An action-packed weekend at Clonmel Junction Arts Festival with more to follow this weekend

Clonmel Junction Arts Festival kicked off last Friday with two exhibition openings.

Vincent Hanley and the ‘80s exhibition was opened in the Museum of Hidden History by Conor McAnally who was in Clonmel for the Vincent Hanley Summer School Weekend.

Marie McMahon and her team are to be commended for a vibrant and interactive exhibition that brings the 1980s alive, celebrating Clonmel’s Vincent Hanley’s cultural legacy.

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The exhibition, which is open until September 20, is a must-see.

Conor McAnally speaking at the opening of the Fab Vinny exhibition in Tipperary Museum of Hidden History in Clonmel

The Encounters with Failure exhibition exploring what failure means to different people, and how some artists use it, embrace it and actively seek it out, struck a chord with many artists with curator Helena Tobin receiving 103 applications.

Mayor of Clonmel Cllr Pat English, STAC’s Artistic Director Helena Tobin and Rebecca Lenehan, Clonmel Junction Arts Festival’s Artistic Director, welcomed guests to what doubled as both the launch of the exhibition and the Festival.

The selected artists, Shirani Bolle, Sean Farrell, Beth Fox, Noel Hensey, Niamh Hughes and Clare Scott’s work can be seen at STAC (open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5pm) until August 2.

Kickham Plaza was bathed in sunshine last Saturday for Clonmel Junction Arts Festival’s Family Fun Day sponsored by Abbott.

Crowds gathered to see the finished 100 Dogs Project, the result of a six-week residency with artist Tom Campbell working with local schools, community groups and members of the public to create 100 papier mâché dogs.

Children – a few curious dogs – and adults alike were enchanted by the dogs who will make guest appearances at STAC, Clonmel Library, the Museum of Hidden History, the Main Guard and Denis Burke Park during the next week of the Festival.

Uproar Choir, Tipperary Music Generation, Sanita Circus and an all-male choir from Galway, ‘The Silvertones’, delighted the crowd with their performances while The Snug offered a more intimate space for conversations on creative expression in rural towns and starting careers in the arts.

Members of the Uproar Choir performing at the Kickham Barracks Plaza Plaza during the Junction Festival Family Fun Day

STAC Chapel hosted standout performances including Irish Modern Dance Theatre’s ‘Hyperactive’ – a snapshot of contemporary Irish masculinity and diversity - and Eamon O’Malley’s concert ‘24:09’, a new work for piano and electronics inspired by Sean Kelly’s legendary 1985 time trial from Carrick-on-Suir to Clonmel in the Nissan Classic.

Specially commissioned video work from John O’Dwyer accompanied the new work by Eamon O’Malley for a captivated audience at the sell-out concert.

There is another chance to catch Eamon O’Malley’s ‘24:09’ concert at STAC Chapel at 1pm on Sunday, July 13. Further details and tickets are available at www.junctionfestival.com

Also coming up in STAC Chapel is your chance to meet Mr Bergmann of Deadman’s Point on Thursday, July 10. He is Ireland’s most famous unidentified man, brought to you by the multi-award-winning Nth Degree Productions.

Head to Old St Mary’s for two spectacular concerts. The first features singer-songwriter Oisín Leech, who performed at Glastonbury last week.

He will perform at St Mary’s on Friday July 11 and will be supported by Eve Whelan. The second is RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards nominated Lemoncello, who perform there on on Saturday, July 12. The folk duo will be supported by Ross Whelan.

Another Junction Festival Family Fun Day will take place at Kickham Plaza on Saturday, July 12.

The Clonmel Credit Union sponsored event will feature Cikada Circus, Des Dillon Puppet Shows, drumming workshops and arts and crafts.

SPLASH Lab, bringing together 10 national, international and Tipperary-based artists for a creative exchange, will also be performing a show after an intensive six-day multi-disciplinary residency.

The Festival concludes on Sunday, July 13 with Contempo Quartet, Ireland’s longest running quartet, performing Mozart and Beethoven as well as a world premiere of Marian Ingoldsby’s String Quartet No. 2 written in memory of artist Eimear King, whose work will be projected during the performance.

Further details and tickets are available at www.junctionfestival.com

Clonmel Junction Arts Festival is principally funded by the Arts Council and Tipperary County Council. The 100 Dogs Project was funded by Creative Ireland.

Clonmel band Garage Inc performing at the Rocking the ‘80s Conversation hosted by DJ Tonie Walshe

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