Concert in support of Cloughjordan amphitheatre

Voices Rising, a unique concert for a unique outdoor community arts facility in Cloughjordan, will be held in Birr Theatre & Arts Centre on Saturday May 28th.

Planning permission has been granted for a new community amphitheatre, to be located in lands owned by the educational charity, Sustainable Projects Ireland, developing the Eco Village in the town of Cloughjordan.

The concert, Voices Rising, will celebrate Ireland’s ‘Spoken Word’ tradition, and promises to be an incendiary evening that mixes poetry, storytelling, humour, music and film with revolutionary passion! Notorious troubadour Fergus Costello, champion spoken-word poet Cormac Lally ('Scene of the Rhyme'), and activist-rapper Temper-Mental MissElayneous ('Connected', RTÉ 2) will share the stage with local artist Niall Cahir and Cloughjordan band Weave.

The promoters hope the project will demonstrate that community-led initiatives are the key to rural regeneration and local economic resilience. The community arts facility will contribute significantly to the cultural and tourism infrastructure of North Tipperary/West Offaly. It will be a venue for a diverse range of cultural events; professional and amateur drama, music concerts and recitals, educational talks and workshops, and outdoor film screenings.

Through popular and innovative programming, the amphitheatre will attract increased numbers of visitors, thereby benefitting the local economy. Project Co-ordinator Michael Canney, said, “The principal beneficiaries of this project will be the young people of the area – both as participants and spectators at events. Keeping young people engaged in community activities, nurturing life-skills and cultivating interest in arts and culture, is our ultimate goal.”

Tickets to Voices Rising at Birr Theatre & Arts Centre on Saturday May 28th (8pm) cost €15/10. To book: www.birrtheatre.com, Box Office (057) 91 22-9-11.