We always get very excited and proud with the arrival of the Carlow Arts Festival! This year, the Eigse name has been dropped and it is simply called Carlow Arts Festival. Under the umbrella of the Carlow Arts Festival, Hugo Jellett, the Festival Director has created the brilliant Festival of Writing and Ideas and the History Festival.
I will post separately about the Festival of Writing and Ideas as that deserves its own post and the History Festival is coming this week so it is good!
We went on down to the Visual in the grounds of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. We are so fortunate to have this particular area of Carlow. It was a beautiful evening and a bar had been set up outside the steps of Visual. We walked around admiring all the quirky pieces including art from Ben Long- a massive scaffolding sculpture of a horse. I spoke with Ben afterwards and he told that the whole sculpture will be dismantled afterwards and the pieces reused. A son of a scaffolder, he uses his Dad’s expertise to create crazy imaginative pieces. More examples of his work can be seen on his website here.
The whole of Visual is well worth a wander through at any point and not just at the Arts Festival.
The day after, I made my way to Dublin Street, a place that quietly goes about its business during the year but it opened up and alive to the public during the Arts Festival. The Dublin Street Regeneration Project gives us films, wine receptions, art, vintage clothes, and cadbury’s chocolate cake-all these things made me salvate! There is still another week left of all these pop-up shops so again, you really should pay a visit and help businesses and artists out! The Bake shop was visited, I had a quick cup of coffee but did not indulge in anmy of their lovely looking cakes. I was saving myself for the Taste of Carlow event which was open all day in the Town Park. Simon went for a venison burger and I went for a steak one from the BBQ stall that camps out at the Carlow Farmers’ Market every Saturday. This was my chance to indulge and it was really, really good. Topped with herby cheese and caramelised onions, it was thoroughly enjoyed!
The Party in the PArk event was throbbing with hot, hot sun and clowns, comedians, BBQ and ices. Families brought picnics and we just walked and watched.
We couldn’t make the Sharon Shannon gig or the Fireworks but we will next year, that is a a promise. The Arts Festival keeps growing in strength, people and ideas. Long may it enjoy its success!
