Laois town to stage free festival of St Brigid's Day creativity

The first in a series of five free public arts events throughout the country developed to promote the arts and encourage more arts-based outdoor performances will take place this St Brigid’s Day in Laois.

Bríd Faoin Spéir is a free for all to attend in Portarlington. It is facilitated by Laois County Council's Arts Office and award-winning Portarlington Art Collective artist group.

The organisers say Bríd Faoin Spéir draws inspiration from Brigid as a triple goddess of healing, fire and poetry. The event includes appearances by leading poets Ann Egan, Laura Murphy. Laura featured in RTÉ’s show celebrating St Brigid last year) and Enda Wyley.  

Following writing workshops with Brigid expert poet and writer Ann Egan, children from Presentation Primary School in Portarlington will share poems and visuals on the day.  More below pic.

Pictured Ann Egan. Photo: Michael Scully

Poet and poetry pharmacist Enda Wyley will be offering 10-minute Poetry S.O.S sessions, selecting and prescribing a Vital Signs poem that participants can bring home and read at their leisure.  Vital Signs, published by Poetry Ireland, is an anthology of powerful and courageous responses to the human experience of illness and healing.   

There will also be eco-friendly creative workshops and craft-making demonstrations from Port Art Collective artists.  These include:

• Postcards and printmaking with Leonie Connellan;
• Reviving the Celtic tradition of making symbols, spirals and swirls to upcycle scarves in a Brat Bhride making workshop with Rita O’Loughlin;
• A live painting demonstration from visual artist Rebecca Deegan; 
• A making of a willow belt by Gerry Smyth; and a spinning and weaving demonstration from Crafty Dreams.  
• There will be music from female led musicians Brinda Irani and Crime Star plus Portarlington’s Ukrainian Choir, Music Generation Laois and Portarlington Concert Band on the outdoors stage and an outdoors street painting jam from the Minaw Collective.  
• The event will culminate in a stunning fire performance by Broken Theatre.

Commenting ahead of the Portarlington POP Art event, Muireann Ní Chonaill, Arts Officer for Laois County Council, said: “We are thrilled and excited to host this free celebration of arts and poetry for the public to enjoy, free of charge, in the fabulous outdoor setting of the Market Square.  We are grateful for the support of the Arts Council and all our partners in making this possible.” MORE BELOW PIC

Pictured Enda Wyley. Pic: Eoin Rafferty

All of the pilot events in this project aim to reduce the impact on the environment. Everyone attending is encouraged to be conscious of this by bringing along their own keep cups, picnics and are asked to recycle their waste in a sustainable and responsible way. The events team aim to further minimise waste by working with eco-friendly suppliers and vendors and by encouraging the use of the Solar Waste Bins in the town on the day.

The event takes place on Market Square, Portarlington on Thursday, February 1 from 4pm - 8pm. 

It is part of the partnership initiative Planning for Outdoor Performance (POP). POP is delivered by five Local Authority Arts Offices (including Roscommon - lead partner, Cork City, Kerry, Laois and Tipperary), in partnership with the National Resource Organisations ISACS, Poetry Ireland, Music Network and Theatre Forum.  It is supported by Promenade, who help artists and communities to create incredible new arts experiences in Ireland's public places and unusual spaces.  T

The POP Arts Events series includes:

• Isle of Geese, Tralee, Co. Kerry, Saturday 2 March 2024 - Youth Mental Health Awareness Day
• Somers Park, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon, Saturday 20 April 2024 - World Circus Day
• Elizabeth Fort, Cork City, Sunday 28 April 2024 - Cork World Book Festival
• National Drawing Day, Tipperary Town, Co. Tipperary, Saturday 18 May 2024

The initiative is funded by the Arts Council’s Invitation to Collaboration Scheme with additional local authority support.