wishes to thank

Age & Opportunity

Bealtaine is coordinated by Age & Opportunity, the Irish national organisation working to promote greater participation by older people in society. Check out the Age & Opportunity web site.

Creating a New Old

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Mary's Bealtaine 2012 Blog

Journalist Mary Russell kept a blog during Bealtaine 2012. Read some of her blog posts below:

Bealtaine Donegal never disappoints!

It was an early start – 6am to be precise – when we set off for Harvey’s Point for the Donegal Dawn Chorus.

'Blow the Dust' Annual Concert at the National Concert Hall

In fact, this marvellous orchestra has two trumpeteers among its 50 members and we’re all gearing up for Monday’s concert. This is an amateur orchestra which welcomes people who haven’t played an instrument for a long time or who have only just started learning one. New members will get lots of support from the old hands many of whom are experienced and talented musicians.

Faces of Sligo

Never thought I would find so many Bealtaine events to write about when I was in Sligo. One excellent one is the photographic exhibition, Faces of Sligo Town, which forms part of the Bealtaine Sligo 2012 Festival. Photographer James Fraher did the rounds of family-owned shops and businesses in Sligo and his thoughful exhibition at the Hawk’s Well Theatre is the result. It's a very real celebration of independent shops in an age when multi-nationals have squeezed out so many local enterprises so well done, Sligo, for holding the line.

Translunar Paradise

Hi, I got the train to Sligo yesterday, met up with the French Horn Player from Blow the Dust Orchestra who gave me a whistle-stop tour of Sligo, chatted to George Mann who is Director/Performer with Translunar Paradise – then watched the show. This morning, caught the 7am train back to Dublin and now gasping to tell you the show is unmissable. It’s on tonight in Dun Laoghaire and then touring for about a week.

Sligo, here I come!

Sligo, here I come. It’s Sunday evening in Dublin right now but tomorrow morning, at the crack of 10 o’clock, I’ll be catching the train to Sligo to chat to that great theatre company, Theatre Ad Infinitum, whose show, Translunar Paradise starts at Sligo’s Hawk’s Well Theatre on May 21 before travelling to the Pavilion in Dun Laoghaire (May 22),White Memorial Theatre, Clonmel ( May 23),Cork Opera House (May 24),Riverbank Arts Centre Newbridge (May 25) and George Bernard Shaw Theatre Carlow ( May 26).

Cois Ceim Dance Group

For foot tapping, hand clapping, hip swinging or plain old singing dance group CoisCeim’s Bealtaine 2012 show, Wild and Wonderful, is the one to get you going.

Beautiful Bealtaine!

Altogether now, let’s hear it for the Bs: Blissful Bealtaine! Beautiful Bealtaine! OK so: blustery Bealtaine! Yesterday, though, it was brimming with warm sunshine in Kilkenny where I spent a while with Bairbre-AnnHarkin, education officer at the Butler Gallery which is located in the former kitchen area of Kilkenny Castle. The Butler Gallery is putting on quite a few Bealtaine-related events which you would be crazy to miss. Tomorrow, Thursday May 17, there’s a Tour Talk and Tea at 11am with Fiona Larkin. Fiona’s exhibition is currently on at the Gallery so you’ll be hearing all about it from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

So much has happened in the Bealtaine calendar

So much has happened in the Bealtaine calendar that it‘s hard to believe we still have three glorious weeks of events ahead of us.

On Saturday, I jumped on my bike and pedalled to the Chester Beatty Library near Dublin Castle to take part in a workshop where we learned something about mandalas – the lovely geometric patterns made to perfection by Bhuddist monks.

Are you sitting comfortably?

Tomorrow, Saturday May 5th, draw up your favourite chair, turn on RTE Radio 1 at 7pm and sit back to listen to a programme about what it’s like to be getting older in a city. Not just any city but three in particular: Cork, Belfast and Dublin. Producer and presenter, Doireann Ni Bhriain, has made a four-part series called Age and the City in which she interviews men and women who tell us their own stories about the trials and tribulations of living in a city. You know, you’re on a bus and all the seats are taken. Or the bus stops quite a way from the edge of the pavement so you have to step down and then step up again. Or the lights are green at a crossing but some smart-ass driver decides to keep going. All small things but they can add to everyday stress.

Have you been to many Bealtaine events so far?

Yes? Well, there’s still lots more to come. Just been trawling through the list and find there’s something for everyone. Here are few ideas that might grab you.

Dance: Lisburn Arts Centre, Antrim. Bagnelstown Famliy Centre. Tullow Town Hall. John Bosco Centre, Donegal Town. Portlaoise (evening of Viennese music). Outdoor dancing Galway’s Eyre Square.