The return of the Creative Killeagh May Sunday Festival draws near! Celebrate creativity, community spirit, and our incredible local woodland on the May Bank Holiday weekend.
This May Bank Holiday weekend, Killeagh’s historic pattern returns, with a creative twist: The Creative Killeagh May Sunday Festival. Filled with walks, talks, storytelling, hands on workshops, music, dancing and sport, the weekend has something for everyone.
After a lengthy hiatus, May Sunday celebrations were revived last year to great acclaim. Dating from the 1830s, the festival was initially the only day of the year villagers could visit the de Cappel Brooke estate – now Glenbower Wood – for an afternoon of music and dancing. Now, Glenbower is no longer a private woodland, and is a central focus of the Creative Killeagh community art projects facilitated by Greywood Arts. Working in conjunction with a number of community groups and local businesses, they have once again put together an exciting programme of events for the bank holiday weekend.
Gather at the Glenbower playground Friday night at 9pm for a torchlight procession into the wood. It is set to be an unforgettable night, with actress Noelle O’Regan telling mythological stories involving trees, taking us on a journey to deepen our connection to our natural surroundings. Earlier in afternoon, you can attend a workshop to make Ogham Prayer Flags to send messages of goodwill on the wind, or sip prosecco at the official festival opening and exhibition at Greywood Arts. And just before the procession, there will be a lantern making workshop for all ages.
On Saturday, get ready for a day in Glenbower Wood. After last year’s booked-out botanical walk, we are delighted to see Finbarr Wallace and Edwina Cole from the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland return for another walk in the wood (advance booking via Eventbrite.) After lunch, Ember Forest School will lead a storytelling and crafting event around the campfire. Later in the afternoon, artist-in-residence at Greywood Arts Julie Sue Fiscella, will give a talk about her installation in the forest. Fiscella has designed a space for meditation using repurposed sash windows and filled with homages to the woodland’s lichens. Her artist talk will be followed by a guided meditation with Sinéad ní Chionaola. An evening of music ensues, with a session from Lazy River at Greywood Arts, then music in the Old Thatch.
Sunday is for the early birds – as it is also International Dawn Chorus day. The Parish Pastoral Council has organised a dawn chorus walk with ornithologist Pat Smiddy at 6am. Mid-morning, families and artists of all ages will get to make art from recycled materials with artist-in-residence Allegra Bick-Maurischat. The spring flowers made from recycled paper and plastic bags will be used to decorate the circus tent at the edge of Glenbower Wood – just in time for the Open Air Dance & Fancy Dress Competition. Musician Liam Cantilon will get you on the dance floor, and once again, the Monday Club Dancers will do a set dancing demonstration. Mark Ansboro returns with his keyboard and accordion, too. The Inch Foróige youth group will showcase their interactive graffiti wall, and Killeagh Scouts have treats in store for us. There will be prizes for the best dressed kids, adults and group costumes for fancy dress. And, you can sip a hot drink from Rooskagh coffee, or get an ice cream cone from Mr. Softee.
Sunday evening sees a very special event: the community performance project Cracks and Whispers. Visiting German choreographer Isabel Bernhard has been in residence at Greywood Arts for a month, crafting a movement-based performance with an intergenerational cast of locals. Collaborating with photographer Mario Soose, an exhibition of related photos will be on display throughout the weekend. The dancing isn’t over yet – as music continues throughout the night in Kennedy’s Bar, O’Mahony’s Bar, and at Long’s in Mt. Uniacke.
On Monday, the Killeagh GAA Healthy Clubs Project present Lá na gClub: Our Community Family Fun Day at Páirc Uí Chinnéide from 2-5pm.
Friday night:
4:30 – Ogham Goodwill Flags workshop
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/ogham-goodwill-flag-workshop-tickets-60524535515
7pm – Festival opening & exhibition at Greywood Arts
7:30 – Lantern making workshop at Greywood Arts
9pm – Torchlight Procession in Glenbower Wood
Storytelling performance w/ Noelle O’Regan
Saturday:
11:30 – Botanical walk
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/botanical-walk-in-glenbower-wood-tickets-60525245639
2pm – Stories & Crafting Around the Fire w/ Ember Forest School
4pm – Meditation Space opening & artist talk with Julie Sue Fiscella, followed by a guided meditation w/ Sinead ni Chionaola
7pm – Lazy River Session at Greywood Arts
9:30 – Music in the Old Thatch
Sunday:
6am – Dawn Chorus Walk
11am – Recycled Art Workshop
2pm – 5pm: Open Air Dance and Fancy Dress Competition by the playground
7pm & 8pm: Cracks & Whispers, intergenerational dance performance
Music in Kennedy’s, O’Mahony’s & Long’s
Monday:
GAA Family Fun Day
* This is a draft programme, all events subject to change