Dine Art on Catherine St.
FRENCH’S Café, on the corner of Catherine Street and Roches Street, is host to a window exhibition of paintings by John Morris.
According to Duncan O’Toole of French’s, Mr. Morris work is highly regarded in the art world and his paintings are much sought after in national auction: “The inclusion of his work is a follow on from a successful Roches Street art Festival in September which sees exhibits from a large number of respected artists”.
His seascapes are of local favourites such as Kilkee, Lahinch and Ballybunion.
“For John Morris this is a new departure as his paintings are always sold through galleries and auction rooms… As an artist who moved to County Limerick, he feels an affinity with his local city and was delighted to exhibit his work here.”
The exhibition runs until the New Year, paintings on display changing according to sale.
Tommy T opens Southill season
TOMMY Tiernan flies his controversial flag over Southill Area Centre on Saturday January 23. He’s on tour with a new comedy show and will bring it, of his own initiative, to Southill for tickets sold in the community for just €10.
“Tommy rang us here to offer the gig,” says centre manager Jennifer O’Brien. “We have seating for 200 people in this over 18s show and are delighted to host it on Saturday January 23 at 8pm”.
Tiernan’s is the third professional show in five months gracing this enormous venue, located just off the Fedamore Road in the entrance to Southill. La Compania brought over a Beckett play, Happy Days, through promoter Richie Ryan in September. In January, the Dublin based Ryan returns to Limerick and his policy of pioneering professional, world class theatre in our regeneration zones with Bondi Beach Boy Blue.
Written by Benny McDonnell and produced by OCI Productions, Bondi Beach Boy Blue is the story of a young Kilkenny hurler forced to immigrate to Australia for work. The play toured Ireland in parish venues this year to high acclaim from press and even Brian Cody, manager of the Kilkenny Hurling Team, All-Ireland champions. Bondi Beach Boy Blue is featured first in Moyross on Wednesday January 27, 8pm, moving to Southill Area Centre on Friday 29.
Recorded releases of Celtic spirit
IF you have Christmas stockings to fill, consider some album releases provided by Mid West artists in 2009 (see exhibition POSTings below for visual works).
There was lots stirrin’ on the recording front, despite the downturn. Carnival of Colours is an album written and recorded by Tipperary man Donnacha Toomey that merited national airplay and endorsement in the music press. His 11 tracks mix instrumental and ballads in themes of love, separation and alienation. Toomey handles vocals, piano, acoustic guitar, percussion and backing vocals in this accomplished, professional recording debut (www.donnachatoomey.com).
All female group Líadan’s second album, Casadh na Taoide, showed them embracing success and a more international platform with sass (www.liadan.ie). Baritone Nyle Wolfe worked the national and world circuit, bringing out a second album, Home Ground. Songs such as She Moved Through the Fair and Black is the Colour are given new resonance through his lovely voice (www.nylewolfe.com).
Aosdána’s Ciaran O’Driscoll set his poetry to and between piano and whistle by Pat McCourt and Margaret Farelly. Swirl is a delightful, truly Irish work of word play and revelation in English and as Gaeilge.
Orla Harrington is a Clare fiddle player of youth and vigour. Her self-produced album Melting Show is a lively waltz through the jugs, reels and hornpipes of obscure native airs done with four backing musicians on bazouki, mandolin, concertina and fiddle (www.orlaharrington.com).
