Arts News – Preparations for Connacht Fleadh Ceoil

BALLINASLOE will host this year's Connacht Fleadh Cheoil, which takes place on July 7 and 8. The fleadh will be preceded by a week of events, starting on Monday, July 2. East Galway has long been regarded as a Mecca of traditional Irish music and song and it has produced some of the most famous exponents of the genre. It is five years since Galway last hosted a provincial fleadh and this year's event promises something for everyone. The local branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann is hosting a night of video entertainment in the Emerald Bar, highlighting their achievements in the 1980s and 90s, on Monday, July 2. Throughout the week there will be a variety of events, such as a ceili workshop, singing nights, cultural evening and dancing workshops. The official opening of Fleadh Cheoil Chonnacht 2012 takes place on Friday, July 6 in Gullane's Hotel at 8 pm. This will be followed by a gala concert. The fleadh begins at 10 am on Saturday, July 7 and there will be live music in the afternoon in the Square. The fleadh Mass will be celebrated in St Michael's Church at 7 pm. A huge crowd is expected over the fleadh weekend as the sound of music, song and dance will be heard throughout East Galway. Festival time at NUI Galway Festival time in NUI Galway_has arrived and, to celebrate, the university's societies are_hosting a number of events on campus with the Cube Theatre (ÃÂras_na Mac Léinn) as the hub of events. NUI Galway Societies are_part of the Volvo Ocean Race Art Trail, Galway Fringe and the Colours_Festival. The entertainment ranges from film to dance and theatre, for_the very young and the young at heart. There will be literary, nights_and art exhibitions, including the NUI Galway Societies Young Artists Exhibition on the theme of â€ËœFestival Time in Galway', that will run from July 1 and will be located all the way from Eglington Street into NUI Galway. 'We are delighted to be part of the month of festivals in Galway and we are really looking forward to all the events on campus,' said Riona Hughes, societies officer. 'Many of the performers_and artists participating in the events are students, past and present, and it is wonderful to see_the tradition of NUI Galway as such a vibrant source of artistic_excellence continuing with a new generation. 'As part of our commitment to the next generation we have organised the young artists' exhibition,_inviting all the national schools in Galway to participate, and have_also organised a series of children's theatre. We look forward to_celebrating a vibrant July with the city.' To see all the_events from the festivals check out www.festivals.nuigalway.ie. Not a boat in sight DELICATE watercolours, refined acrylics and loose oils feature in an exhibition of paintings currently on show in Providence Market Café and Gallery in Galway. Three local artists, Tess Higgins, Betty Quinlan and Gia Griffiths Howard, all take their inspiration from the natural world and the west coast, but in very different ways. Their exhibition entitled 'Not a Boat in Sight', features Tess's beautifully observed paintings of poppies in watercolour, Betty's exquisite and atmospheric paintings of west coast roads and Gia's impressionistic Arcadian oil paintings of Galway's hinterland. The three artists met while studying at the GMIT and continue to work together. The exhibition runs throughout the summer at the gallery on Abbeygate Street. Cartoon workshops for kids CARTOON workshops aimed at teaching children of all ages about marine life will be part of the Family Fun Day on June 30 and July 1 in the Ocean Wealth Showcase Pavilion of the Volvo Ocean Festival in Galway. Presided over by â€ËœBlack John the Bogus Pirate', aka Dr John Joyce, author, cartoonist and marine biologist, these free workshops require no prior knowledge of either art or science and are designed to promote understanding of the marine environment through the medium of simply having fun. 'We learn most when we're enjoying ourselves,' said Dr Joyce, who began using cartoons while developing the Explorers primary school marine education programme with the Marine Institute. 'And learning how simple it really is to draw cartoons is about as much fun as anyone can have.' Each workshop leads the budding artist through the basics of cartoon drawing using a specially designed cartoon workbook, which will be free to each participant, before introducing cartoon animals such as jellyfish, crabs, sharks and whales. Those taking part will then award themselves the â€ËœPirate's Higher Diploma' or PhD, having learned a new skill and a little bit more about the oceans on which we all depend.