Summer Solstice celebrations with Creative Places Athy

Creative Places Athy welcomed the Summer Solstice on Friday 21^st June with a special performance on the steps of Athy Library. The event was a celebration of locally sourced mythology and folklore told through performance, music, spectacle and spoken word. The Solstice Gathering which was a free event, was a collaborative project featuring contributions from over ten communities. T

For this special evening local communities in Athy have worked with street arts, spectacle and puppet experts Beth Murphy and Bridget Ní Dhuinn to create four magnificent Beasts of the Night to enthral and entertain their audiences.   Taking inspiration from local lore, these creatures were awoken on solstice night to move among the gathered crowds and dance to the rhythm and music of Athy. The sculptures were created with an animal and nature theme and their designs were carefully considered to celebrate inclusion and showcase the diversity of the people of Athy and surrounding areas. The local stories of The Hare Queen of Rathstewart, The Butterfly of Athy, The Monkey of Kilkea & Woodstock Castle, and the Serpent of the Barrow informed the chosen themes for the work.

Across 12 weeks the Solstice Gathering preparations involved a broad range of communities and individual artists including Athy Community Arts Centre, Aontas Ógra, YouthINK, Athy ISL Sing & Sign, IWA Athy, Athy Women’s Shed, Willoe Weavers, Athy College, Comhaltas Athy, Griese Youth Theatre, Athy Library, and County Kildare LEADER Partnership.

The summer solstice is celebrated across the world, and in Athy we welcomed our own bespoke celebration, co-created with the local community, featuring performers from Athy Sing and Sign, Griese Youth Theatre, Comhaltas and Buladh Croí Drumming and Drum Circle.

The Solstice Gathering event took place during the inaugural Homecoming Arts Event, a celebration of the creative place that is Athy. Almost two weeks of concerts, exhibitions, photography, performances, public talks and music including the anticipated concert in Dreamland Ballroom by Johnny Marr. For further information on The Homecoming Arts, please contact Carmel Day at 087 397 0782 carmelday1967@gmail.com

More information:         

Kildare Arts Service: T: 045 980872 /087 2399212 | E: arts@kildarecoco.ie

Press Office        press@kildarecoco.ie

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