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Mná Month In Cashel Library.

Cashel Library have dedicated the entire month of March to the celebration of women.

Roger Kennedy, Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council launched the Schedule of Events Brochure for Month in Cashel Library on Thursday 22nd “with extreme pride”.

The library will host a series of free Mnásome events over the course of the month, which are available to all person’s regardless of pronoun.
There is a very exciting programme of events beginning with an evening with Una Healy, and has something for everyone.

Mná Month is the brain child of branch librarian Maura Barrett who first muted the concept in 2020 as a pilot project. The notion being that it could be considered as a possible contender for an annual event across all libraries, in the same way that other programmes, like Bealtaine, which happens in May, have become staples in the library calendar.

“I am delighted to be able to revive this in 2023 with the help of Local Government Creative Ireland,” says Maura. “Creativity and community are two stays in Cashel Library’s philosophy of engagement with our patrons. We endeavour to support all library users to achieve their highest potential through the mechanism of creativity. International Women’s Day falls on the 8th of March and so does Mother’s Day making March the perfect time to celebrate the achievements of women”, Maura added.

Life changed irrevocable for people in Tipperary during the coronavirus pandemic. The impact being felt particularly by women in terms of economic security, social interactions, community cohesion, and their skills, learning and development. “Women carried the burden of the education of their children, sourcing food and basic supplies for the family and keeping spirits high in 2km lockdowns”, says Mr Roger Kennedy, “I’m delighted to see this initiative come to fruition, Cashel Library is a lovely space.”

These issues and the fall out of Covid have challenged patrons’ mental health in untold ways.
“It is with this in mind that we plan of keeping all of our creative activities light, fun, engaging and interactive by ensuring they are delivered in a non-threatening and enjoyable way by skilled facilitators,” explains Maura Barrett. “Our theme ‘A Series of Mnásome Events’ will take a simple back to basics approach, valuing what is really important in life, Mná Month 2023 will be a celebration.”

The programme kicks off with a concert by The Cedartowns, one of the most exciting sounds on the current folk scene on the 4th March.
Other headline acts include an evening in conversation with Una Healy on the 8th March, a writing workshop with Anne MacDonald, traditional paper flower making with Mary Doll Reilly, a sculpting workshop with Philip Quinn, the joy of journaling with Margaret O’Brien, mindful mandala making with Maria Coleman, an interview with the internationally renowned author and Tipperary woman Melissa Hill. Deise Medieval showcase the lives of Viking women, there is Music Therapy, the renowned Davog Rhynne takes you on a musical bardic journey celebrating the women of Irish myth, while Stephanie Woods discusses the women stain glass artists of An Tur Gloine and their works in Tipperary. Other offerings include practical sustainability with Eanna Ni Lamhna of ‘Mooney Goes Wild’, leaving off steam with Big Bang Drumming, Eileen Heneghan shows you how to give back to yourself using colour and meditation, there is Bridge for all generations, Creative Crafts, an Art exhibition with Ann Brennan and her students, Jewellery by Ms Manton, a mad hatters event with Millinery Vibes, jewellery by GG Designs and Eileen Acheson discusses the mental health Ireland campaign HELLO, How R U? We will also be recording patrons striking the #EmbraceEquity pose and showcasing this on social media.

All activities in a library setting are provided free to patrons and equality and diversity are main stays in all of our work.
There is something for everyone and booking is essential for all events – TEL. No. 062 63825.

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Unrequited True Love Story For St. Valentine’s Day.

Dare any of you lovers out there, forget that St. Valentine’s Day, is on Tuesday next, February 14th.

Talking of people in recent history, who fell in love, let’s not forget the sadly unrequited* love story of that great Irish poet, Patrick Kavanagh (1904-1967), and Ms Hilda Moriarty in 1944.

* Unrequited love occurs when one person yearns for unconditional love, from another individual who doesn’t always feel the same way.

It was sometime in the Autumn of 1944, while living on Raglan Road, in Ballsbridge, Co. Dublin, that the poet Kavanagh spotted Ms Hilda Moriarty, herself a native of Co. Kerry, as she wended her way to attend Dublin City University, where she was studying to become a medical doctor.

Ms Moriarty was then 22yrs old, while Kavanagh was some 20 years her senior. For Kavanagh, it was love at first sight, and though she would regarded him as a close friend, her true feelings toward him were never of a romantic nature.

In 1947 Hilda would marry the handsome Mr Donogh O’Malley, a rugby union player, who later served as Parliamentary Secretary to the then Minister for Finance (1961 to 1965); Fianna Fáil Minister for Health (1965 to 1966), and Minister for Education (1966 to 1968). It was the same O’Malley who first announced the notion of free education for Irish students, on September 10th, 1966, unknown to his cabinet colleagues; thus updating Ireland’s antiquated educational system, same unchanged since Irish independence.

Sometime later, Kavanagh was inspired to write the poem, that we refer to, today, as, “On Raglan Road”, published in the Irish Press in 1946, under the title, “Dark Haired Miriam Ran Away”. Kavanagh’s poem was later set to the melody of an old Irish song called, “Fainne Gael an Lae”; (Irish loose translated, “The Dawning of the Day”).

ON

On Raglan Road.

Lyrics: Irish Poet and Novelist, Patrick Kavanagh (1904-1967).
Vocals: Singer, Folk Musician, Banjoist and Actor, the great Luke Kelly (1940 – 1984).

On ‘Raglan Road’ of an Autumn day,
I saw her first and knew,
That her dark hair would weave a snare,
That I might one-day rue.
I saw the danger and I passed,
Along the enchanted way,
And I said, “Let grief be a fallen leaf,
At the dawning of the day.”

On Grafton Street in November,
We tripped lightly along the ledge,
Of a deep ravine where can be seen,
The worth of passion play.
The Queen of Hearts still making tarts,
And I not making hay.
Oh, I loved too much and by such, by such,
Is happiness thrown away.
I gave her gifts of the mind,
I gave her the secret sign,
That’s known to the artists, who have known,
The true gods of sound and stone.
And word and tint, (I did not) without stint.
(For) I gave her poems to say,
With her own name there and her own dark hair,
Like clouds over fields of May.
On a quiet street, where old ghosts meet,
I see her walking now,
Away from me so hurriedly,
My reason must allow,
That I had loved, not as I should,
A creature made of clay,
When the angel woos the clay, he’d lose,
His wings at the dawn of day.

END

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American Composer Burt Bacharach Passes Away.

American legendary composer, record producer, songwriter and pianist Mr Burt Freeman Bacharach (1928 – 2023) passed away yesterday, of natural causes, aged 94 years.

One of the most important composers of 20th-century popular music, he composed hundreds of pop songs, often in collaboration with fellow lyricist Hal David, which he met at the Brill Building in New York City, and thus began their writing partnership which included:- ‘The Story of My Life‘; – ‘Make It Easy on Yourself ‘; – ‘This Guy’s in Love with You‘; – ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head‘; – ‘I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself‘; – ‘Wishin’ and Hopin‘; – ‘Walk on By‘; – ‘Always Something There to Remind Me‘; – ‘What the World Needs Now is Love‘; – ‘What’s New Pussycat?‘; – ‘The Look of Love‘; – ‘I Say a Little Prayer‘; – ‘Do You Know the Way to San Jose?‘; – ‘They Long to Be Close to You‘, – ‘Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)‘ and ‘That’s What Friends Are For‘.

Among his lifetime achievements were Six Grammy Awards; Three Academy Awards; The George and Ira Gershwin Award, for Musical Achievement; An Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music; The Thornton Legacy Award USC; National Academy Of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), New York Heroes Award; and The Polar Music Prize, latter presented in Stockholm by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.

In his private life Mr Bacharach was married four times. His first wife was Paula Stewart for five years (1953–1958). His second marriage, to actress Angie Dickinson, lasted 15 years (1965–1980). The couple had a daughter (Nikki Bacharach), latter who died of suicide in January 2007, at the age of 40.
His third marriage was to lyricist Carole Bayer Sager, which lasted for nine years (1982–1991) during which they adopted a son named Cristopher Elton Bacharach.
His fourth wife, was Jane Hansen, whom he wed in 1993. Together they had two children, a son named Oliver and a daughter named Raleigh.

His autobiography, Anyone Who Had a Heart, was published in 2013.

In ár gcroíthe go deo.

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St. Patrick’s Day Parade Returns To Thurles Streets This Year, 2023.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade committee are delighted to announce that this years (2023) the parade will return to the streets of Thurles on Friday, March 17th, after a three year absence caused by the Covid-19 virus pandemic.

The parade event will starts at 2:30pm in the town centre, with the theme this year being “The Past, Present & Future”, leaving the interpretation presented by each of the entrants or organisations wide open e.g. same may reflect a club or other organisations progress, viewed either through its past, its present, its future or all three such stages of its growth and progress, presented in a creative format combined.

Note: If you would like to contact the committee in relation to entries or sponsorships, please call their chairperson on Tel. No: 0851974620 or email hello@thurlestouristoffice.ie.

Prizes

1st Prize for Overall Winner€1,000 plus Thurles St. Patrick’s Day Parade Trophy.
2nd Prize for Best Large Entry€500 and a Trophy.
3rd Prize for Best Band Entry€250 and a trophy.
4th Prize for Best School Entry €250 and a trophy.

There will also be 12 Prizes and 600 medals, plus vouchers and trophies for further entries.


This year’s parade is currently being sponsored by Tipperary County Council, – Thurles Chamber Of Commerce, – Supermacs Thurles, – Michaels Jewellers,
Thurles Shopping Centre and Others (Yet expected to confirm).

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Mark Collins Photographic Exhibition To Open in Cashel Library.

Mark Collins, an award winning photographer and Holycross resident, will hold an exhibition of his photographs entitled; “Attention/ Intention” in Cashel Library during the month of September.

Mark is pleased to invite any interested parties to the opening night of this exhibition starting on Tuesday 13th September at 7:00pm sharp in Cashel Library.

Refreshments served. Please remember to RSVP via Tel: 062 63825 please.

Having spent 20 years working as a cinematographer in the Australian film industry; in August 2019 saw Mark returning home to the land of his birth, Ireland.
Upon his seeing what was both his past and now present with fresh eyes, Mark was inspired to photograph his surroundings.

Informed by his love of cinema, he remains driven by a longing to highlight the inherent natural beauty, form and texture, particularly in places overlooked or unnoticed.

Previously behind the lens within film and cinema; Covid-19 lockdown saw Mark return to education, whereupon he studied photography at LCFE, School of Creative Media & Visual Arts, in Co. Limerick.
His studies have reignited a passion for both his home and visual storytelling.

In this exhibition of his latest 15 Photographic works entitled; “Attention/ Intention” , he now draws from his aesthetic roots in cinema, inviting viewers to see beyond classical notions of beauty. An active focus on the decontextualising of forms, Mark welcomes audiences to look beyond the categorisations of still life, landscape etc and allow our own imaginations to adventure across the visual terrain of his works.

“The challenge is to see beyond the distraction of the conspicuous”, the observer is invited into a creative dialogue with the pictures and asked what their own impressions of the world within the art is, what kinds of characters, forms and stories inhabit these worlds?

Mark’s careful and meditative approach to the detail and materiality of subject examines a notion to look more closely at the world around us and discover beauty, in unusual or unexpected places and moments.

Opening night on Tuesday September 13th, 2022 at 7:00pm. These photographs are unique editions of 5 per piece, and will be on show at Cashel Library for the month of September.


Note: Images are available for purchase through the front desk or by emailing the artist directly at contactmarkcollins@gmail.com.

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