Community groups get creative for Clonmel Junction Arts Festival
Standout theatrical experiences will feature in the festival
This year’s Clonmel Junction Arts Festival features free workshops with the artist Tom Campbell at the Showgrounds Shopping Centre this June and July, including “standout theatrical experiences that will keep you on the edge of your seats”.
For those who are looking for an immersive experience and love nature, Luke Casserly’s ‘Distillation’ at STAC Chapel will suit perfectly. To be held on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July, the artist collaborates with the perfume maker, Joan Woods to create a unique distillation of the Midlands bog as the starting point for an “olfactory encounter”.
Dedicated to the future of our broken landscapes, this performance looks into the relationship between humans and places, and aspires that by listening to them, we might be able to better understand them.
Elsewhere, Alaa Shehada’s solo show ‘The Horse of Jenin’ takes place at the Showgrounds Shopping Centre Theatre on Wednesday July 8.
A standout show at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2025, it was described in the Scotsman as: “A terrific tale of Palestinian life, laughter and tragedy under unimaginable pressure.”
The Guardian described the show as a “a production that chooses to find joy amid horror.”
Artistic Director, Rebecca Lenehan said “We’re really thrilled to be bringing ‘The Horse of Jenin’ to Clonmel.
“It’s a central aim of the festival to bring works of this calibre to Clonmel audiences so they don’t have to travel to Dublin or abroad to catch really important work.”
Continuing the festival’s commitment to supporting the development of new work, join Roseanna Purcell, an actor and writer from Littleton, Tipperary will be at the Showgrounds Shopping Centre Theatre on Tuesday 7 July 7 at 8pm for a rehearsed reading of the play Muck.
This new play follows the story of an isolated woman who has become so disassociated from her body that she believes she’s turning into a cow.
“Roseanna is a really exciting contemporary rural voice who deserves your attention,” says Rebecca. “So do join us and support the development of new work by Tipperary artists in Tipperary. We’re also really pleased to be working in partnership with The Source in this project as really committed supporters of theatre in rural Ireland.”
Also during the festival performance artist Tom Campbell is bringing The Mask Project to Clonmel in a series of workshops, with a street performance planned on July 11 with over 100 masks for a living stage at Kickham Plaza. Details on booking a place at the workshop can be found on the festival website.
Rebecca Lenehan, Artistic Director of Clonmel Junction Arts Festival says: “I’d really encourage everyone to call into the Showgrounds Shopping Centre to get involved or simply stop by to take a look at the wonderful masks being created by local schools and community groups. There are some fantastic characters being formed from aliens to broccoli to horses, elephants and cats…Clonmel is truly a fantastically creative town.”
Check out the full list and schedule of workshops and exhibitions at the Junction Festival website.