Cootehill Arts Festival
26th June – 1st July 2019
Running from 26th June until 1st July, there will once again be something for everyone – comedy, music, theatre, literature, workshops and more.
The festival will open with the official opening of ‘Inside the Interior’ An exhibition of paintings, prints and drawings, kindly on loan from the Tyrone Guthrie Collection. This will take place on Wednesday 26th June at 3pm in Cootehill Library and Arts Centre. The Tyrone Guthrie Centre has provided fantastic support to the festival since it’s reestablishment in 2017 and it’s wonderful to see this continuing.
On Wednesday evening we have treat in store – Local man, social campaigner and former Irish Council of State member, Ruairi McKiernan will be hosting an ‘in conversation with’ the indomitable Hugh O Brien, about his life and work. This will take place in the Darley School Hall.
After the wonderful reception he received at the Culture Vultures event last year, Colm Keegan will return to Cootehill for 2 events. For everyone who loves spoken word he will be doing a reading of his works in Cootehill Library on Thursday 27th (free) and then there will be a poetry for beginners’ workshop on Friday 28th. Colm is a writer and poet from Dublin, who has been shortlisted 4 times for the Hennessy New Irish Writing Award. His debut full-length play ‘For Saoirse’ was staged in the Axis Theatre, Dublin as part of the Dublin Fringe Festival 2018 and was nominated for the Fishamble New Writing Award. Tickets for his workshop are available through Eventbrite
On her first visit to the festival is Ruti Lachs. Thursday 27th sees her bring her brand-new show ‘A Different Kettle’. This is one woman’s comical musical story about finally achieving freedom from parenthood, then losing it in Cork. Expect lots of laughs, a smattering of klezmer, jazz and other musical styles, and plenty of soul. Ruti will also be hosting her Active Music workshop for 5-8 year olds on that same day in Cootehill Library.
Returning this year is photographer Paul Moore for another presentation of his Smartphone Photography Workshop on Friday 28th. A must for all budding photographers and those who just want to get more out of their phone. Tickets via Eventbrite
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Then on Friday night is Comedy Night, in Drumlin House Theatre. Compere for the evening will local comedian Lorcan McGrane. Lorcan has supported such artists as Ardal O’Hanlon, Colin Murphy and Kevin McGahern and has appeared on Today FM, BBC Ulster, BBC Radio 4. The evening will feature Eric Lalor (Fair City), Patser Murray (Love Hate) and Patrick McDonell (Fr Ted).
Una Mannion is set to return following last year’s very successful writing workshop. This will take place on the morning of Saturday 29th June in Cootehill Library and the theme of this year’s workshop is ‘Flash Fiction’. In this immersive workshop, writers will consider the key aspects of story: scene, character, plot, conflict, and language through the form of micro or flash fiction. Participants will complete a series of exercises through prompts and will then reflect, revise and edit their short narratives, giving themselves space to discover as they write. Whether you like to write memoir, fiction or poetry, you will leave the workshop with work started and ideas to create further work.
Saturday 29th will see a variety of events including the Bricfeasta Mor hosted by Gaeil Muinchille in Seans Diner, a guided tour of Drumgoon Graveyard and ecology walk (booking essential, announcement soon) art and magic workshops, and the Big Read. Details of all these to follow.
The evening of Saturday 29th we have the return of ‘The Town’s a Stage’. Hugely successful last year, this year will see 4 brand new short plays performed in locations around the town. The audience will be taken on a walk around the town to see the plays performed in the most unexpected places. Tickets on sale soon.
On the evening of Saturday, 29th June Cootehill Arts Festival welcomes the amazing David Kitt to Drumlin House Theatre. In 2018 he released his first solo record for nine years as “the most free I’ve felt making a record since my debut Small Moments”. David Kitt’s sense of freedom is bound up in themes of renewal, movement, and a constant reshaping of his musical preoccupations. The last number of years have seen him touring and recording as a member of Tindersticks, producing other musicians’ work, exploring techno, disco, and house under his New Jackson moniker, remixing everyone from Shit Robot to The XX, and producing intriguing, eclectic DJ sets and radio shows. This will be an intimate solo show and tickets are limited so get booking early. Tickets via Eventbrite
Sunday 30th the ever-popular Festival Miscellany will return to the White Star Complex. This will be a morning of music, song, poetry and pros.
On Sunday afternoon there will be family fun and crafts at St Michaels Hall. There will be stories, music, craft stalls, food and even a Flea Circus to keep you all entertained.
On Sunday evening at 7pm in Drumlin House Theatre, Cootehill Arts Festival are delight to welcome:
Fishamble: The New Play Company presenting ‘The Humours of Bandon’.
Written and performed by Margaret McAuliffe.
On the eve of the Irish Open championship, we meet Annie, a 16-year-old Dubliner, as she charts us through the various successes and disappointments of her Irish Dancing life. We share her mind-numbing commitment and burning desire to win the Irish Open title. Will she win and, if so, in what way?
From the confines of every parochial hall in Ireland, Irish Dancing champions are churned out at a massive rate. Medals and cups build up in drawing rooms and Riverdance swells a national pride, but the public aren’t privy to the blood, sweat and tears that pave the way to the first-place podium.
The Humours of Bandon is a coming of age story, full of heart, humour and wisdom, for anyone who had a childhood passion that threatened to overwhelm their life.
Developed as part of Show in a Bag, an artist development initiative of Dublin Fringe Festival, Fishamble: The New Play Company and Irish Theatre Institute, to resource theatre makers and actors.
Monday 1st July sees a Mindful Movement & Groove workshop, an ‘in conversation with Sean Foy’ in The Oakland Arms and Drumlin House Choir shall be performing for us prior to a reading from Aisteoiri Muinchille in the Darley School Hall.
There is more to come so keep an eye out, follow Cootehill Arts Festival on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for up to date announcements and local press weekly.
Search for Cootehill Arts Festival on Eventbrite for tickets.
Cootehill Arts Festival is delighted to be supported by the Arts Council Festival Investment Scheme, Cavan County Council and Cavan Arts Office.