Entertainment
Diversity and talent on show in printed matter
The finest of art from Galway’s finest print-makers is currently on display in the Connacht Tribune Printworks Gallery. Printed Matter is the annual exhibition from the 30 members of Galway Print Studio and this year’s show includes guest artist from Dublin’s Graphic Print Studios.
The exhibition, which will run until August 27, has an eclectic array of work on offer, ranging from landscapes to figurative and abstract works as well as digital photography, print textiles, and a 3-D sculpture.
They have been created using age-old print-making techniques, with some of the artists also using new technology including 3-D printers and digital photography.
The art in Printed Works offers an in-depth look print-making culture in the West of Ireland. Along the way, it explores how print-making has evolved to accommodate our current touch-screen age. The art on show demonstrates why print-making remains important.
This is the culmination of a scheme, entitled EP’16, which celebrates Irish print-making by allowing artists to exchange work. A group of 30 artists from all over Ireland created work for the initiative and their prints were exchanged in a process overseen by Galway Print Studio.
The works from EP’16 are now being exhibited in The Connacht Tribune Printworks while three box-sets have been collated for a special raffle. The first and second prize have 10 original prints, including a John Behan or Pádraic Reaney piece, while the third prize has 10 original prints.
Tickets cost €10 and can be purchased on the website or at the gallery.
Being an artist can be a lonely business, and Galway Print Studio offers a place where people can meet, exchange ideas and offer each other encouragement. The group also collaborates with other print-making bodies in Ireland, which is why Dublin’s Graphic Print Studio is being represented in the Galway show. Founded in 1960, it’s one of Ireland’s leading print-making groups.
The much younger Galway Print Studio had its debut outing last year, when members exhibited their work, also in the Connacht Tribune Printworks. Since that show, Print is Dead, Long Live Print, the Galway Print Studio members have taken part in exhibitions and residencies across Ireland, as well as in Britain, Brittany and Estonia. Close to home, they were involved in the Shorelines Festival in Portumna.
Printed Matter includes a special exhibition from the children’s classes, while merchandise from Galway Print Studio will also be for sale during the exhibition run. There’s a special display area with mugs and tote bags as well as a selection of original prints from members, all at reasonable prices. These are in addition to the 144 exhibits on display in the gallery, most of which can also be purchased.
■ Printed Matter will run until August 27 at the Connacht Tribune Printworks, Market Street in Galway City. All are welcome.
Folk duo Niall Teague and Pádraic Joyce are launching their new album What Will We Be, a blend of folk, Americana and acoustic music, this Friday, May 19, at 8pm in An Taibhdhearc.
The success of their well-received 2020 release Taobh le Taobh, as well as recent successes at the Pan Celtic and Oireachtas Song Contests, spurred the duo on to record this new album which represents many years of collaboration and musical development.
It features Niall and Pádraic on vocals, harmonies, and acoustic guitars, Maidhc Ó hÉanaigh on double bass and Neil Fitzgibbon on fiddle. The catchy title track, What Will We Be, features contributions from percussionist Jim Higgins (The Stunning, Christy Moore, Paul Brady) and haunting, driving melodies on vocals, guitar, and fiddle.
Themes of love and hope are woven through Come Away with Me which features interplay between piano and fiddle as well as rich vocal harmonies.
People, places, and broken dreams are celebrated and lamented on Martin and Tom, Guitar Gold, Memories of You and Achill Island. The influence of David Henry Thoreau’s novel Walden features on the tracks Simple and Wise and Walden, with the beauty of nature, escape and simple pleasures at their core.
The album moves from minimalistic folk ballads such as Galway Ghost to swirling, string-laden arrangements on the song Neptune, both of which are influenced by maritime tales from Galway. Much of the work on this album was supported by the Arts Council, including work with musical arranger Eoin Corcoran and the string ensemble Treo.
The album will be launched this Friday, May 19, at 8pm in an Taibhdhearc. Tickets €22, plus booking fee at Eventbrite.ie.
Dunmore is the place to be this weekend for lovers of traditional music, as the Galway County Fleadh will take place there from this Friday, May 19, to Sunday, May 23.
It is 10 years since Dunmore last hosted a fleadh and the local Comhaltas branch, which has re-formed since Covid, is looking forward to facilitating this gathering of music, song, dance and craic.
The official Opening Concert will take place in Dunmore Town Hall this Friday at 8pm with the acclaimed Mulcahy family from Limerick. Mick, Louise and Michelle are well known throughout the country, thanks to their live performances, television appearances and numerous CDs. They were the winners of the TG4 Gradam Ceoil Grúpa Ceoil Award for 2023. Tickets for their concert can be purchased on the door and a great night of music is promised.
Two days of competitions will kick off this Saturday at the town’s Community School, with more than 1,500 competitors taking part. Participants will be hoping to qualify for the Connacht Fleadh 2023, which will be held in Ballina, County Mayo, from June 23 to July 2.
Competitions for those aged Under 10, Under 12 and Under 15 will be held in a large variety of instruments on Saturday, as well as in singing and Comhrá Gaeilge. Sunday’s competitions will be for the Under 18 and Over 18 ages groups, as well as in dancing.
On both days a large entry is expected for Grúpaí Cheoil and Céilí Band competitions across all age groups.
Seventeen Comhaltas branches from across Galway will have participants in this weekend’s competitions, which will result in a large number of visitors to the Dunmore area.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the competitions, which offer a great opportunity to hear and see the talent on display. There will be sessions in local pubs over the weekend as well and everybody is welcome to attend these.
For more information on the County Fleadh, go to www.galwaycomhaltas.ie.
Music for Galway’s concert with renowned Swiss pianist Cédric Pescia which had been due to take place on April 27 but which had to be deferred, will now take place next Tuesday, May 23, at 8pm, in the Emily Anderson Concert Hall at the University of Galway.
This concert of German classics with Bach at its core, will brings the Bach element of Music for Galway’s 41st season to an end.
This world-class pianist who won the famous Gina Bachauer International Artists Piano Competition, has a repertoire that spans many eras from baroque to contemporary and he is widely known for his elaborate programmes. Cédric Pescia describes music as ‘language and movement at the same time’.
Audiences will have a chance to experience his soft, clear touch as he performs a programme for solo piano that will include classics such as Schumann’s popular Waldszenen (Forest Scenes), a suite of nine short pieces, and the penultimate of Beethoven’s piano sonatas, No. 31. These pieces will be interspersed with French Suites by Bach.
■ Ticket for Cédric Pescia’s concert are available at www.musicforgalway.ie, or by phone 091 705962 and on the door on the night. They cost €20/€18. The price for fulltime students of all ages is €6 while MfG Friends can avail of the friends’ rate of €16.
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