Arts festival shaping up
That the Cavan Arts Festival launch promised to attempt the world record for shortest speeches came as a relief as the gallery space at the Townhall Theatre Cavan was jam packed, writes Damian McCarney.
A small group of dedicated volunteers behind the Con Smith Park based event were joined by artists, performers, councillors and invited guests - so many in fact they spilled out of room, into the corridor and on into the reception area across the hall. It’s fair to say the festival committee and its chair Kim McCafferty enjoy much good will.
Cathaoirleach Philip Brady noted it has been seven years since the festival’s inception and marvelled: “What a wonderful seven years it has been with creative performers and artists - national and international - coming to Cavan.
“We appreciate the creativity and promotion of art that it brings here,” he added, assuring them of the council’s support.
This May once again sees high calibre acts return with headliners Soda Blonde joined by Josh McClorey’s brilliant new band Soft Launch, Marcus Magee & The Hollaw Men armed with their eagerly anticipated debut album, and comedians Kevin McGahern and Killian Sundermann amongst the line-up (see cavanartsfestival.ie for full programme). In terms of visual art, the festival launch doubled up as the opening of photographer Enda Burke’s new exhibition Far Away & Close To Home (see p34). A hallmark of Cavan Arts Festival is the amazing circus artists it attracts. A spellbinding taster was given on Thursday in the main hall as Fanzini Productions showcased a work in progress: Imeall. This showcased the balletic grace and mind-bending strength of the performers, including aerialist Jenny Tufts (pictured). She effortlessly shimmied up and down the length of an enormous croissant shaped spiral suspended from the ceiling, while a spotlight generated hypnotic dancing shadows on the wooden floor. An original live soundtrack was provided by Con Horgan and Liam McCabe on guitar.
Kim paid tribute to Cavan County Council and in particular its Arts Office and to emphasise the importance of the arts locally, she reflected on what life would be like in its absence.
“It’s really important to us that everyone gets access to culture and the arts in whatever way, whether they like it or not,” she joked. “Maybe that is the good news story we need - people coming together to enjoy the arts and notice what it would be like if it wasn’t there; what if we had no shows, no Town Hall all year round, no Ramor nor all of these events we enjoy and turn to - perhaps in times of need when the world is most turbulent.”