Where in the world is more beautiful than the west of Ireland? If you agree that nowhere is, then October is as good a time as any to travel there.
Last year’s successful launch of the Ballina Fringe Festival has spurred on another and this time it runs from Friday 4 to Sunday 20 October. It is a perfect reason to visit the area.
This is a festival of art, theatre and music and is described by the promoters as “an artistic exploration of life lived on the edge of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way”.
If that alone is not enough to set your heart beating a little faster, then nothing will. This year’s festival is being staged in association with the Ice House Hotel and Spa.
What are the highlights likely to be? It is hard to single out just a few, but I have selected one each from the genres of art, music and theatre.
If you want to know some more, then go online and see what else is on offer to tempt you from your autumnal slumbers.
Art
Mick O’Dea is one of Ireland’s foremost artists. Born in Ennis, Co Clare in 1958, he is best known as a painter of portraits and historical subjects.
He studied at the National College of Art and Design, the University of Massachusetts and then continued his studies in Barcelona and at the Winchester School of Art where he was awarded an MA in European fine art.
He has received numerous awards and has exhibited internationally. In 2014, O’Dea was elected president of the Royal Hibernian Academy and is a member of Aosdána.
Encounters is an exhibition featuring new works by O’Dea and it is curated by his daughter, Sarah.
This is something of a homecoming for O’Dea
The artist’s eminent standing is shown by the fact that his works star in many public collections, notably the National Gallery of Ireland, the National Self Portrait Collection in Limerick, Trinity College Dublin and at the RHA.
This is something of a homecoming for O’Dea who lives part of the year in Portacloy, north Mayo. The exhibition runs until 19 October at the Ballina Civic Offices and admission is free.
Music
Musical highlights include Camille O’Sullivan and Sligo’s No Crows. However, the standout for me is the appearance, for one night only, of pianist Finghin Collins.
The internationally celebrated classical musician won RTÉ’s Musician of the Future when he was only 17, before going on to take first prize at the Clara Haskil international piano competition.
Since then he has enjoyed a brilliant career, playing such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall in New York and the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Collins has performed with world-famous orchestras, from the Royal Philharmonic to the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and has released critically acclaimed recordings of works by Schumann, Mozart and Chopin.
His sole performance at the festival will take place at 8pm on Wednesday 16 October in the Ballina Arts Centre and tickets, which can be booked online, cost €14 and €16.
This appearance by Collins in Ballina is one of 17 this autumn in Ireland which form part of a celebration of the 20th Anniversary of his win at the Clara Haskil competition in Switzerland.
The pianist starts his Irish tour on 10 October in Navan and ends on 8 November in Galway. During that time he will visit Roscommon, Athy, Newtownards, Clifden, Enniskillen, Thurles, Dun Laoghaire, Bantry, Listowel, Limerick, Waterford, Blessington, Ennis and Cork.
Between major works by Mozart (Sonata in A major K. 331 “Alla Turca”) and Schubert (Sonata in A major D. 959), the programme in Ballina will feature selected extracts from the Ros Tapestry Suite which was commissioned and premiered at the New Ross Piano Festival.