Welcome to Lasta 2021!

Presenting ‘ABHAINN’ by Lauren Bickerdike

As population density grows and urbanisation spreads, the relationship between nature and industrialisation becomes more strenuous. Abhainn is a soundscape that pinpoints the placement of rivers amongst modern societies. This piece follows the River Barrow, from its source up in the Slieve Bloom Mountains, through towns across Co. Laois. As the river grows, intersecting roads and built up areas, industrial noise starts to leak through. Abhainn focuses on the equilibrium between the river’s wildlife and man-made sound adaptations created through time.

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Lauren Bickerdike is a sound based multimedia artist from Co. Laois. She is a graduate of Limerick School of Art and Design where she specialised in Sculpture and Combined Media and received a BA Degree in Fine Art. Her work primarily centres around sound, through the context of location, taken predominantly from field work and documentation. Her practise focuses on the connections between societies and their environmental impact. Responding to topics, varying from socioeconomic and political issues to religious practises and traditional customs along with ecological adaptations, her work isolates and captures the importance of sound as a device in comprehending our modern societies and their surrounding environments.

Exhibitions and collaborations which Lauren has recently been involved in include Glasgow Gallery of Photography in Glasgow, Scotland (2021), for the United Nations General Assembly under F.99 and Ikono Studios in New York (2020), along with Rua Red in Dublin (2020) , Loosen Art Gallery in Rome, Italy (2019), among others. Upcoming shows for 2021 include MKII in London, England and CICA Museum in South Korea.

Lasta is presented by the NASC network of venues as part of Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh, a nationwide, ten-day season of arts experiences brought to you by the Arts Council, funded by the Government of Ireland and produced by Schweppe Curtis Nunn with support in Laois from Creative Ireland Laois (as part of the Creative Ireland Fund 2017-2022) in collaboration with Laois County Council. For more information on Brightening Air | Coiscéim Coiligh visit www.brighteningair.com.

We hope you enjoyed this Lasta festival experience. Please check out more of our wonderful and exciting events including more podcasts, virtual workshops, theatre and dance events and more on www.dunamaise.ie .

Thank you for listening!

With best wishes from

Alannah, Pauline and Ruairdhí

Dunamaise Arts Centre

Young Curators | Lasta Festival 2021

Hometroots

A series of six short fictional radio plays, made with, for, and about the people of Laois. Throughout 2014, director Maisie Lee and writer Kate Heffernan were Dunamaise Arts Centre’s Theatre Artists in Residence. They spent the first half of the year meeting with groups and individuals of all ages and from a variety of backgrounds across the county, discussing and exploring ideas of ‘home’, and what it means to us as individuals and as a society. Recorded for broadcast at Dunamaise and at various locations throughout Laois, five of the pieces are performed by a local cast. From storytelling to drama, the plays are different in style and tone, reflecting the diversity of homes encountered and explored.

Hometroots was premiered by Midlands 103 FM in a live broadcast from Dunamaise Arts Centre in December 2014.

Credits: Written by Kate Heffernan. Directed by Maisie Lee. Performed by (in order of appearance): Zeta O’Reilly; Timahoe National School (Michael McEvoy, Holly Phelan, Brian Brennan, Aisling Cooney, Jack Shortall, Katelyn Doyle, Eve Smith, Jamie Fennell, Hannah Daly, Niamh McKittrick, Moya Krawczyk, Rebecca Dalmedo, Amber Doyle, Hazel Doyle); Laois Youth Theatre (Sorcha Brennan, Cian Ó Murchú, Alethea Graham); former members of Shake the Speare Theatre Company (Ronan Fingleton, Aoife Dunne, Carole Mooney, Jennifer Buggie); Stradbally PlayHouse Adult Drama Group (Betty Maher, Eilish Dillon, Pauline Shaughnessy, Edel Graham-Byrne, Mary Knowles, Mary Clare Shaughnessy, Liz Fenlon, Noelle Neylon, Mary Whearty); Abbeyleix Active Retirement singers; Portlaoise Active Retirement (Mary O’Shea, Peter O’Shea). With Ian Lloyd Anderson. Made possible by the Arts Council’s Theatre Artist Residency Scheme, Dunamaise Arts Centre and Laois County Council. 

Produced & Presented by Dunamaise Arts Centre

www.dunamaise.ie |Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Dunamaise on Air theme Music by Piano Man Tom  www.pianomantom.com

Dunamaise Arts Centre gratefully acknowledges funding from The Arts Council and Laois County Council

Locally-based Drama Group members were invited to put together and develop short, fifteen minute plays which would be workshopped over a number of weeks under the mentorship of David Butler. The weekly Zoom sessions began with a series of three 2 hour talks on structure, characterisation, and dramatic dialogue.

We then had eight weeks during which we workshopped the plays so that each one got a minimum of three workshopping sessions. Unfortunately the Covid situation did not allow for live performances or live rehearsed readings of the plays as planned. Instead, each group was invited in to Dunamaise Arts Centre to record their play, to be aired as a podcast via Dunamaise on Air. 

First on the bill is a comedy of manners set in an ordinary house somewhere in Ireland.

"Rita, Sue and Dad Too"

"What's In A Name"

Aiden Corrigan             Joe Murphy

Tom Whelan                 Jane Doheny

Joe McGrath                Kevin Lalor-Fitzpatrick

Owen Slowey               Bernard O’Reilly

Major Williams             Colman Young

Written and  directed by David Corri

Produced & Presented by Dunamaise Arts Centre

www.dunamaise.ie |Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Dunamaise on Air theme Music by Piano Man Tom  www.pianomantom.com

Dunamaise Arts Centre gratefully acknowledges funding from

Supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.

Dunamaise Arts Centre also gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance received from the Arts Council.

Locally-based Drama Group members were invited to put together and develop short, fifteen minute plays which would be workshopped over a number of weeks under the mentorship of David Butler. The weekly Zoom sessions began with a series of three 2 hour talks on structure, characterisation, and dramatic dialogue.

We then had eight weeks during which we workshopped the plays so that each one got a minimum of three workshopping sessions. Unfortunately the Covid situation did not allow for live performances or live rehearsed readings of the plays as planned. Instead, each group was invited in to Dunamaise Arts Centre to record their play, to be aired as a podcast via Dunamaise on Air. 

In our first play, "Where the Truth Lies" by Frances Harney, we join Seamie and Timmy discussing marriage and love over a pint........

Our second offering is a thoughtful piece on the choices that must be made following a life changing diagnosis, "Decisions" written by Sheelagh Coyle

"Where The Truth Lies"

"Decisions"

Written and directed by Sheelagh Coyle

Produced & Presented by Dunamaise Arts Centre

www.dunamaise.ie |Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Dunamaise on Air theme Music by Piano Man Tom  www.pianomantom.com

Dunamaise Arts Centre gratefully acknowledges funding from

Supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.

Dunamaise Arts Centre also gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance received from the Arts Council.

Locally-based Drama Group members were invited to put together and develop short, fifteen minute plays which would be workshopped over a number of weeks under the mentorship of David Butler. The weekly Zoom sessions began with a series of three 2 hour talks on structure, characterisation, and dramatic dialogue.

We then had eight weeks during which we workshopped the plays so that each one got a minimum of three workshopping sessions. Unfortunately the Covid situation did not allow for live performances or live rehearsed readings of the plays as planned. Instead, each group was invited in to Dunamaise Arts Centre to record their play, to be aired as a podcast via Dunamaise on Air. 

In this episode we begin with "Lemony Drizzly" by Dan E Hyland, followed by "Jimmy" by Collette Rafter.

Please Note these plays contain some use of adult language and challenging themes.

"Lemony Drizzly"

Chuck--------------Alan Conroy

Mr Marwood----John "Banjo" Quin

Bella---------------Marie Brennan

Written and Directed by Dan E. Hyland

"Jimmy"

Jimmy          Joe O Neill

Peter            Rory Corcoran

Kathleen      Colette Wrarfter  

Written and directed by Colette Wrafter

Music Paradoxes and Palindromes by Blueberry Rouge

Produced & Presented by Dunamaise Arts Centre

www.dunamaise.ie |Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Dunamaise on Air theme Music by Piano Man Tom  www.pianomantom.com

Supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council.

Dunamaise Arts Centre also gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance received from the Arts Council.

Broadcaster Ann Marie Kelly has produced this Podcast especially made for Dunamaise Arts Centre.

Following an interview with Mountmellick Singer/Dancer Bill Lawlor, on her award winning Open Door Radio show on Midlands 103, Ann Marie realised his story has universal appeal.

Bill has now become the inspiration for the first phase of the ‘Always Human’ Art Project created by Artistic Director Cabrini Cahill, commissioned by Dunamaise Arts Centre and funded by the Arts Council. Listen to Bill’s story here of being a Band Leader, a dance teacher, a manager, a referee and all that time taking care of his parents, while having to hide his love for Edith.

Bill’s story of the Dancehall inspired Laois artist Pauline Conroy to create a painting ‘The Loveliest Night of the Year’ which will be produced as a greeting card and sent out to encourage older people across the county to share their memories of life when they were growing up between the ages of 18-28.

With their consent, their memories will be used to inspire Laois based Artists to create new Artworks throughout 2021.

“Dunamaise on Air” is a new series of podcasts you can find through www.dunamaise.ie or on Spotify and other main podcast platforms.

Dunamaise Arts Centre gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance of Laois County Council

and The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon.

Episode 4: Tales We Tell Ourselves: Saturday 5thNovember, 11am

CARLO GÉBLER IN CONVERSATION WITH DERMOT BOLGER

Carlo Gébler was born in Dublin in 1954.  His most recent books from New Island, include The Wing Orderly’s Tales– a collection of stories told by a prison orderly; The Projectionist– a biography of his father, Ernest Gébler, and The Innocent of Falkland Road, a novel set in the 1960s London of his childhood. His response to the ongoing pandemic has been to re-tell twenty-eight tales from Boccaccio’s Decameron, in a new book, Tales We Tell Ourselves, published in October 2020. A member of Aosdána, he is married with five children and has lived in Enniskillen since 1989.

Music by David Power

Leaves Festival of Writing & Music 2020: ‘Leaves on Air’

Funded by the Arts Office, Laois County Council  

Produced & Presented by Dunamaise Arts Centre

www.leavesfestival.ie | Facebook  | Twitter| Instagram

www.dunamaise.ie|Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Dunamaise Arts Centre gratefully acknowledges funding from Laois County Council and The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon

Episode 3: A Quiet Tide: Friday 6thNovember, 11am

MARIANNE LEE IN CONVERSATION WITH DERMOT BOLGER

Marianne Lee grew up in Tullamore, Co. Offaly and now lives in Dublin with her husband. She has a degree in Visual Communications from the National College and Art and Design and an MPhil in Creative Writing from Trinity College Dublin. She works as a designer and copywriter, and has published a selection of poetry and self-recorded an album. Her debut novel, ‘A Quiet Tide’, a fictionalised account of the life of Ellen Hutchins, Ireland’s first female botanist, who collected and discovered rare spies of plants while working in isolation in West Cork, was published in 2020 by New Island.

With Music by David Power

Leaves Festival of Writing & Music 2020: ‘Leaves on Air’

Funded by the Arts Office, Laois County Council  

Produced & Presented by Dunamaise Arts Centre

www.leavesfestival.ie | Facebook  | Twitter| Instagram

www.dunamaise.ie|Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Dunamaise Arts Centre gratefully acknowledges funding from Laois County Council and The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon

Episode 2: When All is Said: Thursday 5thNovember, 11am

ANNE GRIFFIN IN CONVERSATION WITH DERMOT BOLGER

Born in Dublin, Anne Griffin now lives in Mullingar. In 2019 her debut novel When All Is Said was an Irish No. 1 bestseller when published by Sceptre. It has now been published in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa and is being translated into sixteen languages. Described by John Banville as “a rare jewel”, by Donal Ryan as “a hugely enjoyable, engrossing novel” and by Graham Norton as “beautifully observed, masterful storytelling”, When All is Saidwon the Newcomer of the Year Irish Book Awards, 2019.

Featuring music by David Power

Leaves Festival of Writing & Music 2020: ‘Leaves on Air’

Funded by the Arts Office, Laois County Council  

Produced & Presented by Dunamaise Arts Centre

www.leavesfestival.ie | Facebook  | Twitter| Instagram

www.dunamaise.ie|Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Dunamaise Arts Centre gratefully acknowledges funding from Laois County Council and The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon

Episode 1: The Weight of Love: Wednesday 4thNovember, 11am

HILARY FANNIN IN CONVERSATION WITH DERMOT BOLGER

Hilary Fannin worked as an actor throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Her first play was staged at London’s Bush Theatre and since then she has written numerous stage and radio plays. She was joint writer-in-association at the Abbey Theatre for its centenary year, 2004. She is co-creator and mentor of a playwriting course run by Fighting Words in association with the Abbey Theatre. Her acclaimed memoir Hopscotch was published by Doubleday in 2015. She began writing forThe Irish Times in 2004 and currently writes a weekly column for that paper. She was named Columnist of the Year at the 2019 News Brands Ireland Journalism Awards. Her debut novel, The Weight of Love, was published by Penguin Random House this year.

This episode begins with a poem called "Leaves" written for the the festival by Dermot Bolger and is followed by a whistle tune called "Chicago" played by David Power.

www.davidpowerup.com

Leaves Festival of Writing & Music 2020: ‘Leaves on Air’

Funded by the Arts Office, Laois County Council  

Produced & Presented by Dunamaise Arts Centre

www.leavesfestival.ie | Facebook  | Twitter| Instagram

www.dunamaise.ie|Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Dunamaise Arts Centre gratefully acknowledges funding from Laois County Council and The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon