2024 has been a busy oul year.
Working as a street, spectacle, and community artist, I’ve been all across the country with lantern workshops, parades, light festivals, film shoots, operas, and travelling the festival circuit with my partner Dominic as ‘A Snail’s Tale,’ which just performed as part of the Fingal Festival Of Children’s Literature (The Magic Of Stories) to a hugely warm reception.
The last quarter of the year looks to be just as busy.
Coming up to Samhain, I’ll be focusing on working with Mercy Mounthawk School in Tralee, creating pieces themed around the Puffins of the Skelligs for the National Circus Festivals Parade in Tralee, on the 1st of November.
I’m returning to Mercy Mounthawk and the NCF parade, having previously worked with students to create their giant dragon puppet, which took to the streets of Tralee to a fantastic audience response. This year, the students have been working on numerous incredibly colourful pieces, which will fly high throughout the parade.
I’m also returning to Greywood Arts in Killeagh for Halloween week, hosting willow lantern workshops for family groups, and working with local community members to create a special centrepiece for their annual Glenbower Woods Samhain lantern parade.
This parade has grown and grown over the years, attracting new and returning participants. It has been especially gratifying to see families coming back to take part, with lanterns they made in previous workshops I’ve hosted. Over the years we’ve created owls, eyes, and giant mushrooms! Can’t wait to see where Samhain takes us this year.