Headford News and Community Spotlight-The Headford Arts Community

A table quiz to help support the arts in Headford - Blob Limy's Music Quiz - will take place this coming Friday, September 26th at 8:30 pm in Campbell's Tavern. Admission is €5 per person or €20 per table. Come show the Love, Headford! 

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Did you catch any of the events at Culture night last Friday? If you did, or if you didn’t, you may be wondering: What the heck goes on behind the scenes of Culture Night?

Last Friday afternoon, Aisling Keogh and Sarah Pitchford, members of the Headford’s Solstice Arts Group, were decorating Campbell’s Tavern in preparation for the big night. They were busy blowing up balloons, creating a beautiful backdrop for the stage, as well as adjusting the lighting and seating for the evening performances to come. While they weren’t going to be performing, they were supporting those who would be. And that pretty much describes the ethos of the group.

‘Solstice Arts Group exists for the purpose of promoting community involvement and participation in the arts,’ Aisling says. ‘We are a committee,’ as Sarah describes it, ‘made up of eight people.’

Culture Night 2014

Originally formed in 2001, Solstice was handed over to a new committee just a few years ago. Aisling is secretary of the group, or, as she puts it, ‘I’m the person who digs people in the ribs and says, “let’s do this.”’

‘You don’t have to be an artist to be on the committee,’ Aisling says, ‘but most are.’

Aisling, who describes herself as ‘a writer of short stories,’ has had six of those stories published and was short-listed for the Hennessy New Irish Writing competition in 2011.

Sarah and Aisling

The other members of Solstice include:

Sarah Pitchford creates crystal jewellery, gemstone trees and crystal angels.

Mogs McDonnell is a textile artist known for her patchwork quilts. She also teaches patchwork.

Kevin McNicholas teaches guitar lessons and is a photographer

Matthew Berrill is chairman of the group. He’s a jazz musician and teacher of jazz who plays an astonishing number of instruments. The latest estimate is 17 different instruments.

Marina Levitina is a photographer and lectures in Russian film at NUIG and Trinity. She’s even written a textbook on the subject.

The Solstice Arts Group meets monthly. Next month, and every October, they have a Go Create day for parents and kids. It includes visual artists, storytellers, drama, musicians, jewellery making and card making. This year, the event will be held on October 12^th. 

This Friday, September 26^th, at 8:30 pm, Solstice will be fundraising for next month’s Go Create day with ‘Blob Limy’s Music Quiz.’ That’s a legendary annual event, inspired by two ‘hillarious local musicians’ which will take place at Campbell’s Tavern. At only €5 per person, it’s likely you won’t want to miss it.

Aisling says Solstice Arts Group ‘is grateful for the massive support we receive in the community and we hope it will go on for many years.’