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Galway actors open up on sex and disability for RTÉ

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Members of Galway’s Blue Teapot Company feature in a new documentary exploring love, sex and disability, which will be screened on RTÉ television next Monday night, February 17 at 9.35pm.

Somebody to Love takes viewers into the romantic lives of people with physical or intellectual disabilities, people who are often overlooked when it comes to love, sex and relationships. The documentary points out that sexuality is not only about attraction or about the act of sex. It’s about self-esteem, gender and body awareness, as well as relationships. 

It opens with actors Kieran Coppinger (33), and Charlene Kelly (29), in scenes from Blue Teapot’s award-winning play, Sanctuary, a drama that challenged a little-known law which governs the sex lives of the intellectually disabled.

Blue Teapot is made up of actors with intellectual disabilities and in Sanctuary, written by Christian O’Reilly, they explore what happens when two people with intellectual disabilities want to spend a few hours alone together in a hotel room. The play, directed by Petal Pilley, premiered at Galway Theatre Festival before going on to play Galway Arts Festival and Dublin Fringe Festival.

Somebody to Love captures the cast in rehearsals, discussing the play’s themes and how these affect their lives, while Kieran and Charlene also invite the audience into their homes. Kieran lives with his elderly parents and Charlene lives in a group home with support staff.

Somebody to Love also tells the story of Dubliner Mandy Finlay (40) who has Down’s Syndrome. Mandy has always had a boyfriend and her mother, Frieda, has been campaigning on capacity and decision-making laws for over 20 years. She believes in Mandy’s right to romance.

Meanwhile, Ciara Staunton (27) from Wicklow, had an accident in her early twenties and after a period of re-adjustment, is now back in the dating world. Ciara, a member of the wheelchair rugby team of Ireland, describes the experience of sexual rediscovery as a second puberty.

Other contributors include Offaly couple Sarah and John Paul Fitzgerald who have been together for 14 years. Both work, enjoy independent lives and have cerebral palsy. Recently married, they have a young child. They don’t see themselves as different from any other Irish family, but that’s not always how they are treated.

• Somebody to Love is directed by Anna Rodgers and produced by Zlata Filipovic, and will be screened at 9.35 on RTÉ 1 television on Monday night.

 

CITY TRIBUNE

Folk duo launch What Will Be Will Be

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Niall Teague and Pádraic Joyce.

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.

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CITY TRIBUNE

All roads lead to Dunmore as town tunes up County Fleadh

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Most of the competitions for young musicians will take place this Saturday in Dunmore Community School. All the competitions are open to the public.

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.

 

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CITY TRIBUNE

Piano concert rescheduled for Tuesday

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Pianist Cédric Pescia.

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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