27 - 30 June 2024
There are many words you could use to describe Jo Spain’s literary output, the first and most obvious is ‘prolific’. Jo has written an amazing 10 novels since the first in the Inspector Tom Reynolds series, With Our Blessing, in 2015. Jo is also one of Ireland’s most respected and successful writers of crime fiction. All her work has been translated into numerous languages and has featured on bestseller lists worldwide. She had also turned her hand, with just as much success, to writing for TV with the groundbreaking series Taken Down, and her most recent Harry Wild TV show. Her latest work, The Last to Disappear, has just been published. Jo will be in conversation with Deirdre Hurley.
Irish history isn't boring ... it's DEADLY! Join John Farrelly, author and illustrator of the Deadly! Irish History series of books in a fun workshop all about the Vikings, the Celts and the Normans! Do you know what the Vikings called the gigantic tree at the centre of the universe? Were the Irish Celts the first people in Europe to build hospitals? Did a Norman warrior woman called Alice the Vicious cut off the heads of thirty Irish prisoners?!? All these questions and more will be answered as John gets you to guess whether the characters in his books are telling the truth... or if they're telling BIG, FAT WHOPPERS! Learn how the Deadly! Irish History books are created and try drawing your own Viking, Celt or Norman alongside John in this deadliest of Deadly! workshops!
In this, its seventieth year, the Arts Council has commissioned Critical Voices 2022, a series of essays and accompanying discussions. Critical Voices 2022 reflects on the Arts Council’s history, the value of the arts, and the impact of 70 years of public investment in the arts. Critical Voices, in collaboration with Hinterland Festival, presents a special event with unique perspectives on the role of the arts in Ireland past, present and future featuring contributing essayists Rita Duffy (visual artist) and Sandy Fitzgerald (cultural practitioner) moderated by Gerardette Bailey, Meath County Council Arts Officer.
It’s never been easier to access the news; TV, radio, billboards, newspapers and endlessly buzzing on to the screens in our pockets. But with more and more news available, it’s hard to know what to trust. Where do stories come from? What’s real news and what’s fake? What should we do if the news confuses us, or even upsets us? Join journalist and presenter Nick Sheridan for an interactive event that will help kids and young people understand the NEWS - REAL and FAKE! With practical tips to help kids spot fake news and top tips for budding journalists, Nick draws on his expertise to show kids how to navigate the ever-confusing world of news in a humorous and reassuring way - and WATCH OUT for the surprise stories!
An inspiring documentary from the filmmakers of School Life, YOUNG PLATO charts the dream of Elvis-loving school headmaster Kevin McArevey – a maverick who is determined to change the fortunes of an inner-city community plagued by urban decay, sectarian aggression, poverty and drugs. The all-boys primary school in post-conflict Belfast, Northern Ireland, becomes a hot house for questioning violence, as the headmaster sends his young wards home each day armed with the wisdom of the ancient Greek philosophers. The boys challenge their parents and neighbors to forsake the prejudice that has kept this low-level civil war on the boil for decades. YOUNG PLATO hums with the confidence of youth, a tribute to the power of the possible.
The Landscapes of Revolution Project (www.landscapesofrevolution.com) was established to raise awareness of Ireland’s revolutionary-era archaeology through engagement with local communities. In this special tour, the largely untapped potential of this surviving physical landscape of revolution will be demonstrated by exploring the War of Independence and Civil War in Kells. Participants will also be shown some of the techniques and methodologies the project employs to identify and map these vulnerable sites.
