Celebration of the centenary of Brendan Behan - Songs were sung and stories told at numerous locations in Portumna last Thursday to mark the birth of Brendan Behan. Storytellers, musicians and singers who took part to mark the occasion included, from left: Brian Kelly, Ann O’Riordan, Gerry Larkin, Anna Geelan, Dolores O’Shea, Katja Ruppenthal, Peter Martin (aka Brendan Behan), Niall Kelly, Sean Monaghan.

Launch of Shorelines art exhibition

You are warmly invited to the launch in Portumna Workhouse (Eircode H53 EK74) on Sunday, September 3, with 'Countywide ConTempo' in concert presented by Galway Music Residency at 5pm followed by Exhibition Opening at 6pm.

The exhibition, spread over three galleries, will feature work by local artists and three invited artists: Fergus A Ryan, Josephine Geaney and Annemiek Hamelink. It will run from September 4-17, 11am-4pm daily.

In addition, the workhouse is hosting three other exhibitions:

Otherworldly Wonders of our Bogs and Wetlands by Tina Claffey: Macro Photography

Dark Shadows by Kieran Tuohy: Sculptures in bog oak

Famine Artworks by David Rooney: Engravings on printed panels

PACKED PROGRAMME AT SHORELINES

The Shorelines Arts Festival 2023 promises a feast of craic, music, drama, exhibitions, workshops and more!

We are delighted to stage Irish Folk Award winners Ye Vagabonds as well as the rock infused hypnotic tones from Cathy Davey and her band in concert. You can hear musician and broadcaster Peter Browne present his Gramophone Concert and tune into an afternoon of popular musical classics with What a Wonderful World or croon away to the Songs and Stories of Percy French. Theatre performances include the ever-popular Seamus O’Rourke with his latest show The Ballad of Mossy Flood and newcomer Dee Keogh’s Why I haven’t met Oprah, Yet.

For literary fans, we have Western Words with poets Amy Barry, Noelle Lynskey and Luke Morgan, A Century of Brendan, celebrating Behan’s 100th birthday, and Invisible Threads with author Marguerite MacCurtin. Doire Press make a welcome return with Sunday Stories and Tunes, and a veritable feast of visual arts awaits you in the galleries at the Workhouse and Portumna Castle. The festival is rounded off with a wide range of workshops, street and family entertainment, talks, schools programme, and we welcome the return of Shorelines Film Shorts & Documentaries.

So get booking as all tickets are online at www.shorelinesartsfestival.com, and encourage your family, relatives and friends to join us in Portumna for a weekend of entertainment, joy and fun! Thanks to our local sponsors, friends and volunteers, and to everyone at the Arts Council and Galway County Council Arts Office for their continued support.