The Aisling Programme

Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality presents The Aisling Progamme

Celebrating Irish language and the power of the arts to promote equality, human rights and diversity

The Aisling Programme supports emerging and established artists working in the Irish language with a focus on the arts for equality, human rights and diversity. The 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 and diversity 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. The Aisling Programme is a Creative Arts Programme for Equality, Human Rights and Diversity with workshops, performances and creative conversations in both Irish and English, using the arts to promote and celebrate the Irish language and the arts linked to equality, human rights, diversity, health and well-being, leadership training, inclusion and peace.

The Aisling Project ffosters and promotes the Irish language and the arts through Irish as well as bilingually as an integral part of the company, network and festival programme and provides a stage for the Irish language community linked to the arts sector.

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. Artists include:

• Áine Ní Ghlinn, poet and children’s writer, Laureate na nÓg 2020-2023 / Áine Ní Ghlinn, file agus scríbhneoir do dhaoine óga, Laureate na nÓg 2020-2023
• Ciara Ní É, bi-lingual poet, writer and broadcaster/file dátheangach, scríbhneoir agus craoltóir
• Féilim James, writer/scríbhneoir
• Colm MacGearailt, spoken word artist, actor, and historian/ ealaíontóir focal labhartha, aisteoir agus staraí
• Michael McCabe, performer/taibheoir, performing the poetry of Mary Moynihan, writer, theatre and film-maker/scríbhneoir, déantóir amharclainne agus scannán.
• Dricco (Finn O’Driscoll), Rap artist, singer and songwriter/ealaíontóir rap, amhránaí, cumadóir amhrán
• Lisa McLoughlin Gnemmi, Violinist and Composer with Dila Sultanova-Abdrachmanova, solo pianist and accompanist
• Rob Harrington, director/stiúrthóir
• Hilary Bow, Singer-Songwriter
• Alan O’Brien, Spoken Word Artist, Poet ,Writer, Performer and Bricklayer
• Olwen Pendred, Storyteller, Irish language artist

See full biographies below

The Aisling programme is conducted as part of Theatre in Palm and is supported by Foras na Gaeilge, Scéim na gCompántas Drámaíochta 2022, Clar, Rethink, the Dublin International Arts and Human Rights festival, The Arts Council, Erasmus+ and Creative Europe. Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality are one of twelve partner organisations involved in Theatre in Palm, a large-scale European platform project funded by the Creative Europe programme 2021-2027. The Theatre in Palm platform brings together twelve partners from across Europe to collaborate and co-create as part of an international, intercultural platform supporting artists including emerging artists, to engage in international networking and to build theatre-based skills in transnational cooperation and co-creation.
https://theatreinpalm.turkuamk.fi/

If you are an artist working in the Irish language, we invite you to 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. To apply, send your name, biography, cv and initial expression of interest to freda@smashingtimes.ie.

Aisling Performances and Artists

On 21 December 2022 and 28 January 2023, Smashing Times were delighted to present the work of a range of unique artists at ‘Aisling’, two unique bi-lingual events in celebration of the Irish language, the arts and human rights and Celtic Culture through performance, poetry and song. Aisling took place at the Dlr Lexicon Library Black Box space in Dunlaoghaire and featured entertainment in Irish and English with poetry, music, song and chat followed by a fun, post-show ‘Meet and Greet’ with the artists.

Performers

Smashing Times were delighted to showcase and support the work of award-winning, established and emerging artists working in the Irish language with a focus on the arts for equality, human rights and diversity. The artists who work in the Irish language and whose work featured in Aisling were:

• Áine Ní Ghlinn, poet and children’s writer, Laureate na nÓg 2020-2023 / Áine Ní Ghlinn, file agus scríbhneoir do dhaoine óga, Laureate na nÓg 2020-2023
• Ciara Ní É, bi-lingual poet, writer and broadcaster/file dátheangach, scríbhneoir agus craoltóir
• Féilim James, writer/scríbhneoir
• Colm MacGearailt, spoken word artist, actor, and historian/ ealaíontóir focal labhartha, aisteoir agus staraí
• Michael McCabe, performer/taibheoir, performing the poetry of Mary Moynihan, writer, theatre and film-maker/scríbhneoir, déantóir amharclainne agus scannán.
• Dricco (Finn O’Driscoll), Rap artist, singer and songwriter/ealaíontóir rap, amhránaí, cumadóir amhrán
• Lisa McLoughlin Gnemmi, Violinist and Composer with Dila Sultanova-Abdrachmanova, solo pianist and accompanist
• Rob Harrington, director/stiúrthóir
• Hilary Bow, Singer-Songwriter
• Alan O’Brien, Spoken Word Artist, Poet ,Writer, Performer and Bricklayer
• Olwen Pendred, Storyteller, Irish language artist
• Mary Moynihan, Writer, Theatre, Film-Maker

The director for the two events was Rob Harrington, director/stiúrthóir.

Production Team

Director and Producer: Rob Harrington

Producer: Freda Manweiler

Lighting Design and Operation: Pedro Pacheco

Stage Manager: Barbara Huges

Social Media: EM Creative

Artist Biographies

Áine Ní Ghlinn, Poet and Children’s Writer, Laureate na nÓg 2020-2023

File agus scríbhneoir do dhaoine óga í Áine Ní Ghlinn. Tá sé leabhar is tríocha scríofa aici idir fhilíocht, dhrámaíocht, úrscéalta agus phictiúrleabhair do léitheoirí óga. Tá neart duaiseanna buaite aici – ina measc, Gradam Reics Carló Leabhar na Bliana – é sin buaite aici trí huaire do na húrscéalta Daideo, Hata Zú Mhamó agus Boscadán. Faoi láthair is í Áine Laureate na nÓg. Ceapadh sa ról sin í sa bhliain 2020 agus tiocfaidh deireadh lena tréimse Laureate i mí Bealtaine na bliana seo.

Áine Ní Ghlinn is a poet and children’s writer. She has 36 books published. These include poetry, drama, young adult novels as well as stories and picture books for younger children. Áine is Ireland’s Laureate na nÓg, Children’s Literature Laureate 2020 to 2023. She has won a range of awards for poetry, fiction and drama. These include Gradam Reics Carló, Children’s Book of the year which she won on three occasions for the novels Daideo, Hata Zú Mhamó and Boscadán.

Full Biography

Áine Ní Ghlinn is a lecturer, journalist and writer. She has a BA (Irish and English) and a HDip in Education from University College, Dublin, a Diploma in Journalism from the London School of Journalism, and an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University. She has written over thirty-six books – including four collections of poetry and an array of books for teenagers and young people.

She spent some years as a secondary-school teacher but resigned her position to become a journalist at RTÉ and Raidió na Gaeltachta. She worked on both current affairs and magazine programmes and the two she enjoyed most of all were the arts programmes, Leabhragán and Ar an Ardán, on Raidió na Gaeltachta. She also spent some time as a freelance journalist in London and in Ireland and she was frequently heard on It Says in the Papers on RTÉ Radio and on Raidió na Gaeltachta.

She left RTÉ to spent a few years lecturing at FIONTAR in Dublin City University. However, she wanted to spend more time writing and later became a full-time writer; writing children’s books and scripts for Ros na Rún, TG4. She has worked as a lecturer with the Church of Ireland College of Education in Dublin and conducts writing workshops in Irish-language secondary schools.

She has won many awards for her work. Céard tá sa bhosca? (An Gúm, 2002) won the Gradam Chlann Lir in 2003. She won the Irish-language prize at the Strokestown poetry festival in 2003, the Irish-language prize at the Dun Laoghaire / Rathdown poetry competition in 2003, as well as the Foras na Gaeilge Award at Seachtain na Scríbhneoirí in Listowel in 2002. She was awarded an Oireachtas prizes for her books Fuadach (Cois Life, 2005) Tromluí (Cois Life, 2009) and Úbalonga (An Gúm, 2009). Brionglóidí & aistir eile (Cló Mhaigh Eo, 2008) was shortlisted for the Bisto prize and she won an IBBY award in 2010. In 2012, she won an Oireachtas prize for her plays for children and her novel for teenagers, Daideo (Cois Life, 2014) was also awarded an Oireachtas prize in 2013. The same book was named Book of the Year for young people, 2014, Gradam Réics Carló. She was awarded Gradam Réics Carló again a couple of years later for her novel Hata zú Mhamó (Cois Life, 2016).

Her story ‘Boscadán’ was awarded top prize for children’s stories at Comórtais Liteartha an Oireachtais 2017, and Cois Life published the subsequent book in 2019: Boscadán. LeabhairCOMHAR published in 2018 a collection (Fadó Riamh… Ag an Tús) which brings together stories from diverse cultures representing the rich tradition of mythology surrounding the creation of the world.

Ni Ghlinn was appointed Laureate na nÓg/Children’s Literature Laureate in May 2020. Laureate na nÓg is an honour which was established in 2010 to engage young people with high quality literature and to underline the importance of children’s literature in our cultural and imaginative lives. Her ambition as Laureate is to lift the cloak of invisibility from Irish language authors and books, and to encourage children and young people to read for pleasure as Gaeilge.

Ciara Ní É, Writer and Activist

Is file í Ciara Ní É a bhfuil a cuid fiíochta léite aici i Nua-Eabhrac, i Londain, sa Bhruiséil, sa tSualainn, agus sa bhaile in Éirinn. Bhí sí ar an liosta ‘100 Women Changing Ireland in 2022’ de chuid an Irish Examiner. Tá sí mar Ealaíontóir Cónaithe le Scoil na Gaeilge UCD i mbliana. Foilsíodh saothar dá cuid sna díolaim Marrow/Cnámh agus Smior, Washing Windows Too, Queering the Green, agus in irisí fearacht Aneas, Icarus agus Comhar. Chomhbhunaitheoir an chomharghrúpa AerachAiteachGaelach í agus is ambasadóir í le hÁras Scríbhneoirí na hÉireann. Foilseofar a céad chnuasach filíochta an bhliain seo chugainn.

Writer and activist Ciara Ní É has performed in New York, London, Brussels, and Sweden. She is currently Artist in Residence UCD Scoil na Gaeilge. Her work has been published in many journals and in the recent anthologies Bone and Marrow/Cnámh agus Smior, Queering the Green and Washing Windows Too. She is a co-founder of the LGBTQ+ arts collective AerachAiteachGaelach and her most recent piece with the collective Grinder, Saghdar & Cher will be showing again in Dublin this summer. She was chosen as one of the Irish Examiner’s ‘100 Women Changing Ireland in 2022’. She is currently working on a short film, the script for which won the Físín short film competition. Her first poetry collection will be published in early 2024.

Ciara Ni É

I have been published in various journals and collections including the anthologies Washing Windows Too (Arlen House, 2022), Queering the Green (Lighthouse Press, 2021), Aneas, Icarus, Tuathal, Comhar; Poetry Ireland Introductions, Writing in Tongues (Villanova University, 2018), Mionlach. Digital projects have included videos with organisations such as Other Voices, UNESCO City of Literature, The Adrian Brinkerhoff Poetry Foundation, MoLI, The Irish Writers Centre.

In 2021 I was Irish Language curator for the ILF Dublin, producing five events. I have read at numerous events and festivals around Ireland and further afield, including at The Irish Arts Centre (NYC), The Irish Cultural Centre (Kansas), Humboldt University (Berlin), Launch: Galway2020 (Brussels), Liverpool Irish Festival (Liverpool), London Irish Centre (UK), Gŵyl Arall (Wales), Prosiect Bendigeidfran (Wales), The English Bookshop (Sweden), Celtic Knot Conference (Wikipedia, online), Cúirt (Galway), SOMA (Down), The Crescent Arts Centre (Belfast), Sandinos (Derry), Árus na nGael (Galway), Other Voices (Dublin), Culture Night (Dublin), St. Patrick’s Day Poetry Trail (Dublin), Red Line Book Festival (Dublin), Dublin Book Festival (Dublin), IMRAM (Dublin), An Fhéile Bheag Filíochta (Ballyferriter), Péacóg (Waterford), Dámhscoil Mhúscraí (Cork), Ó Bhéal (Cork), Féile na Bealtaine (Dingle), Listowel Writers Week (Kerry), Electric Picnic (Laois), Féile na Gealaí (Ráth Chairn), Body and Soul (Meath), Embassy of Finland (Dublin).

Féilim James, Writer and Poet

Féilim James is an award-winning writer from Dublin, Ireland. In 2020, the Arts of Council of Ireland awarded Féilim a Literature Bursary Award to finish his debut novel, Flower of Ash, as well as a Professional Development Award. He received an Arts Bursary from Dublin City Arts Office in 2021 to finish his first poetry collection, I was a river, lost. His short fiction and poetry have appeared in numerous journals, including The Fiction Pool, The Galway Review, and Icarus. His work through Irish, under Féilim Ó Brádaigh, has won seven Oireachtas na Gaeilge literary awards. His short fiction and poetry, through English and Irish, have appeared in a number of journals, including The Fiction Pool, The Galway Review, Icarus, and Comhar. A short film Féilim wrote, titled The Big No, produced by Smashing Times, was shortlisted by the IndieX Film Festival. His play At Summer’s End has toured Ireland as part of The Woman is Present: Women’s Stories of WWII and was presented in 2022 at Áras an Uachtaráin for President Michael D. Higgins. At Summer’s End is based on the life-story of Ettie Steinberg, an Irish woman who was murdered, along with her family, at Auschwitz.

In The Big No, a young man tells the story of his psychological unravelling and subsequent mental health crisis. Told in the form of a voiceover monologue accompanied by compelling imagery, this poetic short film takes us on a journey of despair, introspection, and hope. As he battles against panic attacks and suicidal thoughts, he is forced to face the ‘why’ of his problems head on, learning some essential truths about himself and the world.

Féilim’s themes are wide-ranging, and include identity, mental illness, guilt, human animalism, death, and humankind’s relationship with nature. He is committed to maintaining an ever evolving and progressive approach to his work, with each book both building on the last and differing in a vital way. In other words, the aforementioned themes will change as time passes, as will their stylistic rendering. ‘My inspirations are many and wide-ranging. To the fore are James Joyce, Sylvia Plath, John Banville, Marilynne Robinson, Ted Hughes, TS Eliot, Seán Ó Ríordáin, and Radiohead’.

Colm Mac Gearailt, Spoken Word artist, actor and historian

Is aisteoir, file, agus staraí é Colm Mac Gearailt, as Corca Dhuibhne, Co. Chiarraí. Ceapadh é mar an chéad ‘File Cónaitheach’ riamh sa Díseart, An Daingean, 2021-22 – urraithe go príomhúil ag Ealaín na Gaeltachta. Mar chuid de seo bhí sé ag cur filíocht ó bhéal chun cinn i gCorca Dhuibhne.Tá a shaothar léirithe aige ag oícheanta filíochta is féilte timpeall na tíre: ina measc Other Voices, Electric Picnic, Féile Litríochta Idirnáisiúnta Átha Cliath agus Féile Liú Lúnasa, Béal Feirste, inar bhain sé an chéad áit amach i gcomórtas Slam Filíochta na Féile 2019. Díoladh amach a ghig filíochta ag Féile na Bealtaine (2022). Bhuaigh sé Comórtas Filíochta 2021, Comhairle Contae Ath Chliath Theas, ar Lá na Filíochta (21 Márta) don dán ‘Neamhráite’. Le cúig bliana anuas tá sé le feiscint ar TG4 mar aisteoir ar Ros na Rún, i bpáirt ‘Briain McDonagh’. Bronnadh dochtúireacht staire air ó TCD i 2019.

Colm Mac Gearailt is a spoken word artist, actor, and historian, from the Corca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht, Co. Kerry, based in Dublin. He was named the inaugural ‘Poet-in-residence’ for An Díseart, Dingle, 2021-22, with the aim of developing his craft, and promoting spoken word poetry in West Kerry. He has performed at a number of slams and festivals in Ireland, such as Other Voices, Electric Picnic, International Festival of Literature, Dublin and Féile Liú Lúnasa, Belfast, where he was awarded First place in the 2019 Comórtas Slam Filíochta, having been runner up in 2018.

His poetry has been published in Aneas and Comhar, while an article of his on ‘The Irish Language and the Spoken Word’ was published in Boundless and Bare (March, 2021). He was winner of the 2021 ‘Comórtas Filíochta’, with South Dublin County Council Libraries, for Poetry Day Ireland (21 March) for his poem ‘Neamhráite’. In the same year (2021), he was awarded an ‘Irish Writers Centre Irish Language Bursary’, to develop his craft.

He features regularly on Irish media, having performed poetry on RTÉ, TG4, RnaG, BBC NI, and BBC Uladh. For five years he has acted on Ros na Rún’ (TG4). He was awarded a PhD in Irish History from TCD in 2019.

Dricco, Spoken Word Poet, Singer and Rap Artist

Dricco (Finn O’Driscoll) is a Spoken Word Poet, Singer and Rap Artist. Dricco is 19, from Smithfield and learned Irish through his Dad and from going to the Irish language secondary school Colaiste Eoin in Stillorgan, Dublin. He is very proud of his Irish heritage and relishes the opportunity to perform in Irish for which he is very grateful to Smashing Times.

Is ceoltoir é Dricco ó margadh na feirme atá naoi bhliain déag d’aois.Tá sé bródúil as a chuid gaeilge agus sásta leis an seans a chuid ghaeilge a úsáid ina chuid rap. Gabhann sé buochas le Smashing Times.

Michael McCabe, Performer

Michael McCabe is a performer, theatre director, movement choreographer, facilitator and arts therapist. He is a graduate of the prestigious Ecole Internationale de Theatre Jacques Lecoq, Paris, France, and The Gaiety School of Acting, Dublin, Ireland. Michael has an M.A. (Honours) in Dramatherapy from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, an M.A. in Modern Drama Studies from University College Dublin, and a B.A. (Honours) in Communication Studies from Dublin City University. He has directed theatre work in the HSE, the Dyspraxia Association of Ireland, Trinity College Dublin, St. Michael’s house, and with other special needs organisations and schools with a focus on developing the potential of theatre for working with diverse groups. Michael has been working as a Movement Director, teaching extensive movement classes for actors at the Conservatory of Music and Drama, TU Dublin, the National Association of Youth Drama, Ringsend Institute, the Department of Performing Arts, Bray Institute of Further Education, and The Gaiety School of Acting (full time course).

Michael is a resident artist with Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality and works with Smashing Times as a performer, director and arts facilitator on a range of projects from Acting for the Future to Legends of the Great Birth to State of the Art. With Smashing Times and his theatre company, Ruaille Buaille, he is building a physical theatre ensemble style based on the techniques of Jacques Lecoq, Anne Bogart, and Arianne Mouchkine. Michael was movement director on The Merchant of Venice, at Mermaid Arts Centre, and on the world premiere of Guerilla Days in Ireland in The Olympia Theatre, Dublin.

Michael was awarded a scholarship to train with internationally renowned theatre director Anne Bogart in New York. Bursary awards include South Dublin County Council, Irish Actors Equity, and The Arts Council. Michael recently completed training in Suzuki and Viewpoints Techniques under Tadashi Suzuki of SCOT Theatre Company, in Toga Mura, Japan.

Mary Moynihan, Writer, Theatre and Film-Maker

Mary Moynihan, She/Her, is an award-winning writer, director, theatre and film maker. Her artistic practice encompasses writing, poetry, theatre, film and curatorship. Mary is Artistic Director of Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality and Artistic Curator of the annual Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival, presented by Smashing Times and Front Line Defenders in partnership with a range of organisations.

Mary’s work has won a number of awards including the Allianz Business to Arts Awards, a GSK Ireland Impact Award, a Dublin Bus Community Spirit Award, a National Lottery Good Cause Award, and the international #ArtsAgainstCovid award.

As a writer, Mary is the recipient of an Arts Council Project Award and Arts Council Agility Award. Mary has a focus on using historical memory in her artistic practice as inspiration for the creation of original artworks, remembering stories of ordinary yet powerful women and men from history and today who stood up for the rights of others. As a playwright, Mary’s work includes the highly acclaimed The Woman is Present: Women’s Stories of WWII co-written with Paul Kennedy, Fiona Thompson and Féilim James; Constance and Her Friends – selected by President Michael D. Higgins for performance at Áras an Uachtaráin for Culture Night 2016 and In One Breath from the award-winning Testimonies (co-written with Paul Kennedy. Mary’s film work includes The Shoah, adapted from a speech by French lawyer, politician, feminist and Holocaust survivor Simone Veil (1927-2017); the poem film In Time; the hour-long documentary Stories from the Shadow;, the short film Tell Them Our Names, inspired by women’s stories of WWII; and the short film Courageous Women inspired by powerful women’s stories from the 1916 to 1923 decade of commemorations period in Irish history.

Lisa McLoughlin, Violinist and Composer

Lisa McLoughlin is a violinist and composer. Originally from Galway and now living in Dublin, Lisa began violin at the age of nine with Paul Corbett. After training with the best teachers in Dublin as a child she went on to win the Feis Ceoil, Sligo Arklow Feiseanna. She went on to study at the Royal College of Music London and gained her masters in TU Dublin Conservatoire under the tutelage of Joannna Matkovska from the Paris Conservatoire. She has toured France, the United States and South Africa with Michael Flatley’s Lord of The Dance. She then went on to gain a lectureship at TU Dublin Conservatoire where she teaches currently. She has played with the National Symphony Orchestra and the RTE Concert orchestra. She recorded her first Solo Violin piece for Mary’ Moynihan’s poem film In Time with Smashing Times, filmed at the Mill theatre in 2020 and is currently working on a book of Solo Sonatas for the violin as well as a children’s book of violin technique. Comfortable in not only classical but also Irish music, jazz, Klezmer music, pop and Eastern genres, this versatile musician has performed at Bord Gais, the National Concert Hall, the John Field room, Trinity College, UCD, Three arena abd all over Ireland with orchestras and in partnership with various chamber groups and duos and as a solo violinist. In 2016 she played at IMMA for the 1916 Centenary with 8 members of the RTE Concert Orchestra celebrating the lives of the wives of the leaders of the 1916 rising. This evening she performs with solo pianist and accompanist, Dila Sultanova-Abdrachmanova.

Rob Harrington, Actor

Rob has enjoyed both national and international tours over the past 19 years of his acting career. He has most recently performed Tales from an Afterworld (WB Yeats), written by Féilim James, produced by Smashing Times and directed by Geraldine McAlinden in Áras an Uachtaráin for President Michael D Higgins. Some of his favourite theatre productions include The Shadow of a Gunman (The New Theatre, directed by Ronan Wilmot), Pinter x 4 (Pearse Centre, directed by Peter Reid), Scabs (Theatre Upstairs directed by Liam Halligan) In Arabia We’d all be Kings (Beckett Theatre, directed by Liam Hallihan), Mary Stuart (The Grand Lodge, Liam Halligan) and La Locandiera (Edinburgh Fringe festival, directed Alice Coghlan). His screen work includes ‘A date for Mad Mary’, ‘Vaudevillians’, ‘The Comeback’, ‘Twitchy’, ‘The saviour of Dublin City’, ‘Ctrl’, ‘The Guarantee’, ‘The Enchanted Island’, ‘Two Margaritas and one Daiquiri’ amongst other independent films. Rob is also a seasoned theatre and screen workshop facilitator.

Alan O’Brien, Spoken Word Artist, Poet ,Writer, Performer and Bricklayer

Alan trained with Smashing Times Theatre in 2005 and a group named the Irish Academy of Dramatic Art (now defunct through no fault of Alan’s). A bricklayer by trade he returned to education in 2011, receiving a BA in History/English (UCD 2015) and the Lord Mayor’s Certificate in Oral History (2016). Alan became interested in drama and stage craft for the purpose of writing for it. Shortlisted for the Maeve Binchy Travel Award (2015) Winner of the P.J. O’Connor Award for Radio Drama with his play Snow Falls and So Do We (2016). Co-wrote, co-directed and took a part in a production set in 1916 about the tragic unsung hero, Richard O’Carroll, called From the Backbone Out performed in Liberty Hall, Dublin 2016 & 2017. Alan played the narrator / singer in Smock Alley’s Scene and Heard production, The Seven Ages; Like It or Not in 2020, and Tom the Fishmonger in A Fishy Tale of Sound and Fury in Scene and Heard 2022. He has dramatized roles in two BAI funded radio series – Growing Up Between the Dustjackets and Hedge Schools beyond the Shrubbery. Alan co-wrote and performed in a BAI funded production, Alarm Bells, which was broadcast last December on Near FM (2021) and was duly nominated by the Writers Guild of Ireland for a Zebbie Award 2022. More recently, Alan has finished a two week run in a Frank Allen production The Best Man, where Alan played Rory O’Connor.

Olwen Pendred, Storyteller, Irish language artist

Olwen Pendre is a storyteller, Healer and Priestess of Irish Mystery tradition (Bean feasa, Bansagart Spioradáltacht Ceilteach). Olwen is a bean feasa of the Irish mystery tradition and a Priestess of Danu. She works with the land of Ireland, both in this world and the Otherworld. She works with both individuals and groups, facilitating rituals, celebrations and journeys of discovery. In a time when it is easy to feel helpless and overwhelmed by the challenges we face, she teaches the art of grounding ourselves in the land, to celebrate its sacredness and sovereignty, as well as our own.

The Aisling Programme at Aras an Uachtarain

Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality were delighted to present a programme of artistic performances in Irish and English on Friday 8 July in the Hyde Room, Áras an Uachtaráin. The show was a bespoke combination of three dramatic monologue performances interlinked with music, poetry and chat promising a highly entertaining and inspiring evening.

The award-winning work of Smashing Times has been acclaimed for its extraordinary storytelling inspired by historical memory and stories of citizens and artists from across the ages. Audiences enjoyed a gathering of performance, music and song presenting re-imagined moments from the lives of citizens and artists caught up in extraordinary times, showcasing stories of Irish people from the 20th century.

Our first performance was Grace and Joe written and directed by Mary Moynihan inspired by Grace Evelyn Gifford (1888-1955) and the story of her time with Joseph Mary Plunkett, one of the leaders executed after the 1916 Easter Rising; performed by Carla Ryan. Next was Tales From an Afterworld, a new original work by Féilim James based on the life and work of William Butler Yeats (1865-1939); performed by Rob Harrington.

The show culminated with At Summer’s End by Féilim James, a dramatic monologue told from the perspective of a Jewish-Irish citizen murdered in the Holocaust. Her name was Ettie Steinberg (1914-42). We learn how at a young age her family left Eastern Europe for Dublin, before love led her away to the European mainland. This by turns tender and harrowing portrait of love, loss, and the brutality of war tells one ordinary woman’s extraordinary, and often forgotten, story. This was performed by Carla Ryan.

The show culminated in the poem Ná déanaimis dearmad/Let Us Not Forget by Áine Ní Ghlinn performed by Rob Harrington. Music was performed by Lisa McLoughlin-Gnemmi.

The Aisling Programme at the 2022 Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival

Opening Event of Festival with performances of poetry as part of The Feeling Soul
Friday 14 October 2022, 6-8pm. The Chocolate Factory, King’s Inns Street, Dublin 1.
This special event featured presentations, artist talks and live music and performances to launch the fourth annual, international Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival 2022 and to launch the flagship event the State of the Art: Transformative Memories in Political Violence exhibition, a multi-media installation and exhibition displaying a selection of artworks reflecting at both personal and political levels on themes of arts, human rights and transformative memory in political violence impacting on communities across the globe. The exhibition features artworks in a multitude of forms – film, video, poster art, visual art, photography, poetry, song, textiles, sculpture, painting, live performance and installation – and can be viewed on site and online.

The evening featured performances celebrating the Irish language and languages from across the world. Performances included:

• A musical medley by Jeff Korondo, a solo musician, singer and songwriter from Uganda, whose work promotes a range of human rights issues including children’s rights and peaceful democracies.
• Performances and readings from The Feeling Soul, a new work by artist Mary Moynihan with song and poetry from artists including Carla Ryan, Rob Harrington, Ciara Hayes, Niamh Sweeney, Áine Ni Ghlinn, and Michael McCabe and music by Lisa McLoughlin-Gnemmi.
• Bilingual musical performances by Irish musician and singer-songwriter Hilary Bow.

Remembrance, Saturday 15 October 2022, 8-10pm
Remembrance live performance featuring a live musical performance from Ugandan musician Jeff Korondo, singing in Irish and English from Hilary Bow, singer, songwriter, a performance of At Summer’s End by Féiim James performed by Carla Ryan and poetry from The Feeling Soul by Mary Moynihan performed in English and Irish by Carla Ryan, Rob Harrington and Niamh Sweeney.
Bilingual musical performances by Irish musician and singer-songwriter Hilary Bow.

The evening featured Artist Talks by Mary Moynihan, Ireland, writer, theatre and filmmaker and Erika Diettes, Bogota, Colombia, a visual artist and social communicator. Both artists had work on display in the State of the Art: Transformative Memories in Political Violence Multi-Media Exhibition at the Chocolate Factory, King’s Inns Street, Dublin 1 as part of the 2022 Dublin Arts and Human Rights festival.

Open Mic Night with performances of poetry as part of The Feeling Soul
Wednesday 19 October, 8-10pm. The Chocolate Factory, King’s Inns Street, Dublin 1.
Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality invited audiences to take part in an open mic night for the arts and to celebrate 30 years as the leading voice in arts for equality, human rights and diversity in Europe and internationally! As Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality celebrates 30 years of working with incredible artists, partners, citizens and communities and in a range of different artforms, promoting human rights, equality and diversity for all, audiences were invited to join company artists in a wonderful and celebratory gathering of arts, music, song and chat. A range of artists performed in the open mic event playing to a full house and providing entertainment and creative conversations. Performances included: A selection of classical violin and traditional Irish fiddle music, by violinist and composer Lisa McLoughlin-Gnemmi. An extract from The Feeling Soul by Mary Moynihan, poetry performed in English and Irish by Rob Harrington, Niamh Sweeney and Ciara Hayes.Original musical performances by Irish musician and singer-songwriter Carla Ryan in English and Irish.

The Aisling Programme Events in South Kerry 2022

Aisling na Saoirse – Dreams of Freedom – Live Performances, Post-Show Discussions, Workshops and Training

The Aisling Programme in South Kerry – 2022 Arts and Human Rights festival.

Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality work to promote equality, human rights and diversity through the arts.  The company are delighted to present a programme of artistic performances, workshops, training and talks taking place in a range of venues using the arts to promote equality and rights with a focus on promoting the Irish language and Irish culture and heritage.

Three public performances and post-show discussions take place in South Kerry – in The Barracks Heritage Centre, Cahersiveen, on Thursday,  20 October 2022, 7.30pm; in St John the Baptist Church, Knightstown, Valentia Island, on  Friday 21 October 2022, 7.30pm and in  10 Bridge Street, Killorglin, on  Saturday 22 October 2022, 7.30pm.  The show Aisling na Saoirse consists of:

• Grace and Joe by Mary Moynihan performed by Carla Ryan
• Tales from an Afterworld by Féilim James performed by Rob Harrington
• At Summer’s End by Féilim James performed by Carla Ryan
• Ná déanaimis dearmad/Let Us Not Forget le Áine Ní Ghlinn performed by Rob Harrington

The performance venues, dates and times are:

• The Barracks Heritage Centre, Cahersiveen, County Kerry. Thursday,  20 October 2022, 7.30pm.
• St John the Baptist Church, Knightstown, Valentia Island, County Kerry. Friday 21 October 2022, 7.30pm.
• 10 Bridge Street, Killorglin, County Kerry, Saturday 22 October 2022, 7.30pm.

The show is a bespoke combination of three monologue performances and a poem. Our first performance is Grace and Joe written and directed by Mary Moynihan inspired by Grace Evelyn Gifford (1888-1955) and the story of her time with Joseph Mary Plunkett, one of the leaders executed after the 1916 Easter Rising. Next is Tales From an Afterworld by Féilim James based on the life and work of William Butler Yeats (1865-1939).

The final performance is At Summer’s End by Feilim James, a dramatic monologue told from the perspective of a Jewish-Irish citizen murdered in the Holocaust. Her name was Ettie Steinberg (1914-42). We learn how at a young age her family left Eastern Europe for Dublin, before love led her away to the European mainland. This by turns tender and harrowing portrait of love, loss, and the brutality of war tells one ordinary woman’s extraordinary, and often forgotten, story. The show culminates with a poem Ná déanaimis dearmad/Let Us Not Forget by Áine Ní Ghlinn.

The award-winning work of Smashing Times has been acclaimed for its extraordinary story-telling inspired by historical memory and stories of citizens and artists from across the ages. In this, our 30^th anniversary year, enjoy a gathering of performance and song presenting re-imagined moments from the lives of citizens and artists caught up in extraordinary times, showcasing stories of Irish people from the 20^th century.

Grace and Joe

Written and directed by Mary Moynihan. Based on on writings and witness statements from Joseph Mary Plunkett and Grace Gifford. Performed by Carla Ryan

Grace and Joe sees Grace Evelyn Gifford (1888-1955) tell the story of her time with Joseph Mary Plunkett, one of the leaders executed after the 1916 Easter Rising and the youngest signatory to the Irish proclamation. It relates how they were married in Kilmainham Gaol chapel seven hours before his execution. Grace was a cartoonist and Republican and studied at the Metropolitan School Art.

Tales From an Afterworld

Written by Féilim James. Directed by Geraldine McAlinden. Performed by Rob Harrington

Tales From an Afterworld is a reflection on the life and work of writer William Butler Yeats (1865-1939). Born in Dublin in 1865, William Butler Yeats was the son of a well-known Irish painter, John Butler Yeats. He spent his childhood in County Sligo, where his parents were raised, and in London. He returned to Dublin at fifteen to continue his education and study painting, but quickly discovered he preferred poetry. Born into the Anglo-Irish landowning class, Yeats became involved with the Celtic Revival, a movement against the cultural influences of English rule in Ireland during the Victorian period, which sought to promote the spirit of Ireland’s native heritage. Yeats was deeply involved in politics in Ireland. He also had a life-long interest in mysticism and the occult, and his work drew extensively from sources in Irish mythology and folklore. Lady Gregory and Yeats founded the Abbey Theatre in 1904. Yeats was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1923 and died in 1939 age seventy-three.

At Summer’s End

Written by Féilim James. Directed by Eric Weitz. Performed by Carla Ryan

This dramatic monologue is told from the perspective of a Jewish-Irish citizen murdered in the Holocaust. Her name was Ettie Steinberg (1914-42). We learn how at a young age her family left Eastern Europe for Dublin, before love led her away to the European mainland. This by turns tender and harrowing portrait of love, loss, and the brutality of war tells one ordinary woman’s extraordinary, and often forgotten, story.

Poem: Ná déanaimis dearmad/Let Us Not Forget le Áine Ní Ghlinn performed by Rob Harrington

Supporting the Irish Language

Access to one’s own language is a human right as defined in Article 22 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which states that all individuals are entitled to “the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for [his/her] dignity and the free development of [his/her] personality.”

Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality believe that in promoting the Irish language through the arts as part of the centre – via the resource and advice service, the annual cultural programme, the arts and human rights network and the annual Dublin Arts and Human Rights Festival – we are contributing to the advancement of the Irish language throughout broader society. With our network of transnational partnerships, Smashing Times aim to give the Irish language a platform to reach new audiences, as well as encouraging traditional Irish language audiences to become involved in the promotion of equality, inclusion and peace through the arts.

A core strategic aim is to ensure a strand of the centre is conducted through and promotes the Irish language. The centre is situated in 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.

Who We Are

Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality is an award-winning creative arts organisation using the arts to promote equality, human rights and diversity. Smashing Times operates as a world class arts space and digital hub for artists, activists, citizens, communities and the general public presenting work on the national and international arena and working with over 50 organisations across Ireland, Northern Ireland, Europe and internationally. The company provides a Resource and Advice service; an Arts and Human Rights network; an annual and multi-annual interdisciplinary arts programme; training and an annual international Dublin Arts and Human Rights festival. All artistic mediums are supported with a focus on the performing and collaborative arts including theatre, film, visual arts, dance, music and digital arts.

The company is led by award-winning writer, theatre, film-maker and Artistic Director Mary Moynihan and Producer Freda Manweiler. Company patrons are Sabina Coyne Higgins, Senator Joan Freeman, founder of Pieta House, Ger Ryan, actor and Tim Pat Coogan, writer and historian. Founding patrons were writers Maeve Binchy and Brian Friel.

The Aisling Programme is funded by Foras na Gaeilge