Community radio to host two-day cultural event in Monksland

Athlone Community Radio is to host a two-day celebration of Roscommon’s artistic and cultural heritage in Monksland next week.

The event, which will include an art exhibition, live radio broadcast, and creative workshops, will take place at Monksland Community Centre on Thursday, July 24, and Friday, July 25.

Funded by Coimisiún na Meán and Creative Roscommon, the initiative aims to highlight the creative talents of local artists, offering the public a unique opportunity to engage with a wide range of artistic disciplines.

The art exhibition will feature work in various mediums including painting, sculpture, textiles, and multimedia.

Among the exhibiting artists are the Celtic Eye Art Group, textile artist Geraldine Beirne, and sculptor and poet Dympna Molloy, whose autobiographical work 'In Front of My Eyes' will be on display.

As part of the festivities, Athlone Community Radio will host a live outside broadcast from the venue, featuring interviews, live performances, and conversations with participating artists, poets, musicians, and storytellers. The broadcast will be presented by Seamus McKenna and produced by Erica Follows Smith, with technical support from Kyle McCallan, Gary McMenamin, and Andrii Tarasov.

A range of free creative workshops are on offer to the public, with each designed to accommodate up to twelve participants. These workshops are suitable for adults and young people.

Cornafulla, Athlone, resident Amy Abdullah Barry will host a poetry workshop on Thursday, July 24, from 3pm to 4pm. Aimed at beginners aged 16 and up, this workshop will explore how to write and share healing poems.

On the Friday, July 25, there will be a songwriting workshop by Ciara Lawless from 10am to 11am. Open to ages 10 and up, this workshop will "introduce the basics of songwriting, lyric development, and melody creation".

Catherine Ivers will host a radio documentary workshop on the Friday afternoon, from 1pm to 2pm. Designed for participants aged 12 and older, it will offer an introduction to storytelling through radio documentary.

And later on the Friday afternoon, Nicola Bowes and Anne Hill of the Celtic Eye Art Group will run a card-making workshop for those aged 12 and up, from 4pm to 5pm.

The Monksland event is presented by Athlone Community Radio, a non-profit, volunteer-led community radio station serving Athlone and its environs.

The station said it's committed to representing and supporting all members of the community through inclusive programming and training opportunities. In addition to producing award-winning local radio content, Athlone Community Radio offers QQI-accredited training in media skills to community groups, young people, and residents of direct provision centres.

Admission to the event is free and all are welcome to attend. Workshop spaces are limited and early registration is advised.

The event will run from 11.30am to 6pm on Thursday, July 24, and from 10am to 6pm on Friday, July 25.

The art exhibition will be open for public viewing outside of scheduled workshop times. All are welcome to attend the launch, outside broadcast, and open viewing times.