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Irish Examiner
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
A vision for West Cork: Plans progress on €20m arts and cultural hub
How did you get a theorbo onto an airplane? You buy it a seat. It might sound like a line from a bad cracker joke but it was a very real problem for West Cork Music, the organisers of the West Cork Chamber Festival, which got underway on Friday heralding a three-festival season worth €4.74m annually to the local economy. 'The theorbo is a kind of lute but it stands about seven or eight foot high. It's also known as a giraffe in the trade,' says West Cork Music founder and chief executive Francis Humphrys, who was busy doing his own final boarding pre-festival checks this week. 'Instruments can't go in the hold. The air pressure and the temperature in the hold is completely different. If you put them in the hold, the wood can crack, and these are instruments that can be worth millions.' Francis recently turned 80 but is as busy as ever. Last year, the three festivals - the West Cork Chamber Festival, the West Cork Literary Festival, and Masters of Tradition - sold a combined 15,922 tickets, the highest combined total yet, worth €259,811. Ticket sales from the Chamber Festival brought in €125,294; the Literary Festival recouped €84,850 in ticket sales while Masters of Tradition brought in €49,667. Irish fiddler and Masters of Tradition artistic director Martin Hayes outside St. Brendan's Church in Bantry. Picture: Karlis Dzjamko/Alamy Live News But it wouldn't be a real festival without drama. In 2024, a strike by Aer Lingus pilots affected flights just as visiting performers were making their way to Ireland. Another hurdle to negotiate, for performers and for visitors. Getting musicians and their instruments to Cork is always a worry, like the theorbo dilemma, and also a practical financial consideration. 'A string quartet going on an airplane will work out as five seats because the cellist must have an extra seat. Some international airlines refuse to take a cello, even when the seat has been booked. Sometimes, it's at the pilot's discretion. Cellists worldwide worry, every time they get on a plane, because they don't know if they're going to be allowed fly with their instrument.' Organising a chamber festival should be all about the music and tuning to a perfect fifth. Instead, someone must be looking after the purse strings. Yet in challenging times for the arts, West Cork Music has the data to show the monetary lift that festivals bring. An economic impact assessment carried out by Prof Eleanor Doyle at UCC's Dept of Economics estimates the three festivals brought in an estimated €4.74m to the region last year, including direct expenditure of €2.8m through local accommodation, catering, transport, and other local services, up 30% on 2023. 'Relative to the estimated aggregate impact, every euro invested by these agencies in West Cork Music generated €8.50 in economic activity,' said Prof Doyle. This represents seriously good value for money for the €557,500 in State-derived funding from the Arts Council (€445,000), Fáilte Ireland (€65,000), and Cork County Council (€47,500). Undertaking economic analysis of the three festivals puts their value in perspective, says Francis. 'We've been carrying these out since the economic crash 15 years ago. I realised that politicians were only going to listen to us if we had an economic presence. They used to just think of us as a drain on national resources.' The Chamber Festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary, and has earned a reputation for world-class music in breathtaking surroundings. On Saturday night, the Ardeo Quartet and Barry Douglas perform the main evening concert at beautiful Bantry House, in a concert that will be broadcast live on Lyric FM and to millions more across Europe and beyond, via the European Broadcasting Union. Yet locals and visitors in Bantry can attend the concert for as little as €14. Other events are free. The festival is headquartered in Bantry, but fringe and other festival events on the programme take in Cork Airport, Glengarriff, Skibbereen, Ahakista, Ballydehob, Schull, and islands like Sherkin, Heir, Bere, and Whiddy. Just a few weeks later, the West Cork Literary Festival directed by Eimear Herlihy will bring a different creative strand - not to mention a dabble of stardust from the likes of Graham Norton, Richard E Grant, and Neil Jordan - as Irish and world authors and guests come to Bantry and its environs. In August, Masters of Tradition, curated by Martin Hayes, will complete the eclectic summer season. An architect design of the interior for the proposed cultural hub and music centre in Bantry. The next step in the development of West Cork Music is to create a permanent music, education, and civic space in Bantry. This will include an auditorium, and an education centre, adjacent to Bantry Library, creating a new cultural hub for the town, and indeed for West Cork. The total cost is estimated at €20m. The concert hall will be used for performances of chamber music, folk, jazz, and traditional music from Ireland and other cultures. It will be a purpose-built space: a warm acoustic, with modulations, particularly around the stage, helping to disperse sound and reduce the likelihood of echoes or resonances. Variable acoustics systems, such as trackable drapes on the side walls will reduce the reverberance of the venue. This will be key for spoken word events where speech clarity is of prime concern, and for amplified music where this will help control loudness and improve sound quality from loudspeakers. Other uses for this space will include touring opera, theatre, and dance productions, and local community and school activities. The auditorium will host the festivals, and will also be suitable for conferences, lectures, informal talks, and masterclasses. The seating capacity is 270 seats. Local businesses have been hugely supportive. Land has been earmarked near Bantry Library and the project is currently going through the planning process, says West Cork Music venue development manager Siobhan Burke. 'The potential to create stable facilities where you can make that economic impact count year-round is phenomenal," she said. "One of the great things about West Cork Music is it sits in an absolute sweet spot between the arts, tourism, and rural regeneration. All of these things that we would like to see flourish in rural Ireland are in some way enabled or supported by the different strands of this project.' Designs for the new centre in Bantry have been created by award-winning Irish architects McCullough Mulvin. Fundraising is continuing, with around €750,000 of a €1m target achieved to get the project through the labyrinthine pre-planning process. A thriving Friends Scheme is helping provide support for ongoing costs, and West Cork Music is exploring the possibility of corporate sponsorship for its festivals. An design for the interior for the proposed cultural hub and music centre in Bantry, which would be located near Bantry Library. It is expected to go for planning by the end of this year. If that gets the green light, applications for grant funding can be made. All going to plan, the new hub will be complete in time for the 2029 festival. 'For Francis, it has genuinely always been part of the plan: to create a way for people to access the arts year-round in West Cork,' said Siobhan. For a man who started a music festival 30 years ago from the kernel of an idea while playing classical music to his milking cows, Francis knows keeping economic realities in play are always key. He's looking to the future - "I've always wanted to put on a world music festival here" - but aware of the importance of the present. 'All of us in the arts, even West Cork Music which is quite a substantial organisation, are stretched to the limit,' he says. "If we break even, we're doing brilliantly. Last year, we more or less broke even. At this stage, it's difficult to know what the final figure for this year will be, with the best part of 20% of box office receipts coming in during the festival. I had a pacemaker fitted last year and I put it down to box office trauma!" "The Literary Festival will reach its target before it starts and they'll sell another €10,000 or €15,000 worth of tickets during the festival. Masters of Tradition is the same, they will almost certainly reach their target before Martin arrives. 'That's the beauty with three festivals in one organisation, you spread your risk that way.'
Metro
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Andrew Garfield confesses to pooing himself after taking drugs at Glastonbury
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page Should you need a reminder of why you really shouldn't do drugs, Andrew Garfield has a story to share. The actor has revealed that the side effects of drug-taking in the early 2000s were pretty grim as he immersed himself in festival culture at Glastonbury. Andrew, 41, is no stranger to Glasto but typically opts to keep a low profile around Worthy Farm. And he'll be thanking his lucky stars that no one captured him in the early Noughties when he 's**t himself' amid a drug-fuelled festival experience. Speaking today at a Glastonbury Q&A, the Spider-Man star confessed sarcastically: 'I genuinely didn't think I was gonna make it to the beautiful porta-potty that was 400metres away.' As the crowd laughed, he declared that he had no regrets. Andrew Garfield had a rather messy mishap at Glastonbury in the 2000s (Picture: Belinda Jiao) The Spider-Man star took part in a Q&A during this year's festival (Picture: Belinda Jiao) 'But, it still remains one of the best nights of my life, weirdly. Really, really weird.' This isn't the first time Andrew has spoken about drug use. In 2012, he revealed that he ate pot brownies before going to Disneyland for his birthday with ex girlfriend Emma Stone. 'I really recommend it!', he quipped at the time. The British star then explained in 2017: ''Drugs,' the word, has such a stigma. 'I can only really take substances if it's a ritual. I mean, weed, I can smoke because it's just nice. But with hallucinogens, I have to do it in a very conscious way in a place where I feel free and safe and can have a freak-out if I want to. I want to be able to express my insights.' Pictured here in 2023, Andrew is no stranger to Glasto (Picture: Alamy Live News) Or any festival, at that… seen here in 2008 (Picture: Akem/REX/Shutterstock) He also compared being high to a feeling he gets from acting: 'That's what makes it so beguiling and so addictive. You get to be bigger than what you are. You get to hold more than you do. You get this divine dissatisfaction.' Elsewhere in the Glasto Q&A, Andrew got political as he reflected on the 'human suffering' we are currently witnessing around the world. 'We are being ruled by soulless oligarchs who do not give a f**k about us,' he declared, evoking cheers from the audience. 'I know that's a little glib and that's a little, kind of, general … but I feel that myself and my artist friends are asking that question right now: what is the role of creative people right now? Is it to bury our heads in the sand and just make things that are pleasurable and entertaining? To be honest, I feel very drawn to watching escapism stuff right now because the world is so horrific.' 'But I think we're all having that same conversation of, how are we supposed to respond to a world that is not only forever changing but changing for more darkness, more division, more pitting us against each other, so that is the question: how do we spend this precious time?', Andrew asked. He proceeded to reflect on the 'ripples' that art has on the world, stating that he and fellow Glasto attendees will leave as the 'best version' of themselves. He previously admitted to eating pot brownies with ex-girlfriend Emma Stone (Picture: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock) 'I really recommend it!', he quipped at the time (Picture: WireImage) 'We're gonna go home more patient, more generous, more loving; we're gonna be tired… but we're gonna have access to the better parts of ourselves, coming back into our communities, into our homes, to our families, so I think it's our duty as awake, conscious, caring, offended people, who are having our souls being offended by the times we're in, to make sure we're trying to tilt the land to make the world ever so slightly better, even if it feels hopeless… that is the question, but I don't know how we do that.' This year at Glastonbury, The 1975, Olivia Rodrigo, and Neil Young will headline. However, the BBC has announced that the latter's set will not be broadcast live. The 79-year-old has requested as such, with the Beeb stating earlier today: 'At the artist's request, we won't be live streaming Neil Young's set. Our plans, including those for our TV highlights shows and on-demand coverage, continue to be finalised right up to and during the festival.' Meanwhile, Sir Rod Stewart will play in the coveted Legends Slot. Sir Michael Eavis, 89, and his daughter, organiser Emily Eavis, opened the gates to the festival on Wednesday morning as thousands of festivalgoers flocked inside. While the annual five-day arts and music extravaganza is set to bring plenty of expected stellar performances, rumours continue to swirl around surprise cameos. So far, Lewis Capaldi has seemingly been confirmed for a secret set on the Pyramid Stage on Friday night, while Haim and Pulp are also thought to be showing up. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. Arrow MORE: Glastonbury DJ reveals the surprise pop acts she's been told will perform Arrow MORE: Louis Tomlinson and Zara McDermott grab some 'alone time' at first Glastonbury together
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Irish Sun
Ireland ‘hot spell' pinpointed in weather shake-up as Met Eireann issue rain forecast before ‘sunny spells' switch
IRELAND will continue to battle "heavy rain" conditions throughout the week before a major change next week. Another "warm or hot spell" could hit the country again in just a few days time after unsettled weather makes its impact. 4 The weather is set to stay unsettled for the next few days Credit: Alamy Live News 4 Heavy rain and cloudy conditions are expected Credit: 4 Warmer weather is set to return soon Credit: Ireland could turn drier and hotter weather could hit as Ireland moves into the next month of summer. "It's early days yet but I will keep a eye on this and keep you updated. The weather expert also revealed when we can expect "drier" conditions to return before the hot spells make their return to the island. READ MORE IN NEWS He added: "There is a possibility that it also turns drier over next week with all these low pressure systems staying to the west and northwest as high pressure ridges close by." But The Today, June 26, started off breezy with sunny spells and a few showers in some areas before it is set to become cloudy in the afternoon as outbreaks of rain develop in the southwest. MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN She added: "The rain and drizzle will spread in eastwards during the evening, but it'll be light and patchy, and so rainfall totals will be very small." Ireland to sizzle in huge 29C heat blast as Met Eireann forecast 'very warm sunshine' and temps hotter than Canary Islands "Highest temperatures of 15C to 20C in fresh southwesterly winds." It is expected that tonight will be mild, cloudy and breezy with outbreaks of rain continuing to spread eastwards across the country. Temperatures will drop to between 11C and 15C. Tomorrow will bring a rather windy day with outbreaks of rain or drizzle, which will be "heaviest and most persistent" during the morning and afternoon, especially in the north and west. Rebecca said: "The rain will become lighter and patchier towards evening, with some drier and brighter spells possible further east. 'Highest temperatures tomorrow 17C to 21C in a fresh and gusty southwesterly wind. "And as for the weekend, there's some uncertainty in the forecast, but current indications suggest unsettled conditions will continue, with light patchy rain or drizzle continuing to spread from the Atlantic, although winds will ease." RAIN FORECAST REDUCES Carlow Weather's Alan O'Reilly said the amount of rain forecast for Friday has reduced - and Dublin may experience some welcome weather just in time for the concerts taking place this weekend. O'Reilly said: "Nice sunny spells this Thursday morning but cloud will increase from West this afternoon and some showers this evening. "Good news is amount of rain forecast for Friday has reduced and sunny spells are possible in Southeast and East with Dublin looking good for Friday night gigs." Met Eireann's Rebecca revealed that on Saturday, we will see some light patchy rain, which looks to spread southeastwards over the country slowly. Some sunny spells and isolated showers will be expected in northwest Connacht and Temperatures will see highs of 16C to 22C, warmest in the east and southeast. Sunday is expected to start out cloudy with rain, persisting in the north of the country before becoming "drier and brighter later" in highs of 17 to 23 degrees. 4 The hot spells are likely to return in early July, just in time for peak summer season Credit: Alamy Live News
New Statesman
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Statesman
The pro-Palestine movement's alternative campus
Photo by Guy Bell/Alamy Live News On 17 June, I visited the Soas Liberated Zone. It is a complex of tents occupied by Soas students, which has existed in multiple forms on and outside the School of Oriental and African Studies campus since 6 May 2024. This makes it the longest held of the student encampments that sprang up in Britain following the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Columbia University, whose occupants were demanding their university divest from Israel. The day of my visit, Israeli forces had opened fire on crowds of Palestinians in Gaza waiting to receive crucial aid. They killed at least 70 people. Al Jazeera called it 'Gaza's deadliest day at aid sites'. Inside the large tent that serves as the living-cum-dining room for the encampment, I met Ayah, a Palestinian Soas alumna who recently completed her masters in comparative literature. We have returned to an attitude of silence, which serves to normalise an ongoing genocide in Gaza, Ayah told me. It has gone on so long that people are becoming numb or even apathetic in the face of the daily roll call of Palestinian people who have died under occupation. 'Encampments are a way of saying this is not normal and we will not go on with our normal lives,' she said. The current encampment has about 20 regular members who take it in turns to sleep outside, between a church and a row of pop-up food stalls, only a few minutes' walk from the university. It's a space that feels lived in and cared for: packs of biscuits and an ashtray on the table, a daily to-do list written on a whiteboard. This is their third location; the first two were on Soas property, the second removed by enforcement agents on instructions from the University of London. Ayah and other members of the encampment whom I would meet once they returned from a protest at BAE Systems Rochester have been here since the start. After the war on Gaza began, Ayah withdrew socially from the university because, she said, it offered her neither the support nor the solidarity she needed. Once the encampments began, she actually felt 'integrated into the community'. Those who had been at the protest outside BAE returned: Haya, a second-year student and political refugee from Egypt; Tara, a third-year student; and a fresher called Qasim who told me he joined the encampment after learning that Soas invests in companies linked to Israel and has a partnership with Haifa University. 'Once you find that out, you really only have two choices,' he said. 'Silence or do something about it.' Both Haya and Tara are suspended and prohibited from entering the campus for the rest of the academic year, at minimum, for their roles in pro-Palestine activity on campus. (A Soas spokesperson said that protest and dissent can take place at the university 'as long as it remains peaceful and does not undermine the safety and security of all within our community'.) Haya and Tara are two of the named defendants on an injunction the University of London had approved by the courts late last year, which has temporarily guaranteed that students cannot hold protests on university property unless they seek permission from the relevant authorities 72 hours in advance. 'But things happen overnight!' Ayah cut in. 'How can Soas continue to declare that it supports free speech and decolonial rhetoric when it's actively suspending students for doing those very things?' Tara asked. For the last year, student encampments like this one have functioned to expose the hypocrisies at the heart of universities as institutions. On Soas's website it says that its undergraduate degree is for 'those who want to re-examine preconceptions and not just accept the status quo'. And yet, it is choosing to suppress student protest unless management first ordains it. I asked Ayah what she now thinks university is for; she replied sardonically, 'A fancy degree!' To Tara, what is beautiful about the encampment is the way it has made free education possible. Not just financially, Tara clarified – they make the seminars and screenings held available for free online as well as free from censorship. What they learn here seems more transformative than what you might discover in the classroom: not just political theories, but the ability to apply them in practice. After the start of the war, Haya told me a lot of students were pro-Palestine but in quite a passive way. 'It's our responsibility to reach out to them, to get them to join us, to provide political education,' she said. This space has provided students with an alternative form of university experience: it is where they come to study, make sense of the world and discover how they might become forces of change – things they ought to have received from inside the university gates. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe In court during the injunction case, the students, as defendants, were reminded that they were still free to protest on social media. To Tara, this illustrated that the university is not threatened by online activism. Suspending its students is a university's attempt to cut them off from community and action. Instead, these Soas students have spent the last year constructing a sustaining, galvanising and educational community. The point of encampments is that they exist as obstructive, disruptive, physical reminders of institutional and societal failures when it comes to Israel's actions in Gaza. The Soas Liberated Zone has seven demands – along with divestment they include an end to the repression of Palestinian solidarity activism on campus. They tell me they will stay here for as long as necessary. [See also: Jeff in Venice] Related
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Climate
- The Irish Sun
‘Number of drownings doubled' -Irish water safety bosses issue warning after six swimming tragedies within weeks
WATER safety chiefs have issued an urgent warning ahead of the busy summer season - after the latest swimming tragedies in Irish waters. As the weather improves and the evenings are getting brighter, more people are expected to return to the water for activities such as and surfing. 4 Many Irish swimmers are set to hit the beach during summer as the weather improves Credit: Alamy Live News 4 Deputy CEO Roger Sweeney shared advice for parents to keep their children safe Credit: Getty Images - Getty Talking to the He urges parents to take a moment and teach their children the precise boundaries of Irish waters and conversation about how to stay safe while swimming. He added: "When you bring children or friends to a waterway, take a moment to visualise drawing an imaginary line on the ground, a clear boundary that must not be crossed until you've assessed the risks and had a real conversation about safety. READ MORE ON NEWS "Once there, Mr Sweeney also highlighted the importance of knowing the "lifesaving equipment" such as ringbuoys and how it is crucial to never tamper with them as it can save lives when needed. He continued: "Talk to them about the importance of lifesaving equipment like ringbuoys — and why it's crucial never to tamper with or misuse them. "These are small actions — but they can make the biggest difference." Most read in The Irish Sun Water Safety Ireland chiefs have also warned of the dangers of rip currents. They said: "Rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that can pull swimmers away from shore. School principal pays touching tribute to teen who died in Meath swimming tragedy "If caught in one, don't panic, swim parallel to the beach to escape the current, then head back to shore." It is also vital to be aware of the water and tide times and have someone to watch them before entering. Head of Operations Section at the Irish Coast Guard, Kevin Whitney, highlighted the alarming rise in drownings this year. He said: "In May 2025, the number of drownings has doubled compared to the same period in 2024, bringing tragic loss to families across the country." He urged everyone to be "mindful of the dangers, plan ahead, and follow the appropriate safety guidelines" . And if you see somebody in trouble on the water, along the coast or think they are in trouble, use marine VHF radio Ch 16 or dial 112 and ask for the MEATH INCIDENT The urgent appeal comes after His body was recovered from the River Nanny in Laytown, Co Kofi was with friends enjoying the hot weather in the water near Laytown Beach A member of the public called emergency services at around 6.15 pm and a major search got underway involving the At around 9.30pm, a body was recovered from the water following the operation. SAFETY ADVICE FOR WATER-BASED ACTIVITIES If you are sailing or motorboating: Always wear an appropriate lifejacket Always carry a means of calling and signalling for help When engaging in any boating activity; Ensure there is an emergency action plan in place, and everybody has an onboard briefing Get the right level of training for your craft Always check the weather and tide times Make sure someone on the shore knows where you are going and who to call if you don't return on time. Always operate your boat at a speed that is appropriate to the weather conditions and to the environment you are operating in. If you are swimming: Water temperatures are still cold at this year of the year, consider wearing a wetsuit to stay warm Acclimatise slowly Check the weather forecast and tide times Never swim alone and always ensure that your activity is being monitored by a colleague If you are heading out on the water or visiting the coast: Always check the weather and tide times Tell someone where you are going and what time you will be back Wear a lifejacket when angling on the shoreline or riverbanks Stay away from the water's edge when out walking Ensure children are under constant adult supervision when close to large bodies of water Kofi was from the Blackrock area of Dundalk and had travelled from the northeast town to Laytown with his pals. In an emotional post by his In a post on Colaiste Chu Chulainn Principal Thomas Sharkey also paid tribute, saying the school community was "heartbroken" by the teen's death. He also described Kofi as "a fine young man, a very kind, a very caring and a very diligent student". He added: "He's an excellent sportsman. He had just played in an All-Ireland basketball final and in a Leinster soccer final in his age group of under-16. "He finished his Junior Cert exams only 10 days ago, and his older sister was a past pupil of our school. Kofi and his family are in all of our thoughts." 4 Kofi Owusu tragically lost his life while swimming at Laytown Beach on Friday Credit: Coláiste Chú Chulainn 4 Water safety chiefs have shared an urgent appeal to swimmers Credit: Getty Images - Getty
