Dr Kieran O’Conor, Lecturer in Archaeology, launched the 14th annual NUI Galway Arts Festival programme, Múscailt, last night (Monday, 27 January). The Festival, which runs from 10-14 February, will contain a superb programme of music, art, spectacle, performance and literature, with many free events to which the public are welcome.

Speaking at the launch, Dr O’Conor said: “NUI Galway has unique art research modules in the disciplines of Archaeology, Philosophy and Classics and Múscailt offers a chance for us to explore the treasures on offer in the University.”

This year’s theme ‘Laugh, Nourish, Love’features artists at play. On Tuesday, 11 February, A Victorian Funfair will take place in the Mechanical Soils Lab, a Victorian Building, from 12-5pm, allowing guests to enjoy a walk back in time to learn more about the Victorian art, science, literature and pastimes, all recreated with fun and games by the popular new Victorian Society at NUI Galway. NUI Galway’s Knitting and Crochet Group have created an enormous doily named ‘Doily-icious’, which will hang in Áras na Mac Léinn, alongside a group show of staff and student artists entitled ‘Wonder’.

Throughout the week, Artist Joe McCaul will be doing free self portraits of those who want to sit for him in the atrium of Áras na Mac Léinn. All the new portraits he paints during Múscailt will be added to the walls and be on show in the atrium until 1 March.

The Mechanical Soils Lab, next to the Bank of Ireland Theatre, will act as a magnificent Exhibition Space in which the works of three artists will be on view. NUI Galway is honoured to have, on loan, five large paintings by the late Sharon O’Malley, a singular, internationally established artist with close links to Galway who held a life-long interest in classical mythology. Additionally, Susanne Keane will present ‘Where Sea meets Sky’, an exhibition of atmospheric, abstract, seascapes, painted with swathes of bright colours. And Joe McCaul will show a selection of his new and recent portraits and sculptures. All the exhibitions will run until 1 March.

Events include:

• Two illustrated visual art lectures will take place on Wednesday, 12 February from 11am-1pm, with artist Joe McCaul, who will deliver an illustrated lecture on portraiture entitled ‘Getting A Head’ and Conor Newman, Chair of The Heritage Council and Lecturer in Archaeology at NUI Galway, will give a presentation on Insular Art (early Medieval), entitled ‘Portraiture through Possessions’.
• Ancient Music Ireland members, Simon O’Dwyer and Maria Cullen O’Dwyer, will present and demonstrate a musical exploration through pre-historic instruments up to 700AD on Tuesday, 11 at 8pm in The Cube.
• Galway University Musical Society (GUMS) will perform the musical, ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’,at the Black Box Theatre from 11-15 February. This colourful comedy takes place in the glitz and glamour of the 1920s with frantic preparations for a wedding.
• On Tuesday, 11 February at 8pm the Witless Band Competition Final will take place in the Student Union Bar with judges and public vote deciding the winning act.
• Arts in Action presents remarkable young musician Padraic Keane on uileann pipes, accompanied by his sisters Maisie-Kate and Siobhán on fiddles.
• ‘Hello, Delia Murphy’, a show on the iconic Irish ballad singer Delia Murphy, written by her niece Carmen Cullen. ‘Hello, Delia Murphy, will include a dramatised reading and family photographs, among the songs performed by Carmen Cullen and Máirín O’Donovan with accompaniment by musician Gerry Anderson.
• Celebrating its fifth year, the ‘Solo Show: Múscailt Monologues’includes new writing and performance from NUI Galway’s students and staff and visitors.
• ‘The Ballad of Reading Gaol’ by Oscar Wilde, featuring a powerful performance by Rab Swannock and directed by Sandra Coffey, is back by popular demand after a successful début in the inaugural Oscar Wilde festival last October.
• Dramsoc will perform the show ‘Overcast Teacups’.
• Colours Street Theatre will début their new show, ‘The Seat,’ written and performed by James Fleming.
• Múscailt will also see the launch of ‘Jumbo Wants to be a Hippo’, a children’s story by Lionel Gallagher with illustrations by Marina Wild.
• Galway based storyteller, author, poet, playwright and performer, Rab Swannock Fulton will read from his sci-fi blog-novel ‘Marcus Marcus and the Hurting Heart’.

NUI Galway President, Jim Browne extends an open invitation to the public to attend the closing event of Múscailt, ‘The Galway Music Residency-NUI Galway Sponsor’s Concert’, at 1pm on Friday, 14  February in the Bailey Allen Hall. The specially chosen programme for Valentine’s Day, ‘Viennese Classics’, includes works by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and Schubert, performed by Galway Ensemble in Residence, ConTempo Quartet.

Special Guests, Triko Cirkus Teatar, from Croatia, who starred in Múscailt 2013 will present a new Clown Cabaret with performers and traditional musicians from NUI Galway featuring alongside Triko clowns in ‘Night of the Living Clown’, written and directed by Lee DeLong to a live musical score. Specially prepared for Múscailt The Cabaret will be performed for three nights in An Taibhdhearc, under the banner ‘Múscailt-Clown Cabaret’, on 27, 28 February and 1 March.

Commenting on this year's line up, Fionnuala Gallagher, NUI Galway Arts Officer said: “Our theme this year, ‘Laugh, Nourish, Love’allows us to look within, have a laugh and highlight our strengths in all of the art-forms. Everyone is welcome to participate.”

All exhibitions are open Monday to Saturday until 1 March. For a copy of the programme or further information contact the Arts Office at 091 493766 or 091 495098, or visit www.muscailt.nuigalway.ie. Tickets for events will be available from the Socsbox at 091 492852 or socsbox@socs.nuigalway.ie. Tickets for the ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ are also available from Town Hall Theatre www.tht.ie or 091 569777. ‘Múscailt-Clown Cabaret’ tickets are available from An Taibhdhearc www.antaibhdhearc.com or 091 562024.

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Múscailt - an 14ú Féile Ealaíon Bhliantúil seolta ag OÉ Gaillimh

Sheol an Dr Kieran O’Conor, Léachtóir le Seandálaíocht, an clár do 14ú Féile Ealaíon Bhliantúil OÉ Gaillimh, Múscailt, aréir (Dé Luain, 27 Eanáir). Beidh an Fhéile ar siúl 10-14 Feabhra, le clár iontach ceoil, ealaíon, seónna, taibhithe agus litríochta. Beidh go leor de na himeachtaí saor in aisce agus beidh fáilte roimh chách a bheith i láthair.

Ag labhairt dó ag an seoladh, dúirt an Dr O’Conor: “Tá modúil taighde ealaíon ar leith ar fáil in OÉ Gaillimh i ndisciplíní na Seandálaíochta, na Fealsúnachta agus an Léinn Chlasaicigh agus deis é Múscailt an saibhreas atá le fáil san Ollscoil a bhlaiseadh.”

Léiríonn téama na bliana seo ‘Gáire, Cothú, Grá’ ealaíontóirí ag baint sásaimh as a gceird. Dé Máirt, an 11 Feabhra, beidh Aonach Siamsaíochta Victeoireach i Saotharlann na nIthreacha Meicniúla, Foirgneamh Victeoireach, idir 12-5pm. Tabharfaidh Cumann Victeoireach OÉ Gaillimh blaiseadh do chuairteoirí d’ealaín, d’eolaíocht, de litríocht agus de chaitheamh aimsire Victeoiriach, ar bhealach spraíúil. Tá mionscaraoid mhór mhillteach déanta ag Grúpa Cniotála agus Cróise OÉ Gaillimh dar teideal ‘Doily-icious’ a bheidh ar crochadh in Áras na Mac Léinn, mar aon le taispeántas grúpa comhaltaí foirne agus mac léinn dar teideal ‘Wonder’.

I rith na seachtaine, beidh an t-ealaíontóir Joe McCaul ag déanamh portráidí saor in aisce de dhaoine ar spéis leo é i bhforhalla Áras na Mac Léinn. Beidh na portráidí nua ar fad a phéinteálfaidh sé i rith Múscailt le crochadh ar na ballaí agus beidh siad ar taispeáint san fhorhalla go dtí an 1 Márta.

Beidh spás iontach Taispeántais i Saotharlann na nIthreacha Meicniúla, béal dorais d’Amharclann Bhanc na hÉireann, agus beidh saothar triúr ealaíontóirí ar taispeáint ann. Is mór an onóir do OÉ Gaillimh cúig phictiúr mhóra le Sharon O’Malley, nach maireann, a bheith ar iasacht againn. Ealaíontóir mór le rá idirnáisiúnta a bhí inti a raibh dlúthcheangal aici le Gaillimh agus a raibh suim riamh aici sa mhiotaseolaíocht chlasaiceach. Chomh maith leis sin, cuirfidh Susanne Keane ‘Where Sea meets Sky’ inár láthair, taispeántas radharc mara atá atmaisféarach agus teibí agus péinteáilte i ndathanna lonracha. Agus cuirfidh Joe McCaul roinnt portráidí nua agus dealbha ar taispeáint. Beidh na taispeántais ar fad ar siúl go dtí an 1 Márta.

I measc na n-imeachtaí beidh siad seo a leanas:

• Beidh dhá léacht amharcealaíon ar siúl Dé Céadaoin, an 12 Feabhra idir 11am-1pm. Ceann leis an ealaíontóir Joe McCaul ar an bportráidíocht dar teideal ‘Getting A Head’ agus ceann le Conor Newman, Cathaoirleach na Comhairle Oidhreachta agus Léachtóir le Seandálaíocht in OÉ Gaillimh a dhéanfaidh cur síos ar an Ealaín Oileánach (Luath-Mheánaois), dar teideal ‘Portraiture through Possessions’.
• Déanfaidh beirt ó Cheol Ársa na hÉireann, Simon O’Dwyer agus Maria Cullen O’Dwyer, cur i láthair ar uirlisí ceoil réamhstairiúla go dtí 700AD Dé Máirt, 11 Feabhra ag 8pm in The Cube.
• Cuirfidh Cumann Ceoldrámaíochta Ollscoil na Gaillimhe (GUMS) an ceoldráma, ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’,ar stáitse sa Dubhlann idir 11-15 Feabhra. Tá an scéal grinn seo suite i laethanta geala na 1920idí agus daoine ag ullmhú do bhainis.
• Beidh craobhchomórtas na mBannaí Witless ar siúl i mBeár Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn Dé Máirt, an 11 Feabhra ag 8pm agus roghnóidh moltóirí agus an pobal na buaiteoirí.
• Cuirfidh Arts in Action an ceoltóir óg Padraic Keane i láthair ar an bpíb uilleann, agus é á thionlacan ag a chuid deirfiúracha Maisie-Kate agus Siobhán ar an bhfidil.
• An seó ‘Hello, Delia Murphy’, faoin amhránaí bailéad Éireannach mór le rá Delia Murphy, a scríobh a neacht, Carmen Cullen. Beidh léitheoireacht dhrámata agus grianghraif an teaghlaigh mar chuid de ‘Hello, Delia Murphy’. Casfaidh Carmen Cullen agus Máirín O’Donovan amhráin agus beidh siad á dtionlacan ag an gceoltóir Gerry Anderson.
• Don chúigiú bliain, tá saothar nua ó mhic léinn, ó chomhaltaí foirne agus ó chuairteoirí OÉ Gaillimh sa ‘Seó Aonair: Monalóga Múscailt’.
• Bhí an-éileamh ar ‘The Ballad of Reading Gaol’ le Oscar Wilde, ina raibh páirt an-láidir ag Rab Swannock faoi stiúir Sandra Coffey, ag an gcéad fhéile Oscar Wilde i nDeireadh Fómhair agus tá sé á thabhairt ar ais arís dá bharr.
• Cuirfidh Dramsoc an seó ‘Overcast Teacups’ ar stáitse.
• Cuirfidh Colours Street Theatre a gcéad seó, ‘The Seat,’ ar stáitse, scríofa agus curtha i láthair ag James Fleming.
• Seolfar ‘Jumbo Wants to be a Hippo’ chomh maith ag Múscailt. Is scéal é seo do ghasúir a scríobh Lionel Gallagher agus is í Marina Wild a rinne na léaráidí.
• Léifidh an scéalaí, údar, file, drámadóir agus taibheoir, Rab Swannock Fulton atá lonnaithe i nGaillimh óna bhlagúrscéal ficsin eolaíochta ‘Marcus Marcus and the Hurting Heart’.

Mar sméar mhullaigh ar Mhúscailt, ba mhaith le hUachtarán OÉ Gaillimh, Jim Browne, cuireadh oscailte a thabhairt don phobal freastal ar Cheol Cónaitheach na Gaillimhe - Ceolchoirm Urraitheoirí OÉ Gaillimh, ag 1pm Dé hAoine, an 14 Feabhra i Halla Bailey Allen. Tá clár speisialta roghnaithe do Lá Fhéile Vailintín, ‘Clasaicí Vín’, ina mbeidh saothar Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven agus Schubert le cloisteáil ó Ensemble Cónaitheach na Gaillimhe, ConTempo Quartet.

Cuirfidh na haíonna speisialta, Triko Cirkus Teatar, as an gCróit, a bhí ina réaltaí ag Múscailt 2013, Cabaret Cábóige nua ar stáitse le taibhithe agus ceoltóirí traidisiúnta as OÉ Gaillimh i gcuideachta chábóga Triko in ‘Night of the Living Clown’, scríofa agus stúrtha ag Lee DeLong le scór beo ceoil. Cuireadh an Cabaret le chéile go speisialta do Mhúscailt agus beidh sé ar siúl ar feadh trí oíche sa Taibhdhearc, faoin teideal ‘Múscailt-Cabaret Cábóige’, an 27, 28 Feabhra agus an 1 Márta.

Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Fionnuala Gallagher, Oifigeach Ealaíon OÉ Gaillimh, faoi chlár na bliana seo: “Tabharfaidh téama na bliana seo, ‘Gáire, Cothú, Grá’ deis machnaimh agus gáire dúinn, agus léireoidh sí ár láidreachtaí sna foirmeacha ealaíne ar fad. Tá fáilte roimh chách a bheith páirteach.”

Beidh na taispeántais ar fad oscailte Luan go Satharn go dtí an 1 Márta. Tá cóip den chlár nó eolas breise le fáil ón Oifig Ealaíon ar 091 493766 nó 091 495098, nó téigh chuig www.muscailt.nuigalway.ie. Beidh ticéid do na himeachtaí ar fáil ón Socsbox ag 091 492852 nó socsbox@socs.nuigalway.ie. Tá ticéid ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ ar fáil ó Amharclann na Cathrach chomh maith www.tht.ie nó 091 569777. Tá ticéid ‘Múscailt-Cabaret Cábóige’ ar fáil ón Taibhdhearc www.antaibhdhearc.com nó 091 562024.

-Críoch-