Bringing the best new music to the stage and the web

Fri, Nov 18, 2016

He has been bringing original live music to Castlebar for the best part of a decade and now Finbar Hoban is looking to expand on that with his newly revamped website www.finbarhobanpresents.com. Hoban told us what people can expect from it.

Hear James Kilbane perform in Holy Trinity Church, Westport

Fri, Nov 18, 2016

The Holy Trinity Church, Newport Road, Westport will hold a fundraising concert night with country gospel singer James Kilbane on Friday October 21 at 8pm. This concert is in support of the church's local fundraising efforts which is being undertaken to cover costs and pay for restoration work to the Holy Trinity building.

The Holy Trinity Church was built 144 years ago in 1872. The church is of great religious, historic, tourist, and social importance to Westport, but also the wider county of Mayo. The building is unique in its exterior design and also its detailed ornate interior decoration which was completed in 1890.

Be blown away by the Clew Bay Pipe Band at Pipe Versity XVI

Fri, Nov 18, 2016

The Clew Bay Pipe Band will present Pipe Versity XVI at the Town Hall Theatre Westport later this month, with a variety of special guests including Mundy, Dan Delaney, Drama Code, Joanne Keegan, Sacred Heart School Choir, and the Cresham Dancers.

Hermitage Green for Christmas Show at Garbos

Fri, Nov 18, 2016

Finbar Hoban Presents... a very special show at the Garbo’s Venue in Castlebar this Christmas with the announcement that Hermitage Green will be coming to the town. The band look set to play the Garbo’s Venue on December 27 as part of their Christmas tour in Ireland.

Harp and clarinet duo come to Castlebar

Fri, Nov 04, 2016

Two superb young classical musicians, Anneleen Lenaerts (harp) and Dionysis Grammenos (clarinet), perform together at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Tuesday November 15 at 8pm. Expect passion, technical aplomb, and an exceptional chemistry between two dazzling virtuosi as Anneleen Lenaerts, principal harpist of the Vienna Philharmonic performs with Dionysis Grammenos, dubbed by one critic as “the new prince of the clarinet”.

Ballina gears up for return of One Act Drama Festival

Fri, Nov 04, 2016

Ballina is all set to host the town's second one act drama festival, which will run from Friday November 4 to Sunday November 6 at the Ballina Arts Centre. The programme includes well known and new groups with a diverse mix of serious drama, historical and political drama, comedy, and new writing.

Their adjudicator this year is Geoff O’Keefe, who is a professional theatre director actor, and writer with appearances on TV, in film and on radio. He has been appointed adjudicator for the RTE Three Act All Ireland Drama finals in Athlone 2017. He is much sought after, having carved quite a reputation since joining the festival circuit in 2009 and the organisers are really looking forward to having a man of his calibre oversee this year’s three nights of drama.

Beautiful Beasts exhibition at the Linenhall

Fri, Nov 04, 2016

The Beautiful Beasts, a child-friendly exhibition of sculpture presented by The Ark, Dublin, is currently on show at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar. Visit a weird and wonderful collection of animal sculptures curated by The Ark especially for children.

Amongst these quirky, loveable animals, you will find a flying horse, a tortoise with a secret story and a toucan in disguise! Created by leading Irish and international artists from materials ranging from bronze, woods, ceramics and steel, you can learn about the techniques used to create the artworks and feel samples of the materials used. The Beautiful Beasts exhibition is made up of some of The Ark’s favourite pieces from its collection which spans its 21 years of commissioning professional artists to create work for children. The artists featured Artists: Owen Crawford, Conor Fallon, Luxon Gutsa, Orla Kaminska, Olivia Musgrave, Anthony Scott, Imogen Stuart. The exhibition runs until Saturday, November 19. Recommended for ages 4 years and up.

Terry McDonagh collection to be launched in Custom House Studios

Fri, Oct 28, 2016

Custom House Studios and The Rolling Sun Book Festival 2016 are pleased to host the launch of Lady Cassie Peregrina, a recent poetry collection by Terry McDonagh, published by Arlen House, Galway, on Thursday November 3 at 6.30pm. Guest speaker on the evening will be poet Ger Reidy and admission is free.

Dutch duo back in Mayo this weekend

Fri, Oct 28, 2016

A two-piece music group from Holland will be making a welcome return to Ireland and playing a few gigs in Mayo this coming Bank Holiday weekend. After a hugely successful visit last year, there is great excitement at the thought of the band belting out the tunes again.

Kiltimagh has one act drama fever

Fri, Oct 28, 2016

The 2016 Kiltimagh One Act Drama Festival will take place in the Town Hall Theatre over this coming weekend, starting tonight Friday October 28 to Sunday October 30.

Devil’s Night Halloween Ball tomorrow night

Fri, Oct 28, 2016

Ghouls and ghosts look set to rise from the grave in Castlebar tomorrow night, October 29, for what is set to be a memorable night of music and fancy dress in the county town. Castlebar’s largest fancy dress party, titled Devil’s Night, will take place at The Garbo’s Venue with live music from four excellent original bands — Overhead, The Albatross, Fangclub, Pranks, and Music For Dead Birds brought to you by Finbar Hoban Presents.

Overhead, The Albatross are a six piece instrumental outfit from Dublin known for their intricate yet powerful melodies and energetic stage presence. Their sound combines a multitude of instruments which go beyond the normal boundaries of "post-rock" and delve into the realm of the cinematic. Layered strings, electronics and spacious synths combined with soaring guitars and powerful drums are used to create their unique sound. OTA's music journeys from delicate intimacy to epic peaks, touching everything in between. Learning To Growl is the debut album, written between Ireland and the Czech Republic, produced and recorded in Clique Recordings, and mixed by Phillip Magee is out now.

At the end of the universe, and at The Linenhall

Fri, Oct 14, 2016

It is almost here — RoolaBoola, the Linenhall Arts Centre’s ever-popular annual Children’s Arts Festival takes place over the October Bank Holiday weekend, from Friday October 28 to Monday October 31. As usual, this year’s RoolaBoola will be offering another great programme of theatre, music, exhibitions and workshops for young people and their families. It is booking now, and it is booking fast.

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.