The countdown is on to this month's opening in Skibbereen of an exhibition of the world's largest collection of famine related art where it will be complimented by a vast programme of related events.
THE countdown is on to this month’s opening in Skibbereen of an exhibition of the world’s largest collection of famine related art where it will be complimented by a vast programme of related events.
Coming Home: Art and the Great Hunger will open in Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre, on Friday July 20th and run until October 13th.
The collection, from Ireland’s Great Hunger Museum at Quinnipiac University, Connecticut, has been seen by over 55,000 people in Dublin Castle since February.
Coming Home is a unique opportunity for the people of West Cork, and visitors to the region, to experience artworks by major Irish and Irish American artists of the past 170 years such as Daniel Macdonald, Paul Henry, Jack B Yeats, William Crozier, Hughie O’Donoghue, Dorothy Cross and Alanna O’Kelly.
The vast programme is made possible by the cultural collaboration of Skibbereen Heritage Centre, Skibbereen Arts Festival, West Cork History Festival, A Taste Of Cork Food Festival, West Cork Literary Festival and The West Cork Education Centre.
The extensive programme includes a West Cork schools programme; a series of artist residencies in association with the Crawford Art Gallery and University College Cork; a unique performance by acclaimed Irish artist Alanna O’Kelly for Schull Workhouse, Anáil na Beatha; a celebration of the legacy of young women who emigrated to Australia called 110 Skibbereen Girls; Chronicles of The Great Irish Famine concert with Declan O’Rourke and guests, a garden trail at Reen Farm Sculpture Garden when internationally-renowned artist John Kelly lives with his family.
There are the Famine Stories Walking Tours, an artist’s talk in the gallery with Robert Ballagh, the world premiere of Rua Breathnach’s Welcome To The Stranger at Skibbereen Town Hall, the Canon Goodman Concert with Lúnasa, Point Of Departure: A Lament film screening and drama workshops for children, a poetry reading by Cherry Smyth of her long form poem Famished, as well as day long field trips, family friendly Discovery Boxes and numerous Heritage Centre Talks.
For more see westcorkartscentre.com
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