There was a great atmosphere in Stradbally as locals came out to support two Culture Night celebrations in the town.

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In the Malthouse, attendees enjoyed a fantastic dance performance from SWAMP.

SWAMP is a solo dance performance by Annekatrin Kiesel, exploring swamp landscapes as a metaphor for and place of memories.

With its immersive, meditative atmosphere, SWAMP invites the audience into an inner landscape where repression, and disorientation mark a difficult yet healing journey of “working through” memories – much like crossing a swamp.

In a time marked by personal and collective trauma, the performance opens a space for relating to memory and nature without claiming control over either.

Annekatrin Kiesel is a contemporary dance artist who relocated from Berlin to Ireland in late 2024. Anne studied in Cologne and Antwerp and holds a master’s degree in Dance Studies.

For over 15 years, she has worked as a dancer and choreographer in contemporary dance, dance & music theatre and performance.

SWAMP was made possible with the support of Moving Earth Festival – Eco Dance Day at Interface Inagh, Creative Space Residency at Shawbrook Residential and Percolate Residency at Dance Limerick.

Stradbally Arthouse saw an exhibition from local artist Paul Cashin, with artists Lia Laimbock and Marie Brett also opening their studio doors to share ongoing works.

Dead Snakes is an exhibition of recent work by Laois artist Paul Cashin which he developed during his recent residency at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, Annaghmakerrig.

Mr Cashin's exhibition 'Dead Snakes' explored themes of transformation and environmentalism.

Immersing himself in the surrounding landscape, Mr Cashin undertook a series of actions to harvest materials from the natural surroundings, working with them both outdoors and in the studio.

Clay sourced from beneath felled trees, was processed on site to create sculptures. Oak galls provided ink which he then used to dye wood before suspending it in a tree.

Alongside these actions, the artist made drawings of the landscape, testing how line and form could carry the immediacy of his experience.

At the heart of Paul’s practice is a desire to create a deeper connection with locality, in making that emphasises process over permanence. His transformation of materials is a form of environmentalism rooted in presence and care.

The exhibition Dead Snakes brought together the traces of these processes in artworks that reimagine memory and place, reflecting on the ongoing navigation of landscape and self.

Paul Cashin was the recipient of the Laois County Council, Tyrone Guthrie Bursary Award 2025.

Laois County Council supported various Culture Night exhibitions and activities across the county. For more photos and information on Culture Night events in Laois, keep an eye on the Leinster Express / Laois Live website!

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