Laois town illuminated by festive creativity

Mountmellick was a visual feast over Christmas 2023 with a delightful temporary Christmas Tree provided by the Mountmellick Christmas Tree Committee and festive street lights by the Street Lights Committee.

 In addition, a new creative project ‘Heritage Illuminations’ was launched in O’Connell Square on Thursday, December 21 with Mountmellick Community School Choir, and speeches and refreshments at Mountmellick Community School.  

‘Heritage Illuminations’ is a creative project led by Mountmellick Christmas Tree Committee in collaboration with Mountmellick Arts Collective, Mountmellick Community School and Laois Libraries. The purpose of the project is to enhance Mountmellick’s Georgian Square over the Christmas period and celebrate the diversity of heritage in Mountmellick and its hinterland. 

At the launch, Paddy Buggy representing Mountmellick Christmas Tree Committee reminded attendees that in the Irish Celtic tradition, the Winter Solstice holds profound significance - a time of rebirth and renewal, symbolizing hope and the triumph of light over darkness, and he felt it was particularly fitting that the launch took place on December 21st - a day marked by the longest night and the promise of brighter days ahead.  

“To all of the makers within our community who drew, cut, and installed the designs. Each piece reflects what is uniquely “Mountmellick”. Your work acknowledges our heritage while looking to the future. They are a symbol of the unity and resilience that defines us,” he said.

Over the festive period, Mountmellick Community School lit up the front of their building with Christmas-themed designs and decorations. 

The Deputy Principal is  Fran Kerry – La Rosa.

“We were delighted to participate and collaborate with local creatives on this project. Mountmellick Community School is both an educational leader within the town and beyond but is also a space for our students to proactively contribute to community creativity, the public realm and citizenship - taking pride in their town and the richness of its cultural heritage.

“Over the Christmas holidays we illuminated visual images made by our 5th year students and facilitated by art teachers Maryse Lennon and Una Mangan, and look forward to participating again in 2024,” she said.

Local creatives Fran Kavanagh, Collette Dunne, Tom McHugh, Frances Hibbitts and Siobhan Parkinson met regularly at Mountmellick Library leading up to Christmas and made colourful, visual content for local windows. Participation from local businesses was extremely important to the success of project in particular the generosity of  McElwee Pharmacy; Your Stop supermarket; New to U thrift shop; and property windows kindly provided by Rob Shaw and Noel Ryan. 

Amanda Hyland is a Librarian at Mountmellick Library. 

“It was a great opportunity for the library to open its doors to ‘Heritage Illuminations’ and actively host a creative public realm project with local creatives coming together and creating content in the library. We at Mountmellick Library see our venue as a creative learning, making and exhibiting space and encourage all members of our community to avail of our services,” she said. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Above: Mountmellick creatives and project participants Frances Hibbitts, Fran Kavanagh, Tom McHugh

Local artist Collette Dunne lit up ten windows on one of Mountmellick’s historic Georgian buildings facing onto the square.  Collette created images for each window depicting a piece of what is uniquely Mountmellick, from the Quakers, Mountmellick Work (embroidery) to its natural heritage of flora and fauna. This building was illuminated with the kind support of Eugene Conroy from The Forum – Mountmellick Boutique Accommodation.

Fran Kavanagh is a local creative in the town.

“This was the first year of ‘Heritage Illuminations’ and Mountmellick’s talented creatives made silhouettes, and paper crafting with coloured paper, inspired by Christmas and heritage motifs. The plan is to grow the project year on year and engage with more local businesses and residents. Illuminating visuals on business and resident windows enables valuable cultural assets of architecture, archaeology, folklore and natural landscapes of Mountmellick and its hinterland to be explored in a colourful and fun approach, as well as lighting up the town for the Christmas season. 

“This is a community led creative project and is open to all members of the public and all abilities,” said Fran.

‘Heritage Illuminations’ was supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme in partnership with Laois County Council.  MORE BELOW PICTURE.

Pictured: Mountmellick Community School project participants at the launch of 'Heritage Illuminations'

Bernie Foran is Laois  County Librarian and Creative Ireland Coordinator Laois. 

“We were delighted to fund ‘Heritage Illuminations’ in 2023 as part of the Laois County Council Creative Ireland Community Grant Scheme which aims through a wide range of art forms to draw attention to Heritage in Laois, including its monuments, archaeological objects, heritage objects including archives, architectural heritage, flora, fauna, wildlife habitats, landscapes, geology, heritage gardens and parks, inland waterways, folklore and local history. 

“Within this grant scheme, projects may be phased over a number of years, exploring concepts and developing relationships between the artist and community in year one and the building on this in future years.

“ We look forward to seeing how 'Heritage Illuminations’ can be built on year on year and the ability of creativity to explore and represent Mountmellick and its heritage,” she said.

For more information about ‘Heritage Illuminations 2024’ follow ‘Mountmellick Christmas Tree’ on Facebook and Instagram. For all information on Laois County Council Creative Ireland Community Grant Scheme, follow ‘Creative Ireland Laois’ on Facebook and Instagram.