POETS MEET POLITICS - A weekend of poetry readings and workshops Hosted by Hungry Hill Writers
September 2022
Saturday 10th
10am – 12 noon Philip Gross poetry workshop €20
5pm Poets meet Politics Poetry Competition Anthology Launch
8pm Readings by Philip Gross & Angela Gardner followed by Open Mic
We are delighted to welcome Philip Gross, judge of this year’s Poets meet Politics competition to the event. Philip is a winner of the TS Eliot prize among many other awards, and is Professor of Poetry at the University of S. Wales.
Renga led by Philip Gross-"Philip will introduce and lead a renga session, the gentlest way of poets weaving words together. No specialist knowledge needed, just a willingness to come with eyes and ears open, to relax and trust what this refreshing process gives us.”
Read more: POETS MEET POLITICS - A weekend of poetry readings and workshops Hosted by Hungry Hill Writers
Fruitcake | Alice Barry
Date & Time : August 4th at 8pm
Price: €15 tickets at door.
Alice Barry of Noggin Theater Company will perform her one-woman show Fruitcake at Sarah Walker Gallery on August 4th. Noggin Theatre Company has toured nationally and internationally and Sarah Walker Gallery is delighted to host her and what promises to be a brilliant show. Alice is quick to point out that although the piece is titled ‘Fruitcake’ and the premise is that of a woman coming to give a cookery demonstration the production is equally loved by men and women aged thirteen and over as it tells the story of growing up on an Irish country farm. It is a dark yet funny tale involving hardship, murder and intrigue but most of all great sacrifice, realisation and love.
Read more: Fruitcake | Alice Barry
West Cork Chamber Music Festival Fringe Concert
Date & Time: Tuesday 28 June at 12:30. Free admission.
Sarah Walker Gallery is delighted to host The Allora Quartet performing as part of the West Cork Chamber Music Festival.
Formed in 2020, the Allora Quartet is made up of four exciting young musicians from Cork; Megan Chan and Michelle McCarthy on violins, Stephen Kelleher on viola and Michael Murphy on Cello.
Read more: West Cork Chamber Music Festival Fringe Concert
SENTIENT
Date and Time: Friday June 24th 6pm 2022
A live performance installation by Alastair Maclennan and Sandra Corrigan Breathnach
‘Sentient’ is a collaborative performance / installation between artists Alastair MacLennan and Sandra Corrigan Breathnach. This performance / installation combines live performance, sound, performative drawing and sculptural elements, which seek to encapsulate a shared energy through interaction and mark making. This piece will focus on awareness that we are only one of many species of sentient beings, all with an ephemeral nature, living in cyclical existence. Carbon, a fundamental building block of life expressed in the form of charcoal, together with salt, opens connotations of protection and will transform, naturally, a new emerging narrative, opening, releasing and creating further fusions, allowing forms and perceptions to alter… and as the performance unfolds it will echo transitions in nature, moving from darkness into light.
Read more: SENTIENT
Liv | Alice Barry
Date & Time: Saturday May 21st
Price: €15 tickets on door.
Love, Marraige, Death, Dating and Daring to try again. A new play written and performed by Alice Barry, Noggin Theatre Company, and directed by Jason Byrne.
Read more: Liv | Alice Barry
Poetry Collections Launch
Sunday 28th November at 6pm
Sarah Walker Gallery would be delighted if you were able to attend the launch of two new poetry collections:
road to the home place, an anthology of poems and images by Hungry Hill Writers and No Country a collection of poetry by Jennifer Russell.
Music, poetry, wine and talk on a November evening. What could be better in a big open well-ventilated space?
Pat Coldrick
Date & Time: Saturday 21st September. Doors open at 8pm
Tickets €15
We are very privileged to host Pat Coldrick Classical Guitarist once again after his recent sell out show at The National Concert Hall in Dublin. Pat is an Irish Classical Guitarist and Composer, who has been working for the last six years in Ireland but has also performed Recitals in Europe, the USA and Russia. Pat has been described as ‘pushing the boundaries of classical guitar’ with his musical interpretations and compositions and has made Classical Guitar exciting, interesting and more accessible to music lovers in general. Through his interpretation of music and by exploring and embracing new technologies he strives to enhance the dynamics of the classical guitar and bring his music to a wider audience both at home and abroad.
Read more: Pat Coldrick
The Whistling Girl
Date & Time: Saturday 7th September. Doors open at 8pm. Tickets €18
“THE WHISTLING GIRL”
The acclaimed Irish duo of singer/actress Honor Heffernan ( Louis Stewart, Neil Jordan’s “Angel”), and composer/keyboard player Trevor Knight (Auto da Fé) present their Cabaret/Speakeasy-style show, “The Whistling Girl”, creating a spellbinding alternative musical extravaganza of song and spoken word based on the lyrics of American wit and feminist icon Dorothy Parker. The original and unique music composed by Trevor transforms the poems of Parker into songs, using her witty, droll and sometimes heart rending lyrics.
Read more: The Whistling Girl
The Vespertine Quintet & Adrian Crowley
Date & Time: Thursday 8th August at 8pm. Tickets €10 on the door
The Vespertine Quintet, known for their sparse, atmospheric music incorporating strings, piano and field recordings, are delighted to be collaborating with Adrian Crowley on a special performance for Beara Arts Festival 2019. The Vespertine Quintet began in 2014 as a way to get through a particularly dark West Cork winter, hosting house concerts and playing the lush, ethereal music of Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds and Estonian Arvo Pärt.
Read more: The Vespertine Quintet & Adrian Crowley
Kieran Goss and Annie Kinsella
Date & Time: Friday 2nd August. Doors open at 8pm
Tickets €20
Kieran Goss and Annie Kinsella return to The High Tide Club with songs from their debut duo album ‘Oh, The Starlings'…... songs, stories and harmonies that transport the listener to another world, this is music from the heart, for the heart… A show to make you laugh and cry… A show to move you with its honest beauty… A show not to be missed.
Read more: Kieran Goss and Annie Kinsella
Greenshine
Date & Time: Saturday 27th July. Doors open at 8pm
Tickets €15
Greenshine are a Cork-based family trio comprised of Noel Shine, Mary Greene, and their daughter Ellie Shine. Their music draws influences from contemporary, folk and roots, and is characterised by fast picking and close, warm harmonies.
Read more: Greenshine
Nigel and Charlie Mooney
Date & Time: Saturday 13th July. Doors open at 8pm
Tickets € 15
On Saturday 13th July, we welcome father & son duo Nigel and Charlie Mooney back to the High Tide Club. Nigel is regarded as Ireland’s most accomplished jazz singer and guitarist. He is a self-taught musician and was influenced by blues from a young age. He has been a charismatic leading figure on the Dublin Jazz scene since the 1980s. His band, Gripewater Blues Band, pioneered the blues movement in Ireland. He possesses a rich tenor voice paired with melodic jazz guitar.
Read more: Nigel and Charlie Mooney
Colin Deady
Date & Time: Saturday 29th June. Doors open at 8pm
Tickets € 15
Colin Deady is a singer and multi-instrumentalist, and no stranger to playing The High Tide Club. He plays the High Tide Club on Saturday 29 th of June. His debut album was released on 19 th March 2015. The album is a collection of 13 songs, all beautifully crafted examples of excellent songwriting.
Read more: Colin Deady
Poets Meet Politics 2019
Date & Time: Saturday 22nd June. Start time: 5pm. Free Admission
Poets Meets Politics is an International Open poetry competition sponsored by Hungry Hill Writing. Each year, entrants are invited to submit poetry relating to the theme of politics. The competition attracts entrants from all over the world. This year's judge is Christy Ducker, and monetary prizes are awarded.
For this event in the gallery readings will be given of the shortlisted poems, as well as an awards ceremony. This event is a part of a Poetry Weekend in Castletownbere and Ardgroom running from Friday 21st June to Sunday 23rd June. All are welcome at this poetry event!
Paul Tiernan and Maurice Seezer
Date & Time: Saturday 15th June. Doors open at 8pm.
Tickets € 15
Cork native Paul Tiernan plays the High Tide Club on Saturday 15 th June. Tiernan’s singer-songwriter style could be said to resemble the classic greats such as Neil Young and James Taylor, but with an individually Irish flavour. Boasting a prolific career which includes 7 released albums, Tiernan appears playing with Maurice Seezer, fellow Irish musician.
Read more: Paul Tiernan and Maurice Seezer
Ger Wolfe and Martin Leahy
Date & Time: Saturday 1st June. Doors open at 8pm
Tickets €15
This June bank holiday weekend we’re delighted to see Ger Wolfe returning to Castletownbere to launch his new CD 'Melody Bright & The Favourite Sparrow'. Joining Ger on the night is drummer, bass player, producer and long time musical collaborator Martin Leahy. Martin brings his own unique musical style to perfectly accompany Ger’s songs; the two have gigged together since the late 1990’s. Expect a great night’s banter and music of the highest calibre.
Read more: Ger Wolfe and Martin Leahy
Cherry Smyth 'Famished' Performance
Date & Time: Wednesday May 29th. Performance at 7pm. Tickets €5 on the door
Cherry Smyth is an Irish poet, novelist, art critic and curator. Born in Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, she now teaches poetry in the Creative Writing Department of Greenwich University. Her first poetry collection When the Lights Go Up was published by Lagan Press in 2001. In 2003, her anthology of women prisoners' writing, A Strong Voice in a Small Space, won the Raymond Williams Community Publishing award.
Read more: Cherry Smyth 'Famished' Performance
The Kenmare Chamber Choir Recital
Date & Time: Sunday 19th May. Start time: 7:30 pm. Free Admission
The Kenmare Chamber Choir are holding their annual springtime concert in Castletownbere in the Sarah Walker Gallery this May. This is the first time the recital has been held in the town. The evening will include instrumental music such as guitar, lute, and viola de gamba. There will also be readings as well as the choir's own performed pieces. Free admission on the door. All are welcome to come and enjoy the music!
Dr. Strangely Strange
Date & Time: Saturday 4th May. Doors open at 8pm.
Tickets € 15
On their return from a mini tour in Dublin & London, Psychedelic folkies Dr. Strangely Strange will perform at The High Tide Club on Sat 4th May. This concert marks the 50th anniversary of their first album 'Kip Of The Serenes' which we will hear tracks from on the night. The band have also been working alongside Adrian Whittaker on a book about their glory years, 1967 - 1972, 'Fitting Pieces To The Jigsaw' which was published in mid March to outstanding praise & reviews.
Read more: Dr. Strangely Strange
Sample Studios Short Film Night at the Gallery
Date and Time: Friday November 30th 8.30pm
Sample-Studios is a not-for-profit centre for contemporary arts in Cork City which provides affordable workspaces for professional artists. All of the film makers are present or past members.
Running time approximately 1 hour.
The Estuary (Carl Dixon and Colm Walsh)
In 2006 drift net and draft net fishing ended on the lower River Shannon, bringing centuries of tradition to an end. Fishermen and boat builders reflect on their life on the water, fishing as their fathers and grandfathers had fished before them.
Read more: Sample Studios Short Film Night at the Gallery
PAULA BILÁ (Formerly GOMEZ)
Date & Time: Friday 7th September, Doors open at 8pm. Tickets € 16
Paula Bilá is a singer-songwriter originally from Spain but based in West Cork for the last four years. Paula's sound is influenced by blues, folk and rock and her compositions have been noted as highly original, with a strong melodic sensibility. Her sound combined with her wide vocal range and powerful delivery is attracting attention from worldwide audiences. "The heart turning voice of Paula Gomez soars like a young Joan Baez" – Kathy Sheridan, The Irish Times
Read more: PAULA BILÁ (Formerly GOMEZ)
LUKA BLOOM
Date & Time: Saturday 1st September, Doors open at 8pm. Tickets € 16
"The very embodiment of the folk singer, Luka Bloom has that deep sense of social justice with an uncanny ability to distil contemporary life into the pithiest and most alluring combinations of lyrics and melody lines. Last year’s album, Refuge, put a finger on the fractured nature of so much of what’s happening in our world today, from homelessness to war to climate change.
Read more: LUKA BLOOM
AMANDA ANNE PLATT & THE HONEYCUTTERS
Date & Time: Friday 24th August, Doors open at 8pm. Tickets € 13
Lyrically driven, the songs of Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters blend the band’s old-school country roots attitude with their shared influences of rock and folk.
“In between the country-pop music of today and the gritty sound of yesterday you find The Honeycutters with a country-Americana sound that catches the ears of both the young and old. Musically, they make a traditional, honky-tonk-flavored sound bursting with driving rhythmic ambition, enchanting melodies and deeply poetic lyrics.” – Alan Cackett
Read more: AMANDA ANNE PLATT & THE HONEYCUTTERS
CAOIMHIN O' RAGHALLAIGH
Date & Time: Friday 17th August, Doors open at 8pm. Tickets € 16
Caoimhín makes music on a 10-string fiddle called the hardanger d'amore, and travels the world as a solo musician, in duos with Dan Trueman, Mick O'Brien and Brendan Begley, and as a member of The Gloaming and This is How we Fly.
He has performed on some of the most beautiful stages in the world, including the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Albert Hall and the Lincoln Center. Although, he admits: "some of my favourite performances have been much more intimate and ephemeral events, special one-off things invented by friends."
He has made twelve recordings to date, ranging from quite traditional to fairly out there, and continues to explore the region where traditional music begins to disintegrate.
Read more: CAOIMHIN O' RAGHALLAIGH
Beara Arts Festival - An Evening of Electronic Music
Date & Time: Sunday 5th August at 9pm, Free Admission
Come join the festivities as we celebrate the wealth of local literary, musical and artistic talent on the Beara peninsula. The program this year will feature a wide variety of talks, readings, workshops, performances, and exhibitions.
Sarah Walker Gallery will host electronic musicians Bill Karnation, Ian Geraghty, and Douglas Henderson for a night you won't want to miss!
Read more: Beara Arts Festival - An Evening of Electronic Music
THE 4 Of US
Date & Time: Saturday 14th July, Doors open at 8pm. Tickets € 16
THE 4 OF US are one of the biggest bands to ever come out of Northern Ireland, and hail from Newry, Co. Down. They were voted one of the Top10 Best Irish Bands Of All Time, along with the likes of U2 and Thin Lizzy, in a recent TV3 series. This multi-award-winning band have seven lauded albums under their belt and a back catalogue of memorable songs that have featured on American, British and Irish TV and film soundtracks. To this day, their smash hit Mary, remains one of the most played tracks on Irish radio. Founding members and brothers, Brendan and Declan Murphy have been captivating audiences with their superb acoustic performances.
"Intricate arrangements, skilful lyric writing, and as we have come to expect from The 4 Of Us, the songs are imbued with considerable melodic flair. Excellent." – Colm O’Hare, Hot Press
Read more: THE 4 Of US
Pat Coldrick
Date & Time: Saturday 30th June, Doors open at 8pm. Tickets € 16
“His recital was as refreshing an evenings music as I had in months, he brings freshness and immediacy to what he plays”
— The Irish Times.
Pat Coldrick's session work and classical appearances have earned him a reputation of being one of the finest and most versatile guitarists in Ireland. His music defies genre and appeals to a wide cross section of music lovers. Once Pat begins to play people are immediately captivated by his dedication, passion and skill. His interpretation and delivery of each piece combined with his superb artistry as a performer results in his unique ability to make his audience laugh and equally move them to tears.
Read more: Pat Coldrick
Greenshine
Date & Time: Saturday 16th June, Doors open at 8pm. Tickets € 16
GREENSHINE is a family trio comprising Noel Shine, Mary Greene and their daughter Ellie. Their material straddles the boundaries of contemporary, folk and roots and includes many self-penned songs. Their fast picking and close harmonies are a treat to the ear.
“This is a gorgeous album ~ the Sound of a Family immersed in music, tight in harmony, in love with song. Shine on Greenshine.” – Christy Moore. Noel is a multi-instrumentalist, turning his hand to guitar, bass, mandolin, bouzouki and traditional whistle and this musical dexterity had seen him much in demand as a session and band player by artists as diverse as The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and funk and soul legends The Republic of Loose amongst many others.
Read more: Greenshine
Paul Tiernan & Maurice Seezer
Date & Time: Sat May 19th Doors open 8pm
Review by Bobby Green: ''Do you want to know a secret? One of Irelands biggest secrets has just landed on my desk for a review. The golden voice of the Cork native Paul Tiernan is just about to release his 7th album and is touring around Ireland to promote it.
When the album arrived, I thought I’d stick it on, continue with what I was doing and write up a review at the weekend when I have a bit more time. But 4 plays later and work is put on hold until the weekend so I can enjoy this glorious spring weather while drifting away to places only the classics could bring me before. Paul Tiernan’s direction on this album is away from the lovelorn and into the vaudeville resulting in a transformation Kevin McCloud would be proud of.''
Read more: Paul Tiernan & Maurice Seezer
Liam O'Maonlaoí
Date and Time: Friday May 4th Doors open 8pm
Liam Ó Maonlaí is one of the most talented, charismatic and soulful performers of Irish traditional music today. But his musical prowess goes beyond his own cultural roots as he blends an eclectic mix of folk, blues, gospel, soul, rock, and more with his amazing vocals and an array of instrumental mastery from piano to flute, harmonica to bodhran.
Since first bursting onto the scene in the 1980's with his band Hothouse Flowers, Liam has captured the attention of audiences, critics and musicians alike. According to "Rolling Stone Magazine" Bono noted the ensemble were the "best unsigned band on the planet." It is no wonder that Liam remains a "musician's musician" and no surprise he has performed alongside the best of them. As a solo performer as well as frontman of Hothouse Flowers, Liam continues to wow audiences worldwide reinventing himself with each performance.
