Bealtaine, the Irish national festival celebrating creativity in older age, is co-ordinated by Age & Opportunity and includes events organised by hundreds of partner organisations.

A dream launch

dancing in Heuston Station “Fun, lightness and creativity" - share in the fun of the Bealtaine launch at Heuston Station, Dublin.

Bealtaine Launch 2010

Register with us

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.

Photo credits

	‘Swans’ from the ‘New Ground’ project with John Fox and Sue Gill, Mayo County Council’s Arts Offi ce, Mayo Artsquad, local artists and others (photo: Dominic Campbell)
	Ciarán Hinds and Frances McDormand in ‘Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day’. Image courtesy of Momentum Pictures (© 2007 Focus Features LLC. All Rights Reserved.)
	Detail from ‘Himself, Himself and the Others’ by Michael Fortune (photo: Michael Fortune)
	Con McGinley at ‘The Glen Road’ session in Donegal (photo: Simon Houston)
	Dervla Murphy talks to a Bealtaine audience in Hollyhill Library, Cork (photo: Ken Lynch)
	Jazzman Paddy Cole in full swing (photo: Orla O’Brien)
	Detail from artwork at St. Mary’s Hospital, Phoenix Park, made as part of Age & Opportunity’s ‘Creative Exchanges’ programme (photo: Derek Speirs)
	Intergenerational fun at a Magic Me event. Image courtesy of Magic Me
	Project Brand New Generation
	Devised by Buí Bolg in association with local Active Retirement Groups, Duncannon Beach was the venue for the launch of Bealtaine 2007 (photo: Dylan Vaughan Photography)
	Dancers, both experienced and first-timers, get into position during a Liz Lerman Dance Exchange workshop in Dunamaise Arts Centre in Portlaoise (photo: Alf Harvey)
	The Glen Road music sessions in Donegal (photo: Simon Houston)
	Detail from artwork created by the Magic Me Intergenerational Arts Group in the Ballymote Family Resource Centre (photo: James Connolly Photography)
	The Glen Road music sessions in Donegal (photo: Simon Houston)
	Working on a scene at the Liz Lerman Dance Exchange workshop in Dunamaise Arts Centre in Portlaoise (photo: Alf Harvey)
	Discussing and explaining at the Magic Me Intergenerational Arts Group in the Ballymote Family Resource Centre (photo: James Connolly Photography)
	A scene from Seán Millar's ‘Silver Stars’, a song cycle exploring the stories of older Irish gay men, staged at the Project (photo: Colm Hogan)
	A talk in the sculpture gallery in the Crawford Gallery, Cork (photo: Julie Forrester)
	Jessica McDonnell who is in 1st year in Castlenock Community College pictued with her grandmother Florence McDonnell at the launch of National Grandparents day in School.(photo: Aidan Crawley)

Cover of Bealtaine Programme

Programme for Bealtaine 2010

What's new?

Evaluating Bealtaine

Each year, we ask organisers to fill out an evaluation form once events are finished. If you have organised an event, you can fill out the form from here.

Go to evaluation form

Dawn Chorus

dawn chorus singers Dawn Chorus returned to waterfronts all across Ireland on Sunday 30 May. See how they went.

See and hear the Dawn Chorus.

Ink exhibition

Ink exhibition logo

Aidan Kelly's exhibition exploring older people's tattoos, Ink, is now on in the Original Print Gallery, Temple Bar until 30 May. Part of the exhibition is online.

See the online part of Ink