The 18th Annual Terryglass Arts Festival will be kicks off Wednesday 17th August in Terryglass Hall, with a performance from The Shorelines Set featuring Portumna natives Ruth Smith and Miriam Donohue
A large attendance is expected for Wednesday’s festival opening which continues with a performance of two hugely successful short plays by international award winning writer Claire Dowie. Directed by John Sheehy and starring Cora Fenton, ‘Arsehammers’ and ‘Bonfire Night’ are wickedly humerous and hugely entertaining. ( Admission €10)
After months of hard work, Festival Chairperson, Emma Pearce is eagerly looking forward to the festival and has extended an invitation to members of the public to attend the official opening and the celebratory concert.
“The festival has received tremendous support and good will from our local community here in Terryglass and I would like to extend a warm invitation to members of the public to attend the official opening and support opening events tonight,” said Ms. Pearce.
Headline acts performing during this year’s festival include singing star Rebecca Storm who performs an intimate concert in Terryglass Church on Friday 19th August at 8.30pm. One of the most popular leading ladies in Musical Theatre, Rebecca has sung the most demanding roles including Eva Peron in ‘Evita’, Fantine in ‘Les Miserables’, Edith Piaf in ‘Piaf’ and most recently Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’.(Admission €30)
Dark humour prevails on Thursday 18th August with Noni Stapleton’s one woman show ‘Charolais’.The age old story of female jealousy is given a new twist as the other woman is a cow, a literal one, a purebred Charolais heifer. A dark comedy of love and longing: rarely in theatre are the challenges of farming life and the joy of sex expressed so frankly or with such charm. ( Admission €12)
This year’s festival celebrates the visual arts and features Irish born artists who have achieved national acclaim. In collaboration with the Damer House Gallery Terryglass Arts Festival will showcase the work of three Midlands based artists, Ciarnad Ryan, Patrick Fitzpatrick and Katrina Maguire who were asked to respond to the theme ‘The Raven and the Writing Desk’. ( Admission Free)
Transforming the Village Square in Terryglass will be ‘Solas’ a series of site specific installations from Aoife Banville. Aoife will create large scale aerial pieces which will be suspended along the tree lined pathway creating a sense of wonder and beauty as ordinary becomes extraordinary. On Saturday 20th August, the sky will be the stage over Terryglass Quay for a fireworks spectacular with resident MC Today FM’s Bob Conway and music with ‘One Horse Pony’. Making a special appearance at the fireworks will be Giggles the Clown who will entertain young and old with hisartistry with balloons and his antics with the crowd. Sunday is a Family Fun Day featuring an outdoor Craft and Food market; face painting, street performances with Giggles the Clown, Kitty’s Fairy Garden and much much more. There’s non stop free musical entertainment all afternoon from The Chequered Sleeves followed by Galway based cover band The Rascals! (Terryglass Village Square Sunday 21st August from 1pm)
As if that wasn’t enough, magician Jack Wise will be serving up a Molotov cocktail of comedy, magic and sword Swallowing. As Ireland‘s only sword swallower the audience will witness the spine tingling moment when Jack swallows a 24 inch real sword!
Keeping the family theme festival organisers have planned a bumper 70 workshops held over 3 days to provide a fun and entertainment for all the family. Festival highlights include stop motion moviemaking with Brick Flicks, where young film makers will collaborate on designing their hand-made sets, scripting their story and filming the results and Tin Can Treasures Decoupage, a creative way to up cycle old tin cans for storage.
Tickets for all events and workshops are available to purchase now from The Derg Inn Shop, Terryglass or phone 087-2181663. Tickets are available on-line at www.terryglassartsfestival.ie For further information please contact Terryglass Arts Festival by email at info@terryglassartsfestival.ie.