Culture Night Leitrim 2023

Culture Night, the nationwide annual free night-time entertainment, takes place this year on Friday, September 22, in venues and public spaces across Leitrim as part of an all-island celebration of arts, heritage and culture.

Celebrating all that makes up the richness and diversity of culture in Ireland today, Culture Night is a national moment, connecting people to cultural activities locally and nationally.

Supported by the Leitrim County Council and the Arts Council, Culture Night Leitrim presents unique and exciting events at venues across the county - from Kiltyclogher to Ballinamore to Carrick on Shannon.

At Mohill Library, entertainer Katherine Lynch will join fellow native Kim Taylor to host Music and Words, an evening of acoustic song, poetry, music and comedy, where they will joined by local band The Cat’s Meow on the night. 

Rossinver’s New Ballagh Centre presents a night of local song and dance by the multigenerational ‘Choir of Ages’ and the dancers of Claire McMorrow.

Drumkeerin’s Reflections takes place in Drumkeerin Community Centre, where Prin Duignan will present a historical talk about the Drumkeerin brothers, Patrick and John Kelly, who took part in the famous Connaught Rangers mutiny in India in 1920.

As part of the evening’s programme, Drumkeerin Drama Group will deliver Historical Reflections of Poems and Stories Group, followed by a music performance by members of the John McKenna Traditional Society.

Ballinamore new Island Theatre hosts A Wee Tap, presented by Ballinamore Writers’ Group - a one-act monologue of sixty minutes duration written by Rory Nevied, directed by Mary Black and will be read by Maggie Kilcoyne.

In Drumshanbo, the Base Youth Café hosts Fáilte Isteach Trad Music Session with Drumshanbo Comhaltas, where Bríd O Keefe, Sven Paetz, Orla Ward and Sarah Ward will dazzle with multi-instrumental performances in addition to a display of dancing and singing.

Culture Night at Kiltyclogher Library presents a celebration of music, singing, dancing, poetry and the written word, led by Ciaran Rock and Alison Delahunty.

Fenagh Visitor Centre welcomes internationally acclaimed author Colum McCann for a reading and discussion session about his fiction.

Leitrim Sculpture Centre hosts a Pop Up Fab Lab, where the public can explore the creative possibilities of digital fabrication and design - laser cutting and engraving, 3D printed ceramics, 3D resin printing for metal casting, digital screen-printing, and vinyl cutting.

The Sculpture Centre will also open its doors to the main workshop areas in the factory, where visitors can explore a range of traditional technical processes already used by artists and studio holders.

An exhibition of recent work by the artist in residence, Francesca Hutchinson, will be held in the gallery, as well as a variety of arts and crafts made by local communities, artists and makers in the Cluainín.

Community Pop-Up Shop on Main St., The Glens Centre, presents a tenth-anniversary ‘Open Air’ screening of the North Leitrim filmed feature film, Jimm’s Hall. This Culture Night screening will take place at Castle and will be the opening film of the Adaptation Film Weekend.

Manorhamilton Library presents Blaisín d’ár gCultúr, an Irish language event suitable for all ages.

Leitrim Design House’s Connecting Cultures through Craft celebrates artwork created by sixteen Ukrainian women living in the county.

St. George’s Heritage and Visitor Centre present Musical Magic - a musical and choral night by a local instrumental group, Ensemble 32, which plays French gipsy, folk, classical and popular tunes. Leitrim Male Choir continues to share its talent with enthusiastic audiences whilst the Millennium Choir performs genres from operatic to West End, from Irish trad to popular cinema and television soundtracks.

Leitrim Volunteer Centre will host a Culture Night open evening at their centre on Dublin Road this year. BUGS Ukulele group singers will provide music, and the public can enjoy their Ukrainian art exhibition on display.

The Dock presents an eclectic mixture of free events for all ages. You are invited to dip into fun and interactive activities, including a children’s puppet show, a community exhibition, a youth trad session, a screening of local short films, and a cello performance.

Custard Pie Puppets present their fun-filled adaptation of the classic Punch and Judy; the Jury Room will be filled with the toe-tapping sounds of a traditional music group led by Irish traditional flautist Emily Keane.

There will be a screening of three short films by local filmmakers: Declan Faughan’s popular video montage, Carrick Couples; Donal Conaty and Eva Martin’s animated film, The Andes call him from the Couch; and a short film by 2019-2023 Dock Artist-in-Residence, David Smith.

The evening comes to an end with Eimear Reidy’s performance of two new works for cello.

Finally, the Market Yard will host Aiteall, an exciting new performance created for Culture Night by musician Natalia Beylis and aerial artist Robin Roche, with artistic support from Kate Wilson.

This unique performance brings together two highly skilled performers from the Leitrim/Sligo locality in a celebration of the arts and our shared connections to local land and weather.

The mix of circus and contemporary art in Aiteall gives this unique site-specific performance a wide appeal to all audiences and ages.

All Culture Night events are free, but places are limited for many events, so book early where booking is required. For further information on Culture Night Leitrim, visit www.leitrimarts.ie or visit www.culturenight.ie.