PERHAPS it was the drier skies after Storm Ali, but Culture Night in Kerry proved a great success with numbers up on last year and the early estimates indicating that crowds of almost 6,000 people attended various events across the county.
Artists, arts organisations and arts centre offered up a diverse selection of free events late into the night. The events were supported by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Creative Ireland programme in partnership with Kerry County Council.
Key events in Tralee, Killarney, Listowel, Dingle, Cahirciveen saw record numbers and the towns of Killorglin, Ballinskelligs, Waterville, Fossa, Castleisland, Scartaglin, Tureencahill, Ballybunion and Lixnaw had full houses at their events.
The catch phrase this year was Culture is Catching and, in Killarney, events started early at St Brigid’s Presentation Secondary School which became the first school in the county to put on a special event for Culture Night.
“We have a wonderful young group of creative minds in our school and it is not often that their hard work, dedication and high standards in art is seen outside of the classroom, so we were delighted to be part of Culture Night,” said teacher Alice Quilter, who worked on the event at the school along with Fiona Archibald and Kate McEroy.
The work of professional artists was on view at Kerry Visual Arts Showcase at Government Buildings, in a show that runs until October 16. The showcase was an opportunity for the recent work of visual artists to be shown in Kerry and all work is for sale.
Killarney’s events were very well attended again and joining the line-up this year was pianist Criostóir Ó Loingsigh with an event that linked the music listened to in Killarney House to the people who lived in the great house through the centuries. Kerry Diocesan Youth Service received very positive acclaim for the creative and cultural work of the Rooted project which links to young people living in direct provision in Kerry.
A great vibe was left across the town and out to venues like the Brehon Hotel and Muckross House and Traditional Farms – where balladeer Eleanon McEvoy topped the bill and both venues did not even have standing room available with the interest shown in their events.
“Over-all we had 60 events in thirteen towns using 49 venues right across Kerr, and we want to thank all the artists, event organisers, ambassadors and audiences for making Culture Night the very special occasion that is was this year,” said Kate Kennelly, Arts Officer and Creative Ireland Kerry Co-ordinator at Kerry County Council.
Pictures: John Reidy. Click on individual images for details
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