TUESDAY MAY 14

County Hall is urging the public to submit their ideas on what should be in the county’s Heritage Plan 2013 – 2018

THE Europe Direct information centre in Mountmellick Library will host a special screening of Irland und seine Kinder (Children of Eire) on Saturday May 18 from 12pm to 12.45pm.

AS many breathe a sigh of relief at the confimation of this year’s Electric Picnic, and many were delighted to have the initial line up announced, there was still plenty of speculation as to who else will be joining Bjork, Arctic Monkeys, Fat Boy Slim et al this summer in Stradbally.

A NUMBER of local artists have recently set up the Facebook page Laois Arts Network with a view to providing a platform for artists around the county to show their work.

THERE are plenty of events happening across Laois over the next few weeks as part of the Bealtaine celebrations.

The Dunamaise Arts Centre saw Stradbally Youth Theatre put in a remarkable performance on Saturday 4th May. The members of the youth theatre presented DNA, a dark comedy by Dennis Kelly, directed by Siobhán Coffey and Trevor Mulhare.

AS part of the bealtine festival, there will be dancing for older people with Alicia Christofi-Walshe in the Dunamaise where people can come for some dancing and a cuppa.

PAMELA Flood, former Miss Ireland and RTE Presenter will act as MC at the ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ night in the Heritage Hotel, Portlaoise on Friday May 17.

For those who haven’t yet got their tickets for the two Druid productions coming to the Dunamaise this week, there is still a chance to get tickets for the shows.

Five young people from Laois will take part in volunteer projects with SERVE this summer. Paula Quigley and Pierce Bennett (both Timahoe) will volunteer in South Africa with Tapologo and Tsholofelo, Tony Loughnane (also Timahoe) and Niamh McDermott (Mountmellick) will travel to Mozambique to volunteer with Young Africa and Sarah Delaney (Rathineska) will volunteer with Morning Star in India.
 In South Africa, near Rustenburg, Paula and Pierce will be assisting on the building and renovation of health and training centres, with Paula taking on the role of Group Leader. Tens of thousands of people live in shacks in squatter camps such as Freedom Park, and SERVE’s partners Tapologo and Tsholofelo provide services including home-based care and vocational skills training.
This will be Paula’s second trip abroad with SERVE, having previously volunteered with them in 2009.
“I’ve been involved with SERVE on and off since 2009, when I volunteered in the Philippines with them. I’ve been doing some fundraising and then an opportunity came up to work with them for a year, and I jumped at it.”
Paula became involved with Serve having attended an information session in college in Cork.
“They were recruiting in CIT (Cork Institute of Technology), where I was studying. I seen it advertised and decided to go to the information session and it all went from there.”
Paula, Pierce and Tony, go back along way, having all grown up together in Timahoe. While Pierce become involved through Paula, he is looking forward to the experience and helping those in need.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I had to drop out of a trip to Zambia when I was in 5th year in the CBS in Portlaoise because of my studies. I wasn’t going to miss out when the opportunity came again.”
Pierce continues: “What you see on television is not really real, I wanted to go and see it and experience it for myself. Even if I help one person, it will be worthwhile.”
The Heath Golf Club barman said that his family were naturally a bit worried when he first said he was going.
“They were a little bit worried and they had lots of questions about what I would be doing and my safety and vaccines, but they trust me to look after myself too,” he said.
In Beira, Mozambique, Tony and Niamh will be working on the construction of Young Africa’s new agricultural skills training centre, which will train people from the local area in agricultural working practices and techniques. The volunteers will also be taking part in arts, sports and youth leadership workshops. Young Africa’s aim is to provide young people with the technical, business and life skills to support themselves, their families and their communities.
Tony decided to volunteer after hearing what a life changing experience it was from other people who had experience of it.
“Everybody I have discussed this with who has experience of volunteering says it is a life changing experience.” 
He continues: “What impressed me and gained my interest is the fact that SERVE realises that throwing money at people in these severely disadvantaged areas will not solve their problems. By investing in infrastructure, education, and working in partnership with people to empower themselves real and sustainable.”
Ratheniska’s Sarah, who recently graduated with a degree in Social Care, will volunteer with Morning Star in Bangalore, India. The Morning Star Learning Centre project provides care and education for orphaned and abandoned children. Many of the young people there have learning and physical disabilities, and the centre also encompasses a residential home.
Similar to Paula, Sarah signed up after attending an information day while in college in Waterford IT. 
“When they came to the college I just decided to do it. I finished college last year and I’m just working part time, so now is a good time to go while I have the time.”
With her background in social care, Sarah will be working with children in an orphanage with disabilities.

LAOIS County Council’s arts officer Muireann Ní Chonnaill received high praise from councillors when she unveiled the draft arts plan at last week’s monthly meeting of the council.

Calling all walkers, runners and joggers to take part in the Portlaoise Mini-Mini-Marathon on Friday, May 17 in aid of the RISE Foundation.

PORTARLINGTON Drama Society’s inaugural production The Aquinas Moth is an original work by local writer Sandra Hickey.

THE Bealtaine Festival and the Riverbank Arts Centre will present ‘The Man In The Woman’s Shoes’ on Friday May 10 at 8pm.

THE Druid’s visit to Portlaoise is a rare opportunity to see two Druid plays in one week. Audience members can see them individually or see both together with a special combination ticket offer on Saturday 18 May.

Portlaoise Musical Society will be officially launching their 2013 production - Grease - on Friday May 10th in Grellan Delaney’s (Outback).

DRUID will be arriving to the Dunamaise Arts Centre in Portlaoise with not just one but two remarkable plays by Tom Murphy.

PLANS are afoot in Abbeyleix for a project teaching traditional arts such as music, song and dance. The ‘Music in d’House’ project will kick off at Heritage House with an information evening and trad music session on Sunday May 12 from 2.30pm to 5.30pm and ends with a finale performance later in the year.

The 5th class from St Joseph’s GNS, Mountmellick are having an exhibition in the gallery in Mountmellick library during the month of May.