Countywide celebrations planned for Culture Night
By SIOBHÃÂN HOLLIMAN PLANS are being finalised to host Co Galway's first ever Culture Night in September. While some areas of the county have celebrated Culture Night previously, this is the first year that a coordinated programme for the entire county has been organised and events will take place locally in Tuam, Athenry, Claregalway and Corrandulla. Culture Night is an annual event that celebrates culture, creativity and the arts and takes place on Friday, September 21.[private] The Council has secured funding for the event from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and 49 events in 39 venues will be held in 17 towns and villages across Galway. There is something for everyone including multicultural celebrations, poetry and story readings, cultural lectures and tours, film screenings, art and photography exhibitions, drama plays and workshops and of course traditional music and dance sessions. Galway City Council has also prepared a Culture Night programme for the city. A Tuam Trad Night featuring visiting and local musicians will take place in the Rustic Vaults in Tuam from 8.30 pm on September 21. A Tuam Multicultural Celebration Night takes place from 5 to 10 pm at the Western Traveller and Intercultural Development Centre, Brú BhrÃÂde. An evening of music, song, dance, food tastings, story telling and art is planned. Corrandulla will host a music extravaganza in the community hall, organised by Leabharlann na gCairde together with Annaghdown Active Age Group to celebrate Culture Night. This will be family-friendly event which will celebrate the musical culture and talent of the rural area and takes place between 8 and 11 pm. Claregalway Castle tours will take place between 2 and 7 pm while a concert is also scheduled for the recently restored castle. A number of events are planned for Culture Night in Athenry and begin with a reading of the short stories of Mary Lavin and the places in her life at 6.30 pm in the library. A selection of stringed instruments will be played by the students of Athenry Music School in the Heritage Centre at 7.30 pm. Athenry Film Club in association with Access Cinema and the Japanese Embassy of Ireland present the Japanese film Haru's Journey by director Masahiro Kobayashi. It tells the story of elderly fisherman Tadao and his granddaughter Haru, who live in a small fishing village in Hokkaido. Galway Culture Night will be launched on Thursday, September 13 at County Hall at 6 pm by the Mayor of Co Galway Tom Welby. All events are free and further updates and information are available at www.galwayculturenight.com.[/private]