Arts & Culture

LOCAL artist Barry Wrafter is seeking funding to produce a special monument to the victims of industrial schools and clerical abuse in Clare and Ireland in general.The sculptor, along with local councillors Paul O’Shea, Johnny Flynn and Michael Guilfoyle, has set up a fundraising committee and the county council is to match funds gathered as part of this effort.Barry has come up with the drawings and a model of this proposed monument and he is now putting it to the public. He explained that it is his intention to have the piece in full colour to represent a bright future to show that the world is not all bad. He said his piece aims “to show this is the past but to remember the past”.Outlining the reasons behind his intended art piece, Barry stated, “This should be a monument for future generations. This monument is to show solidarity with the victims. I decided this was one theme I would like …

The ladies of the Coláiste Muire Orchestra, Ennis, have returned to the National Concert Hall stage, bridging a gap of more than 30 years since an ensemble from the school performed at the prestigious venue.

Ballyalla-based artist Carmel Madigan is holding her one-day spring art exhibition in Dromoland Castle on Sunday, March 21.Carmel represented Ireland at the Florence Biennale in 2009 and she is currently working towards her first exhibition with the Amsterdam Whitney Gallery in New York this coming May. She will also be exhibiting back in Italy later in 2010.Carmel was born and grew up on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean on the Loop Head Peninsula. In her paintings she strives to simplify the complicated and she paints the fierce and angry ocean. Rocks feature strongly in these works.Having graduated from the University of Limerick with a degree in business, Carmel worked in a number of different industries including the US multinational company Tellabs Ltd, before setting up her own graphic design agency. She later took her creativity and need for self-expression a step further and began capturing images on canvas and paper.Carmel’s work has been collected both nationally and internationally by …

MOVIE REVIEW Alice In Wonderland

DVD REVIEW Jacques Mesrine was a gangster, killer, kidnapper and bankrobber. He terrorised France and, for a brief spell, Canada and America during the ’60s and ’70s, rising to Public Enemy No 1 status in his home country. And he was loved for it.

TV REVIEW There is no doubt in my mind that there are a number of very troubled teenagers in our country right now.

LEGENDARY musician Bob Dylan is certain to pack Thomond Park to overflowing when he plays there on July 4, American Independence Day. Tickets go on sale on Monday at the usual outlets.