Arts & Culture

A LARGE group of Americans visited the Cross of Spancilhll this week, part of a folk group from Michigan that travels to places they know of from songs. Local man Michael Brohan said the visit shows the extent of the reach of the song. “People know the song from the likes of Christy Moore and the Pogues and the great Robbie McMahon probably made it famous. It was a poem in the beginning, people think of it as a song but it was a poem at the start by an emigrant who went to America. “Robbie McMahon brought it to life in song and since then it’s been taken up by a lot of famous Irish singers, Christy Moore, the Pogues, the Dubliners, everyone sings it, it’s probably the most recognised ballad from Ireland. “Anywhere I’ve been around the world when people have a sing song Spancilhill is one of the first songs that come to mind.” Michael said that …

THE curtain will rise for the 73rd time on Clare Drama Festival, when it gets underway this Friday night (March 25) at Scariff Community College Hall. In addition to the home-grown talent, performers from as far afield as Mayo, Cork, Waterford, and Wexford will compete for the honour of winning at this prestigious event. Clare Drama Festival Chairman, Eamon Moroney welcomed the return of the live festival circuit after a gap of three years. He said the committee is looking forward to meeting old and new patrons to Scariff in the coming days. The festival will be officially opened by Louise Donlon, Executive Director of The Lime Tree Theatre, Limerick. Louise has been working in the arts for over 30 years, and has held roles including the General Manager of Druid Theatre Company, Galway at a time when the company was earning international acclaim. She was recently appointed to the Export Advisory Committee of Culture Ireland by Minister Catherine Martin. …

ENNIS’ Market building will be transformed this Sunday hosting a free music and dance event celebrating cultural diversity. Ennis Mela is the final Faoin Spéir|In the Open event and is presented by Clare Arts Office and Fidget Feet. In the Open | Faoin Spéir is an Arts Council funded programme developed in response to the Covid-19 crisis which has seen a variety of outdoor arts events taking place in public spaces around Ireland. On Sunday from 1pm to 4pm the Ennis Market Building will showcase the talents of musicians and dancers from all over the world. “Ennis Mela is a great way for all the family to get outdoors and experience a unique event together. Fidget Feet bring some brightness and joy, we hope you can join us,” said a spokesperson. Participants include The South Asian Dance Academy (SADA), Ireland’s leading Bollywooddance troupe providing amazing Bollywood and classical performances and workshops throughout the island of Ireland. AMDIE is a group based …

LIVE drama makes a welcome return to East Clare later this month and, as part of that, John B Keane’s legendary leading lady Big Maggie will be making an appearance. Tulla Drama Group is staging the classic tale of sex, land and money at Tulla Courthouse this week from Wednesday, March 23 until Friday March 25 and Big Maggie will also feature in the feast of drama that will be on offer as part of the 73rd Clare Drama Festival. After a hiatus due to the pandemic, the event is back from Friday, March 25 to Saturday, April 2 in Scariff.  The festival opens on Friday, March 25 at Scariff Community College Hall. Big Maggie will be back on stage there on Wednesday, March 30.  Other highlights of this year’s festival will include a performance of Sive by the Clan Machua Drama Group on March 25. Meanwhile, on Saturday, March 26, Skibbereen Theatre Society will perform Brighton by Jim Nolan. …

THE tenth hurling book by Ollie Byrnes is a homage to Ruan’s Jimmy Smyth, one of the greatest hurlers of all time. A Hurling Life deals with, St. Flannan’s college, Ruan, Clare and Munster hurling teams covering the years 1947-1971.  During Smyth’s time, Ruan hurling club had two great eras, 1948-1952 and 1959-1962. In 1958, they produced a strong minor team which lost to a Denis Henry-inspired St. Joseph’s in the county minor final by 5-5 to 3-5. However the Ruan seniors got at least 10 players from this team, which was a great return. Though Ruan had an indifferent Clare Champion cup (league) run in 1958/1959, they came good in the championship beating Eire Óg, the favourites, in the final.  This was Ruan’s first senior championship title since 1951, and as well captaining the team, Jimmy Smyth was also a manager, selector, trainer and he demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities.  In 1995 speaking to Ollie Byrnes, Smyth recalled:“The Eire Óg …

A PARTEEN film production company is in the frame for two awards at the Irish Film and Television Academy Awards (IFTAs), writes Dan Danaher. Carbonated Comet Productions has earned the nominations for the IFTAs, which will be broadcast on Virgin Media One this Saturday, March 12 at 8:30pm. The annual event, which celebrates the best and brightest talent in the world of Irish film and television, has had many prestigious former winners including Jim Sheridan, Amy Huberman, Lenny Abrahamson and Saoirse Ronan to name but a few. Now Parteen film makers, Greg Burrowes, (34) and his colleague Ronan Cassidy, who set up Carbonated Comet Productions in 2017 are hoping to win an IFTA of their own after two of their films were nominated in the “Live Action Short Film” category. “Harvest” follows a farmer who struggles with his mortality following a near fatal heart attack. The film was written and directed by Tristan Heanue and stars Lalor Roddy, Marie Mullen, …

A DOCUMENTARY about the Burren that captivated Irish audiences on its release has begun a run on US television with the potential to reach up to 200 million people. Burren: Heart of Stone cast new light on our understanding of the region, presenting evidence of human activity in Ireland 20,000 years earlier than previously known. Narrated by multi-award winning actor Brendan Gleeson, the show is a two-part documentary that captured an unprecedented audience of one million people when it premiered on RTE. The two-part series created by film maker Katrina Costello, of Silver Branch Films will be broadcast to 90% of US households to 200 million people on Public Broadcasting TV station over a 12-month period. “The audience reach in the States will be massive, a predicted 200,000,000 people will watch it in the next 12 months. I imagine people will long to come here,” said Katrina. The programme will get repeated airings in every part of the USA and …

ENNIS’ glór will celebrate International Womens’ Day with a musical collection of iconic women and their music. Singer, actor and musician Edel Murphy will be accompanied with a live band for the performance of MOTHERLAND : Songs of 20th Century Women on Tuesday. Following extensive tours with Grammy winning shows Celtic Woman and Riverdance, Edel and the band will bring you through the Dustbowl of the Great Depression, into the homes of 1950s urban desperation, down streets of protest in the 1960s and into the tumult of the 21st Century. Featuring evocative projected images alongside thought-provoking spoken word, Edel performs iconic songs of struggle and celebration from such songwriting greats as Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, Kate Bush, Nanci Griffith, Dolly Parton, and The Beatles. Dick O’Riordan, of the Business Post said it was “an amazing show” “Edel Murphy was stunning, the sharpness of her delivery was outstanding. The songs are acerbic and to the point and the backdrop of visuals was …