Oíche Éigse le Laoighseach Ní Choisdealbha & Joe Phádraic Ó Fátharta – Readings |Artist Talk | Chat | Audience Q+A
Oíche Éigse le Laoighseach Ní Choisdealbha & Joe Phádraic Ó Fátharta – Readings |Artist Talk | Chat | Audience Q+A
October 16 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm IST
An Irish-language evening with Laoighseach Ní Choisdealbha, a poet and writer and The Arts Council Scríbhneoir Cónaithe Gaeilge at Dublin City University (DCU), and Joe Phádraic Ó Fátharta, writer.
The programme features readings in Irish and an informal discussion with the artists about their work followed by an audience Q&A in both Irish and English. Presented by the Smashing Times Aisling Programme promoting Irish language drama and performance and celebrating the Irish language and the power of the arts to promote equality, human rights and diversity. Supported by Foras na Gaeilge.
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Artists
Laoighseach Ní Choisdealbha, Poet and Writer, The Arts Council Scríbhneoir Cónaithe Gaeilge at DCU
Joe Phádraic Ó Fátharta, writer
Full Event Details
Join us for a night sharing the work of Laoighseach Ní Choisdealbha, poet and writer; and Joe Phádraic Ó Fátharta, writer. Laoighseach is the Arts Council Scríbhneoir Cónaithe Gaeilge at DCU. The event celebrates poetry and literature ‘as Gaeilge’ and will feature a selection of readings by Laoighseach and Ó Fátharta, followed by an informal chat about their work, with the opportunity for the audience to ask questions. The readings will be through Irish, but the talk and Q&A will be facilitated through English.
Speaker Biographies:
Rugadh Laoighseach Ní Choistealbha in 1994 agus tógadh i gceantar an Lagáin in Oirthear Dhún na nGall í. Tá cónaí uirthi i nGaeltacht Chonamara anois, i ndiaidh di deich mbliana a chaitheamh i gcathair na Gaillimhe. Is é Solas Geimhridh agus Dánta Eile (Barzaz, 2023) an chéad chnuasach uaithi, agus tá Mainistir na Feola (Barzaz, 2025) díreach foilsithe.
Laoighseach Ní Choistealbha was born in 1994 and raised in east Donegal. She lives in Connemara these days, after spending ten years in Galway city. Her first and second collections, Solas Geimhridh agus Dánta Eile (2023) and Mainistir na Feola (2025) were both published by Barzaz.
Is scríbhneoir ó cheantar Chois Fharraige i nGaeltacht Chonamara é Joe Phádraic Ó Fátharta. Tá saothair dá chuid foilsithe in irisí éagsúla na linne, An Dearcán, Aneas, Howl agus Channel in a measc.
Joe Phádraic Ó Fátharta is a writer from the Cois Fharraige area of the Conamara Gaeltacht. His work has been published in various contemporary magazines, including An Dearcán, Aneas, Howl and Channel.
Smashing Times – The Aisling Programme
Irish Language Drama and Performance
Celebrating Irish language and the power of the arts to promote equality, human rights and diversity
The Aisling Programme provides a platform for emerging and established Irish-language artists working in the Irish language with a focus on the arts for equality, human rights and diversity.
Run by Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality, the initiative embeds the Irish language—as the national and official language of Ireland—into its core company, network, and festival programming.
Delivered both in Irish and bilingually (Irish and English), this creative arts programme features:workshops, performances, poetry, literature, music and creative conversations in both Irish and English, alongside the commissioning and presentation of original artworks in Irish, celebrating the Irish language and the power of the arts to promote equality, human rights, diversity, democracy, peace, health and well-being, for all across the island of Ireland.
Smashing Times support the Irish language as our national language and believe a commitment to Irish as the official language of the Republic of Ireland is a key element for the development of the company. Smashing Times are delighted to partner and work with artists who work in the Irish language and who are interested in using the arts to promote equality, human rights and diversity.
Following the recognition of Irish as an official working language in the EU in late 2021, Smashing Times has been producing dedicated Irish-language events since 2022 and integrating the language into Irish and bilingual productions performed across Ireland and Europe.
Foras na Gaeilge
Our Irish language events are supported by Foras na Gaeilge, a public body responsible for the promotion of the Irish language throughout the island of Ireland, including both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Foras na Gaeilge supports the community through the areas of community, private business sector, the arts, the public sector, education, youth and the media. The organisation plays a role in advising governments, north and south, and public bodies and other groups in the private and voluntary sectors in all matters relating to the Irish language. www.forasnagaeilge.ie
Irish Language Productions
Smashing Times are dedicated to promoting artistic and creative work in the Irish languge. The company is dedicated to supporting the professional development of artists and the professional presentation of their artistic creations in the Irish language to as wide an audience as possible. All Irish language productions and everts are presented as part of the Smashing Times Aisling Programme celebrating the Irish language and the power of the arts to promote equality, human rights and diversity.
Performances in 2024
Ar Snámh by the award-winning Irish language writer Seán Mac Dhonnagáin, was performed by Bláthnaid Daly, directed by Hilary Bowen-Walsh and produced by Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality for the Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival in 2024. The creative consultant was Mary Moynihan, writer, theatre and filmmaker, Artistic Director of Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality. Translations were by Seán MacDhonnagáin. The show was presented as part of the Aisling programme supporting emerging and established artists working in the Irish language with a focus on the arts for equality, human rights and diversity.
Is dráma é Ar Snámh a leanann Jane, bean óg a d’fhág Baile Átha Cliath agus í ina páiste, agus í anois ag filleadh ar a cathair dúchais tríd taisteal suas an Life i ndingí ó Lidl. Ar an mbealach, déanann Jane macnamh ar na heachtraí a chuir ar an mbóthar seo í, ó bhás a hathar agus í óg go dtí an caidreamh nua atá ag fás idir í féin agus buachaill áitiúil, Stiofán. Ar an turas seo, labhrann Jane isteach i dtéipthaifeadán a d’fhág a hathair aici, í ag insint dó faoin saol atá aici agus na deacrachtaí atá aici mar dhuine óg i mbaile beag. Tosaíonn sí ag dul siar ar chomhráite le daoine éagsúla ina saol, go háirithe ar eachtraí a bhain lena cairde agus lena teaghlach. Foghlaimíd faoi scéal Jane agus í ag oirbriú amach cad atá i ndán di sa chéad chaibidil eile dá saol.
Two performances of Ar Snámh in Irish took place in The Ireland Institute, 27 Pearse Street, Dublin 2, D02 K037 on Friday 18 October and Saturday 19 October, nightly at 7.30pm. Each performance was followed by a post-show panel discussion with the artists and guest speakers on the theme of ‘The Irish Language and the Arts: Unique forms of expression to promote equality, human rights and diversity’. The chair was Seán MacDhonnagáin and the speakers each night were the director Hilary Bowen-Walsh and actor Bláthnaid Daly.
Ar Snámh won Best One-Act Play in the literary competition at Oireachtas na Gaeilge 2018. Ar Snámh follows Jane, a young woman who moved away from Dublin as a child, as she returns to her home county by travelling up the Liffey in a dinghy she bought in Lidl. Along the way, Jane considers the moments that have led her to this journey, from the death of her father when she was a child to the budding relationship she is developing with a local lad, Stephen. Along her journey, Jane recalls conversations with various people in her life, playing the parts of friends and family members as she gives us a view of her past and tries to work out her future as well as reflecting on the housing crisis that is impacting on the lives of people today.
Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality were delighted to work with Irish language author Seán MacDhonnagáin to present Ar Snámh and to support the Irish language. Special thanks to Theatre in Palm, Creative Europe and the Scéim na gCompántas Drámaíochta Proifisiúnta agus Amaitéarach 2024/Professional and Amateur Drama Companies’ Scheme 2024 supported by Foras na Gaeilge.
Open Call to Artists
Arts and Human Rights Network available through Irish
We want You
Smashing Times wish to support the Irish language as our national language and believe a commitment to Irish as the official language of the Republic of Ireland is a key element for the development of the Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality. We are inviting you to join with us and to take part in Aisling: A programme of the Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality celebrating the Irish language and the arts linked to equality, human rights, diversity, inclusion and peace. As part of this work we are looking for key artists who speak Irish to become involved in the Smashing Times Arts and Human Rights network and we are now developing an Irish language section as part of the network. We invite you to take part in this unique network for artists, individuals and communities interested in linking the Irish language and the arts for the promotion of human rights, equality and diversity.
Join the Smashing Times Arts and Human Rights Irish Language network as Gaeilge across Ireland, linking with artists, activists and individuals who are interested in using the arts to promote human rights, equality and diversity through the Irish language.
A core strategic aim is to ensure a strand of the Smashing Times International Cenre for the Arts and Equality is conducted through and promotes the Irish language. The centre is situated at 30 Sandycove Road, Dublin, Ireland and operates across Ireland with a European and international reach, and we believe that as Irish is our national language and a recognised language within the EU it is essential that the centre incorporates the Irish language as an integral and core part of the overall work. The aim is to provide a community-orientated Irish language arts and human rights service to the Irish speaking community of Dublin and across Ireland, Northern Ireland and internationally on a non-profit basis.
If you are an artist, community group member or a member of the general public and are interested in using the Irish language through the arts to promote equality, human rights and diversity, and would like to join the Arts and Human Right network, do get in touch. All welcome.
As a member, you will
- Receive exclusive invitations to online and onsite networking events.
- Meet like-minded artists and people who believe in the power of the arts to promote human rights issues.
- Receive invitations to Smashing Times events across Ireland.
- Be contacted with opportunities to share your work or perform at Smashing Times events across Ireland.
- Connect through a monthly newsletter, weekly bulletin; and through attendance at bi-monthly online or onsite meetings
Resource and Advice service available through Irish promoting the arts for equality, human rights and diversity
This entails the translation of existing information into the Irish language and providing up-to-date information on resources, grants and opportunities through Irish for artists and communities using the Irish language and creative processes to promote equality, human rights and diversity for all.
Dream of Freedom / Aisling na Saoirse
A Dream of Equality / Aisling an Chomhionannais
In Irish we say
Fáilte for Welcome
Aisling for Dream or Vision
Saoirse for Freedom
Comhionannas for Equality
Cruthaitheach for Creative
Suaimhneas for Peace
Amhrán for Song
Croí for heart
Grá for Love
Macnas for playfulness
Draíocht for Magic
Abhainn for River
Óiche for night
Organisations Involved / Partner Organisation(s):
