AFTER an enforced two-year closure, one of North Clare’s premier creative community facilities has opened its doors once again.
The X-PO is a social and cultural space in Kilnaboy’s former post office and the hope is that its summer season will reconnect and revitalise the community after the long months of lockdown.
The brief season will kick off with an Open Mic evening at 8.30pm this Friday night, May 6. Events will also involve a new book club; a board game evening; film screening; heritage talks and a ‘skill-share’ workshop on how to grow grapevines in Ireland.
“It’s very exciting to be opening up again after so long and we have quite a range of events,”
said William Hederman, a member of the collective that runs X-PO. “We traditionally close for the summer months but we decided it would be great to open for a few weeks to bring people together to reconnect after two years of our doors being closed.
“We previously hosted a series of ‘skill-share’ workshops, and this will continue at 2pm on Sunday, May 22 with ‘Growing Grapevines in Ireland’, led by Robert Dukes. This free event will be an introduction to the 6,000-year-old art of viticulture and how to grow vines in Ireland, both indoor and outdoor, with a free vine for all attendees, to begin the voyage.”
While the workshop is free, booking is essential and can be done by email to kilnaboyxpo@gmail.com.
A new X-PO Book Club will have its first meeting at 6pm on Thursday, May 19. Those attending will choose their first book and all are welcome.
Another new event will be a Board Games Night, from 7pm on Thursday May 26. Board games will be provided but you can also bring your own.
Dates have yet to be confirmed for two other evening events – a screening of a documentary about the Burren and a heritage talk.
X-PO will also resume its usual line-up of weekly activities, including Irish language classes, a singers’ group and a local mapping group. Irish classes are on Wednesdays at 8pm. Mick has more details on 087-2162351.
Founded in 2007, X-PO is a community arts hub run by a collective of volunteers. Just before the first Covid-related lockdown, X-PO ran a hugely successful ‘Folk Radio’ project in February 2020, broadcasting programmes made by and about local people using a temporary community broadcast licence.
More details on upcoming events and activities at X-PO are available on Facebook page, where there is also an opportunity to sign up to the mailing list.
X-PO can be contacted by emailing kilnaboyxpo@gmail.com or calling 087-2861238.