings when she wears it. Makes her feel glamourous. Adventurous. Brave. She stands on the empty stage and looks out into the auditorium. Imagining what it will be like when it is full. Which it will be. Tonight. When the choir perform. A funny, heart-warming, touching new play that explores a hidden social reality we are only beginning to understand. Produced by Draíocht Blanchardstown, ‘The Visit’ was originally funded by an Arts Council Theatre Project Award with significant additional support provided by Draíocht, and presented at Dublin Theatre Festival 2021. In 2022, The Visit will tour nationwide, thanks to a Touring Award from the Arts Council, as part of Draíocht’s 21st birthday celebrations. Adm: €18/€16 (full/concession)
FILM CLUB 14th June | 8pm FILM CLUB 31st May | 8pm
Escher
Drive My Car
Director: Robin Lutz
An aging, widowed actor seeks a chauffeur. The actor turns to his go-to mechanic, who ends up recommending a 20-year-old girl. Despite their initial misgivings, a very special relationship develops between the two. Adm: €5
Diary musings, excerpts from lectures and striking images offer insight into the life and work of Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher. Adm: €5
Box office: 094 9023733
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Book online: www.thelinenhall.com
EXHIBITION
THEATRE
17th June
23rd June | 8pm
GMIT 2020 Graduates’ Exhibition
My Aunt & I, Four Generations
Landscape, meditation and memory are just some of the areas explored in a group exhibition by graduates of GMIT (Mayo) BA Contemporary Art Practices 2020. These new works that span the mediums of fine art, video, sound and socially engaged practice, were developed during and after the Covid19 pandemic lockdown.
A multi-generational show you can’t afford to miss. Creativity can run in families. My Aunt and I, Four Generations, explores such a family, from the singer Delia Murphy and her sister Angela to the presence on stage of Angela’s granddaughter Ríanna.
Rosie Norton, Bunnahowna Washpool, oil on canvas, 60x90cm
ART & THEATRE
This is a multi generational show you can’t afford to miss. My Aunt and I, Four Generations is a journey through time. It looks at the difficulties facing women as artists, at how artistic pursuit can compensate for loss and how it features as a driving force to move the inner life forward. Adm: €16/€14 (full/concession)
17th June | 12.30pm 21st June | TBC & 8pm
Crash Ensemble Crash Ensemble will be visiting the Linenhall as part of their 2022 Irish tour. A multimedia experience that will consist of film, performance and community engagement, Crash Ensemble brings Wingform, a film installation, created by filmmaker Jack Phelan, set to music created by Crash guitarist, Barry O’Halpin. Crash Ensemble’s [REACTIONS] programme will also be exhibiting at the Linenhall, in 2020 Crash Ensemble commissioned nine Irish composers to write new works in response to global events, each piece has an accompanying film culminating in a work of live performance as well as audio and visual recordings. Community Engagement Workshops will also play a huge role in Crash Ensemble’s time at the Linenhall where they will engage local community groups to explore new music, audience experience and reactions to new music. 17th June, 12:30pm:
Crash Ensemble Film Installation in Linenhall Gallery. This event is free of charge.
21st June (time TBC):
Crash Ensemble Community Engagement Workshops
21st June, 8pm:
Crash Ensemble Performance in Linenhall Theatre. This event is €16/€14 (full/concession).
MUSIC 24th June | 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm)
No Crows No Crows is a dynamic folk orchestra from the multicultural melting pot of Sligo’s music scene. Formed in 2005, NoCrows’ growing output of original material reflects its diverse musical roots, from Irish traditional to Latin rumba, classical, jazz, rock and Balkan music. Audiences have been astonished by the unequalled width of the band’s original repertoire, from delicate Irish airs to Russian Gypsy mayhem, from Catalan Jota to original songs in many styles with lush string arrangements. The musical mix reflects the folk traditions of the various members but also a lifetime of experience of the various players involved across many genres of music. “Essential listening for trad aficionados” – Hot Press Adm: €16/€14 (full/concession)
Book online: www.thelinenhall.com
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Creative Adult Learning
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Keep an eye on our website for more new events and workshops!
FILM CLUB
COMEDY WORKSHOP
28th June | 8pm
Four-week course begins 21st March | 7–9pm
Souad
Stand-up Comedy Workshop
Film info: Egypt/Tunisia/Germany, 2020, 102 mins, Cert 12A, DCP, Arabic (with English subtitles) Director: Ayten Amin With: Bassant Ahmed, Basmala El Ghaiesh, Hussein Ghanem In a small city on the Nile Delta, 19-year-old Souad (Bassant Ahmed) leads a double life. Conservative and veiled in public, online she obsesses over her appearance and embarks on secret virtual romances. As the reality of her personal situation comes increasingly into conflict with her digital life, she struggles to reconcile her ambitions with her future until tragedy strikes. Featuring astonishing performances from a cast of non-professionals, the film – coproduced by Wim Wenders – acutely examines the contradictions of teenage life in contemporary Egypt and the challenges of combining traditional values with social media. A favourite at Cannes, Berlin and Tribeca – where the film won the best actress award – Souad received its UK premiere at the SAFAR Film Festival in July and has been described as “one of the year’s revelations” (Cahiers du Cinéma). Adm: €5
with Ger Staunton Would you like to learn how to write and perform stand-up comedy? We are delighted to announce a four-week comedy course with Ger Staunton. Castlebar native and a regular headline act on the Irish comedy circuit, Staunton has been described by the International Comedy Club in Dublin as “one of the best comedy writers in Ireland” and by the Irish Examiner as “incredibly funny”. If comedy is a career path that perks your interest or is simply a bucket-list aspiration, this four-week course is the perfect introduction to it – and a great refresher for those who are a bit rusty on the public speaking after lockdown! Limited availability. Ages 18+. Four-week course: €70
WRITING WORKSHOP 13th May | 11am – 4pm
Writing History THEATRE 29th June – 2nd July | 8pm All Stars Academy presents
Matilda – The Musical Matilda – The Musical is a musical based on the 1988 children’s novel of the same name by Roald Dahl. Established in 1999, All Stars Academy throughout County Mayo and Galway, All Stars Academy of Performing Arts continues to extend the same warm welcome to our students and families as we did on the day we first opened our doors, and are proud to continue a teaching tradition which has been instrumental in the personal development of so many talented young people. Adm: €15 adults, €10 children
with Terry Reilly
Do you wish to write local history or historical fiction? In this workshop we will share tools, sources and helpful tips on how to bring the past to life. Your guide, Terry Reilly, is an awardwinning author of local history publications and former editor of the Western People. With over 30 years’ experience of creating compelling reads; seize this rare opportunity to learn from a master. This workshop is suitable for both beginners and those wishing to advance their writing skills. Cost: €40
COLLAGE WORKSHOP 14th May | 11am – 1.30pm
World Collage Day Workshop World Collage Day is an annual, international celebration of collage. The day is about an art medium that excels at bringing different things together to create new forms and new ways of thinking. Cut and paste, stick and tear with Hazel Walker, GMIT lecturer on the BA in Contemporary Art Practices. Cost: €20
Community Programmes
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Family & School Workshops
ART & CRAFT
Family Art Sessions Discover the fun of making art as a family! In these art sessions, children and their adults will be guided by Isaac and Daniel, our Linenhall Community Artists, on how to create together. A memorable and enjoyable experience for both adult and child. Although donations to cover material costs are appreciated, the workshops are free. Children must remain accompanied by a guardian. Limited capacity. Advanced booking recommended.
13th April | 11am – 12 noon and 2pm – 3pm Easter-themed paper and egg carton fun!
11th May | 11am – 12 noon and 2pm – 3pm Return of The Swifts: Swifts are small migratory birds that visit Ireland to nest in summer. We celebrate their return in this bird themed activity.
SKETCH CLUB & TOUR
Sketch Tours For Secondary Schools We love sharing our gallery with students. A school visit provides the opportunity to view the very best of Irish contemporary artists in the heart of Castlebar. Join us for a sketch club and introduction to how we curate, layout, install, display and light work, all of which can feed directly into the Leaving Certificate Art exam paper. To book your school visit, please contact Deirdre: access@thelinenhall.com Photo: Headford Presentation College visit to Sonder Exhibition by Peter Bradley
CALL OUT: CURATE WITH US Is it possible to build community around a collection of artworks? Did you know the word ‘curator’ originates from the Latin cura, which means to care for? This spring, our curator-in-residence, artist Séamus Nolan invites you to take part in selecting and responding to artworks from the collection of the Arts Council. The project will culminate in an exhibition this summer taking over the entire space of the Linenhall and possibly further afield. There are many ways to get involved, join us in selecting works, in devising a program of events for the exhibition and in examining the collection as a resource for the communities it represents. Informal and formal groups are encouraged to get in touch! RSVP before Friday 8th April 2022. To find out more, email: access@thelinenhall.com
TASTY, FRESH AND MADE TO ORDER!
Welcome to our café! Our busy Linenhall Coffee Shop continues to win great compliments from regulars and visitors alike for its quality, value and friendly service. So why not come along and check out our cool vibe, as you enjoy a tasty snackette, soup, wrap, sandwich, scone or sweet, and sip on what we proudly claim is the best cappuccino in town!
YOU’RE ALWAYS WELCOME!
Linenhall Coffee Shop Opening Times Tuesday to Friday: 10am–5pm Saturday: 11am–4pm
See you there!
Castlebar Municipal District
www.thelinenhall.com Linenhall St, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, F23 AN24 | 094 9023733 | info@thelinenhall.com