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Vol 9 Iss 4
Space Inside Arts
Magazine
1st Tuesday October to June
Wicklow Sailing Club, Wicklow Town
FREE ADMISSION
Great Music, Poetry and Dance
Summer ’13
Space Inside LIVE NIGHTS
Lin
de F
idorra
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Editorial
Hi all, Welcome to our Summer issue of the Space Inside magazine with topical articles and information about the arts. I would firstly like to introduce myself as the new editor of The Space Inside. I have worked alongside Carol the past few years on the journal and so understand what is required to make an issue that is unique in content yet accessible to our audience. Carol’s dynamism will be a hard act to follow but she has certainly left me with plenty of great material to work on and develop. In our main feature we talk to Carol about her Space Inside legacy and what the future holds. The Space Inside team would like to take this opportunity to thank Carol for all her hard work through the years on both the journal and the live nights. We wish her every success in her endeavours to become a full-time Poetry Therapist. To further celebrate her tenure, some of her poetry has been added to the journal poetry section. Here’s a quick look at what else is in the journal 4 Music and Book Reviews 7 Americana and Roots Festival 9 Twitters I look forward to working on creating the best journal possible for readers.
Anne Graham
Cover Art
by Linde Fidorra As part of the ‘Elements’ exhibition by staff artists at Signal Artists, Bray
Exhibiting From Tuesday 10th September – Sunday 22nd September 2013 Opening Reception: 13th September 2013, 7-9pm
New Singer-Songwriter Open Mic Night Comes to Wicklow
An exciting new singer-songwriter night was recently
launched in Wicklow town. The Stablesessions aims to
showcase in a welcoming environment up and coming
songwriters as well as those who have been on the scene
for a while. The night is held once a month in the
downstairs of Ernie’s Bar. If you wish to perform, you can
get in touch with Eugene through their Facebook page or
email [email protected]. The next one will be
held on Monday 5 August (Bank Holiday weekend) at
9pm. Entry is free.
Space Inside Arts
AGM
Are you interested in helping to maintain and grow a unique vibrant arts night and journal that is accessible to all in the community? Are you a great organiser or an ideas person? We need both! A dedicated team to ensure we deliver the best live nights and journal possible. If you’d like to get involved, please email [email protected] to get details on our next AGM.
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Inside the Space
Anne Graham talks to Carol Boland,
founding member of the Space Inside
about moving on to newer artistic
spaces and how much she’ll miss
working on the live nights and the
journal.
“It came off the top of my head!”
says Carol Boland in response to
being asked where the name ‘Space
Inside’ came from. At first I was
disappointed, expecting it to be
taken from some famous essayist or
philosopher about the cerebral
process that goes into creativity.
Then I laughed to myself and realised
that a title referring to the
mysterious mass that births the
greatest ideas should ideally come
into being from the dark -
spontaneous and raw.
This ‘light bulb’ title came a few
years after Carol moved to Wicklow
Town from London. Having already
dipped her toe in arts-related waters
as a founding member of both the
Wicklow Arts Festival and Wicklow
Writers, Carol felt there was a need
for something more regular in
occurrence. True, there were bands a
plenty playing the local pub scene
but these gigs could be few and far
between. And of course the noise
levels of an average weekend night
in a pub didn’t really give acts a
chance to engage with their audience
and get the proper listen they
deserved.
“The idea was to showcase emerging
artists as well as those already well
established in the areas of music,
writing/poetry, dance, film and art
and to provide them with an
interested, respectful audience.” The
night was set up not only for these
acts but to give people in the area
with an interest in the arts a night of
entertainment they could enjoy
without any distraction. In particular,
Carol wanted to help create an
encouraging atmosphere for young
performers starting out. “And”, she
adds, “It was important that it be
free to ensure access to all in the
community.” With the help of an
enthusiastic team, a relaxed non-
judgemental arts night was created
that soon gained a loyal following.
As the live nights progressed over
the years to showcase many exciting
acts (from rock bands, to drama to
Flamenco dancing) the Space Inside
journal also grew, from very modest
beginnings. “It started out merely as
a newsletter to inform the public of
the upcoming live nights and then
slowly but surely we started adding
more content to it and people really
welcomed that which encouraged us
to make it as professional and as
enjoyable as possible.” With
contributions from various members
of the community, the journal
expanded to 12 pages of arts-related
topics with a focus on the Wicklow
area. “I have to say I enjoyed doing
the journal more than the live
nights!” laughs Carol, “But I think it’s
great how the two fed into each
other and augmented each other. I
think the audiences really
appreciated that dynamic.”
But as much as she enjoyed and will
miss the experience, it was finally
time to move on. Carol will be
starting her first year of a
psychotherapy degree in September.
Her ultimate goal is to practice
Poetry Therapy - using dialogue
about poetry to help people express
themselves and hopefully open up to
deeper insights about themselves.
She currently runs Self Discovery
Through Poetry workshops (see
carolboland.blogspot.ie for more
info). It is yet another determined
metamorphosis for a woman who
started her career as a reinsurance
writer before moving on to the roles
of novelist, poet, arts event co-
ordinator, publisher and now
therapist. “I suppose I have a lot of
willpower, that’s why I’ve always
kept going and been able to try new
things career and lifestyle-wise. I
never take ‘no’ for an answer!”
Before we finish our interview, I ask
Carol what her favourite moments
have been at the Space Inside. “Well
obviously it’s great to look back on all
the great talent we’ve had such as
(guitarist) Eamon Sweeney, (singer)
Leslie Dowdall, (actor) Pat Nolan and
others, as well as seeing many acts
start and grow with us over the
years. But for me the best moments
were when we had a full house; it
was so crowded I couldn’t even find
a seat for myself! It was like a
validation of our years’ of work - to
reach out and give the community a
decent arts outlet they could enjoy
for free.”
Carol would like to thank all Space
Inside team members throughout the
years for their dedication and ideas.
She would also like to thank
audiences and the positive response
that has helped make The Space
Inside a truly enlightening and
entertaining experience.
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Book Review Jacob’s Folly by Rebecca Miller
In eighteenth-century Paris, Jacob Cerf is a Jew, a peddler of knives, saltcellars, and snuffboxes. Despite a disastrous teenage marriage, he is determined to raise himself up in life, by whatever means he can.
More than two hundred years later, Jacob is amazed to find himself reincarnated and in the Long Island suburbs of twenty-first-century America, his new life twisted in ways he could never have imagined: he is now a common house fly! But even the tiniest of insects can influence the turning of the world, and thanks to his arrival, the lives of reliable volunteer fireman, Leslie Senzatimore and a young Orthodox Jewish woman Masha, nursing a secret ambition, will never be the same.
‘Jacob’s Folly’ is a fantastically original novel which comes brilliantly to life with the skilled writing of Rebecca Miller. Thoroughly compelling, this is a must read for the summer and a great read for any book club.
Joanna Bridge Street Books, Bridge Street, Wicklow. T: +353(0)404 62240 www.bridgestreetbooks.ie
Music Review
Olympia
Austra
(Domino Records)
Michael Tinsley reviews ‘Olympia’ the sophomore album
of Canadian electronic outfit Austra.
Austra’s debut album Feel It Break was probably my favourite album of 2011, so it is not an over statement that I was excited at the prospect of the arrival of the follow up Olympia. Now in my experience when you are that anxious to hear new material it can often disappoint or underwhelm. Thankfully ‘Olympia’ is fantastic, retaining all the strengths from their debut - the synth driven sound, Katie Stelmanis’ unusual but spectacular operatic styled vocals - but also adding new elements that come from Austra being a full six-piece band with a couple of years touring under their collective belts. For example backing vocalist twins Sari and Romy Lightman, who also record under the name Tasseomancy, contribute hugely to the harmonies and even the song writing. For me the stand out track is ‘Painful Like’ with its arpeggiated undertow and heart-aching lyrics about the disillusionment of growing up gay in a small town and finding solace in the arms of a love. That said there isn’t a duff track across the 45 minutes here. Destined to be another long-time favourite in my house. And if a new album wasn’t good enough it was announced on Friday that Austra will be returning to Dublin on 22nd November to play the Button Factory. I didn’t get to see their recent Forbidden Fruit appearance. However, I did see them in the intimate Crawdaddy back in 2011 and they were excellent. Tickets are on sale now so snap one up to avoid disappointment.
http://www.austramusic.com/
Michael Tinsley is one-half of Wicklow based band
Aphrodite Lion. For more music news and reviews check
out their regularly updated blog ‘The Lions Share’ at
http://aphroditelion.tumblr.com.
Space Inside
Arts
Live Nights On the first Tuesday in the month, from October to June, the Space Inside runs a FREE evening of music, dance and poetry in Wicklow Sailing Club, Wicklow Town. Doors open 8pm. For upcoming performers, or if you or your band want to perform, check out our blog at www.thespaceinside.blogspot.com
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Sleepwalkers Exhibition at Hugh Lane Gallery
Sleepwalkers Exhibition at Hugh Lane Gallery
Sleepwalkers is an ongoing project
where six artists have collectively
used the gallery as a space for
research. The first phase was an
attempt to reveal the process of
conceiving an exhibition by the
display in gallery of work and ideas
in progress. This process results in
each artist developing a solo
exhibition at The Hugh Lane. The
next in the series are two
exhibitions running simultaneously
– Two exercises in awareness and
observation by Lee Welch and A
blow-by-blow account of stone
carving in Oxford by Sean Lynch.
Exhibiting from 10 July to 29
September.
Through Streets Broad and Narrow: Benedict Kiely's Dubliners
30 July, Irish
Writers’
Centre
A lecture on
the work of
Benedict Kiely
by Director of Irish Studies at
University of Massachusetts,
Boston, Dr. Thomas O'Grady. Dr.
O'Grady will be introduced by
author, screenwriter and musician
Ferdia MacAnna.
O'Eir Stoneage Art As part of Heritage Week, Erik O'Eir
Dendro-lithic artworks has
recreated
Neolithic
Megalith Art
as from our
stoneage
ancestors -
similar to
carvings at
Newgrange. The free entry
exhibition will be held in The
Riverside Gallery in The
Bridgewater Shopping Centre in
Arklow from 19-25 August. For
times see www.heritageweek.ie
Leonora Carrington
Exhibition
The first major retrospective of
Leonora Carrington's work in
Ireland, this iconic exhibition is a
timely rediscovery of this painter
and her role in the Surrealist art
movement. Carrington is known
for her figurative dreamscapes
filled with extraordinary and
complex narratives informed by
her rich interest in mythology,
alchemy, fairy tales and the
occult. Leonora
Carrington comprises some 50
paintings, eight sculptures, eight
tapestries, and 20 works on paper
from the 1940s onwards, holds a
particular focus on the imagery
that enchanted her as a child and
on the cultural influences of
Mexico. The works in this
exhibition will be organised
thematically rather than
chronologically. Metamorphosis
and transformation, themes
constant in the artist’s work, will
draw on Carrington’s hybrid world
full of the strange figures -
creatures half-human-half-horse,
elongated women, people
changing into birds - and will
include works such as The Giantess
(The Guardian of the Egg)
and Edwardian Hunt Breakfast.
Free Public Tour of The
National Print Museum
During an interactive guided
tour of the Museum, one of the
guides accompanies you on a
journey of discovery, with both
technical descriptions and
anecdotal tales, through the three
core areas of the exhibition – the
Compositing Area, the Printing
Area and the Finishing Area. Each
visitor is offered the opportunity to
hand compose and print a poster
during the tour! The Museum also
houses a new Education Area for
families on the mezzanine of the
Museum. This interactive area is
full of fun self-guided art and craft
activities and includes a mini
printers’ library. The use of this
space is free every day! On every
Sunday (excluding Bank Holiday
Weekends) at 3pm.
www.nationalprintmuseum.ie
Some Things Are Free!
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LANDFALL Circus Theatre Project Arts Centre 7 – 10 Aug 2013
MUSIC The Henry Girls Sat 24 Aug 2013 8 pm
The Henry Girls are the latest talent from Inishowen,
Donegal to cast their musical spell over audiences in
Ireland and beyond. Subtle and enchanting, their
haunting and melodious harmonies are transporting and
this first visit to Mermaid Arts Centre promises to be
something very special.
For children and adults
€16/14 conc Mermaid Box Office T: 01 272 4030 www.mermaidartscentre.ie
THEATRE
Four characters find themselves in an impossible
situation - they have nothing to stand on. Suspended in a
post-apocalyptic landscape, a wild girl, a wistful opera
singer, a forlorn gardener and an errant business man
find themselves at close quarters. Hoop, rope, silks,
chains help to weave wonder in this breathtaking aerial
performance.
€16/14 conc
39 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, Ireland
t: +353 (0)1 881 9613
www.projectartscentre.ie
FESTIVAL Dublin Fringe Fest
5-22 September 2013
Various venues, Dublin City
For 18 days this festival transforms Dublin into an exposé
of great creative talent from around the globe. It is a
platform for the best new, emerging Irish arts companies
and a showcase for the best contemporary theatre and
dance shows touring internationally. For artists, the
Fringe facilitates an opportunity to innovate, to cross
disciplines and boundaries and to find new ways and
places to create work.
For listings see fringefest.com
FILM I Am Breathing
Centre for Creative Practices
Thurs 08 Aug 2013
I AM BREATHING is the hard-hitting story of Neil Platt – a
33-year-old man who contracted Motor Neurone
Disease. Paralysed from the neck down with only
months to live, he tells his story to help raise awareness
around his devastating disease and dedicates the film to
his one-year-old son Oscar. EMPIRE Magazine calls it
“touching, humbling and inspirational”
€6
15 Pembroke Street Lower, Dublin 2
t: +353 (0)1 7995416
cfcp.ie
What’s On – Events that caught the Space Inside’s eye
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Anne Graham chats to Conor
O’Donnell about the upcoming
Americana and Roots Festival in
Greystones
Conor O’Donnell is a bundle of energy. You rarely see him sit still for more than two minutes. And when he talks, words spill over each other in abundant enthusiasm; an enthusiasm that is infectious. So not only is he the perfect candidate to organise a festival, but an Americana one at that. Brimming with positivity, but also possessing a dry rock ‘n’ roll sensibility, he is the perfect poster boy to champion the bustling, drawl of The American Dream’s soundtrack: consisting of Blues, Rockabilly, Bluegrass, Folk and a touch of Country (but no Garth Brooks or Daniel O’ ‘you-know-who’). For four years, Conor has been at the helm of the Americana and Roots weekend held each summer in Greystones. It is not your highly regimented arts festival; rather the ethos is more informal - “Let musicians play, chat and play some more,” says Conor “It’s a small music festival where everyone is welcome and all music is free.”
Conor’s Roots It’s really not surprising that Conor, who is a musician himself playing in The Big Muddy and The New Peasants, would end up organising a festival like this. His father Al O’ Donnell, an Irish ballad singer who has performed with the likes of The
Dubliners, was a major influence on Conor growing up. “I was happily
brain washed listening to great live folk acts at Lisdoonvarna and such!” The spirit of camaraderie and revolving players from one band to another at these festivals has definitely inspired how the Americana Festival has developed since its inception.
This Year And the festival gets bigger and better each year. “We have a fantastic Line-up this year with Kory Quinn from Portland Oregon, Ben Jordan from
Denver, The Cujo Family, Gypsy Rebel
Rabble and so many more. I think
that’s about twenty acts but it always
ends up being more than that. We
always support local bands and bring
in new acts too.” There will also be a
new stage in addition to the three
established ones, called The Swamp
Shack. “There will be hay bales and
mics hanging from the ceiling to give it
that authentic hillbilly feel.
Unfortunately we weren’t allowed to
have live frogs and crickets as
background noise but I think our acts
will more than help with the
authenticity we’re looking for!”
The Future
So what does Conor envision for the festival in the future? “In years to come I would like to be able to extend to maybe a week long festival with more stages, bigger stages. We basically want more music. And keep giving new artists a start and the old ones somewhere they can come to vent!
The Americana and Roots Festival runs from 2-5 August in Dann’s Bar/The Beach House in Greystones. rootsweekend.ie or find them on Facebook.
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In Profile
Lemon Kush
Anne Graham profiles Wicklow band Lemon Kush
The band Lemon Kush was formed in the summer of 2013
due to the addition of a new band member to an acoustic
two piece cover band. Guitarist/vocalist Rachel Moore
and keyboardist/vocalist/ukulele player Megan Evans
formed the band in 2012. Their peculiar harmonies
reached the ears of one Nicky Lumsden who proceeded to
join the band on the electric and bass guitar.
Their live output is very eclectic including covers of Justin
Timberlake, Bob Marley, MGMT and The Civil Wars with
the girls’ unique harmony blend giving the songs a fresh
perspective. They also write their own music, utilising
different genres such as techno and folk as well as adding
instruments such as rain makers to create vibrant
atmospherics.
Although a relatively new band in the music scene in Co.
Wicklow Lemon Kush have quite a few gigs lined up for
August 2013. They will be playing at The Americana and
Roots festival in Greystones on Saturday the 3rd and in the
Wicklow Regatta the following afternoon, debuting some
of their original material. They are also currently working
on their first EP which is due to be released by the end of
the year.
Arts in Focus: History
John Graham reviews the
historical and fictional weavings
of ‘Dublin: Foundation’ by Edward
Rutherfurd.
This is a historical fiction of some finesse. Rutherfurd (real
name Francis Edward Wintle) has written a number of
books using this interesting style of mixing history with
the fictional people he creates. He even outlines family
trees to show the relationship of people over a very long
period. What I find so interesting is his ability to weave
together the different groups, such as Celts, Vikings,
Normans and the development of Irish society in the
present day; the intricate process that made us who we
are today.
The full title of this book is Dublin: Foundation and it
covers the period from pre-history to the 16th Century. It
traces this history through fictional characters and shows
the impact major changes occurring in Dublin and Ireland
overall have on their lives: the coming of Christianity, the
arrival of the Vikings, the Norman invasion and the start
of the Reformation in Ireland. The result is a very
enjoyable read and an interesting story that helps us
understand who we are. In particular, anybody living in or
from the Dublin/Wicklow area will find this book both
informative and very familiar in many ways.
I will not spoil the story by going into any more detail,
except to say this book is highly recommended, go get a
copy and have a really good read.
Rutherfurd has written a follow up to this book, called
Ireland: Awakening (2006) and I will return to this later.
Also, he has just published a new book titled Paris (April
2013). If they are any way as good as Dublin, then I am
looking forward to some further great reads.
CONTRIBUTORS WANTED FOR
SPACE INSIDE MAGAZINE If you have love the arts and have
something interesting to write about, get in touch!
email: [email protected]
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Mentoring Support from Voluntary Arts
Ireland
Whether you are looking for advice on starting a festival
or taking your group to the next level, Voluntary Arts
Ireland can help. Their field officer Emma Whitehead can
talk you through the range of services they offer and help
you find what it is you need.
To make an appointment to see her email
Wicklow Reminiscences: Exhibition and Community Project
Heritage Week 17-25 August
A display on the lesser-known characters of Wicklow
where viewers are encouraged to contribute their
own anecdotes and memories. The exhibition will
run in all Wicklow Branch Libraries and entry is free.
All stories submitted by the public will be added to
the Wicklow Heritage archive on their website. If you
have a story of your own to tell, contact Ciara
O’Brien in Wicklow County Council Library Services.
Tel: 01-2866566
Connecting Creativity - Breakaway Project This project works towards creating links between
Irish and American artists, showcasing work by
American artists here in Ireland and developing
showcase opportunities for Irish artists in America.
They are developing this project to test the
boundaries of technology, using Skype for artistic
collaborations that would otherwise not be feasible.
Each Irish actor will be paired with an American-
based writer, and each American-based actor will be
paired with an Irish writer. Actors will have a Skype
call with their writer, who will then write a five
minute monologue for the actor on the spot. The
result of their work can be seen at the Centre for
Creative Practices on Fri 16 August at 8pm.
Admission €8.
TWITTERS
Creative Writing Comps
Novel Fair 2013/14
Deadline: 16th Oct 13
Wow! Award 2013
Deadline: 31st Nov 13
The Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Prize 2013
Deadline: 30th Apr 13
Japan-EU English Haiku Contest
Deadline: 1st Aug 13
Irish Children’s Prize
Deadline: 17th Oct 13
Source: creativewriting.ie
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The final battle
I am tired of the battle
with dragons and dragoons
of laying out my armour
at each sunrise and sunset
Did Cúchulainn fear the next
smear of blood on his axe
Lir’s silver chained swans
the next sip of green water
When did breathing
become so important
Memories in a Mattress
I wrestle the writhing beast
through the door
heave and pull
at dip and lip
until sullen and withdrawn
winded on its back
it submits in the back garden
I stand at the foot
of this double-sided slice of my life
so, it has come to this -
twenty years of seeping
blood, milk and tears.
I press the unseen knife to its belly
where each blemish is an act of love,
or a tainted stain
like a birthmark on a pelt
a storyboard
a hide for acts of treason.
Murder on my mind,
I stab the sagging skin
rip open its lumpy recess
spill its guts
discolour the soil
black and white.
And up to my elbow in pleasure
I feel it squeal under my hand
as I reach for its backbone
dislodge curls of coiled springs
condemn our shared memories
to the grave.
Businesses: National Fire Museum of Power (Wales), Healthy Habits Café, Wicklow, Maltfield Riding School, Redcross,, Bridge Street Books and Track One (Wicklow) and Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray. Groups: Wicklow Writers and Shed Poets Individuals: Anne Ferris (TD), Helen Duffy, Avril Young, Charlie Burke, Conal Kavanagh (Councillor), Mary Boland, Anne Graham, John Graham, Joy Whittaker, George and Meta Whittaker, Liam Walsh, Edward Ryan, James Boland, Edward Ryan, Andy Boland, Cora Boland, Marie O’Brien, Philip Lynch, Michael Tinsley, Shirley McClure, Marin O’Donovan, Carol Boland, Margaret Kennedy, Tommy Dickenson, Bernie Walsh, Pat Moore, Peter Kelly, Philip Galvin, Pascal Moran, Liam Walsh, Catherine Graham, Helen Graham, Kevin Graham, Charlie Kavanagh, Angela Nolan, Kerri Gill, Patricia Gill. Space Inside Arts Magazine is published quarterly by volunteers: Carol Boland and Anne Graham. Distribution: Evert Beerda, Tess Doyle and others. Live Nights: Carol Boland, Pascal Moran, Kerri Gill, Anne Graham, Cait Breathnach, John Graham, Maureen O’Donovan
http://thespaceinside.blogspot.com E:[email protected]
FRIENDS of The Space Inside 2012/13
Help us to keep afloat by becoming a Friend for only €35. You can also donate €3 (or more) online at thespaceinside.blogspot.com. The Space Inside is grateful to Wicklow Town Council and Friends for making the journal and Live Nights a reality. This project was initially assisted by Wicklow Rural Partnership Ltd under the European Union LEADER +/National
Development Plan 2000-2006.
Space Inside Arts
Live Nights
First Tuesday in the month, from October to June, the Space Inside Arts runs a free evening of music, dance and poetry in Wicklow Sailing Club, South Quay, Wicklow Town. Doors opens 8pm
Carol Boland was
born in Dublin and,
after many years
abroad, now resides
outside a small village
in Co. Wexford. A
poet, journalist and
author of the teen
novel Hostage, she
also recently finished
her tenure as editor of
the Space Inside arts
magazine.