You are invited to be part of a creative celebration of contemporary Irish Life

Cruinniú na Cásca is a new, large-scale, free festival which is taking place across the country on Easter Monday, with South Dublin County Council, the Civic Theatre, County Library, Rua Red Arts Centre and Tallaght Community Arts collaborating to present a free programme.

THE community of South Dublin County is invited to be part of a creative celebration of contemporary Irish life and multiculturalism this Easter Monday, when a programme of free events takes centre stage in Tallaght.

The programme is part of a new, large-scale, free festival called Cruinniú na Cásca, which is taking place across the country on Easter Monday, April 17.

Presented by RTÉ as part of the Creative Ireland Programme, Cruinniú na Cásca, which translates directly as ‘a meeting at Easter’, will see the streets and public spaces of our nation’s cities, towns and villages come to life with an enormous range of live music and dance, theatre, art, talks, tastings, readings, screenings, special events and more.

Here in South Dublin County, the focus is on Tallaght as a ‘creative hub’, with South Dublin County Council, the Civic Theatre, County Library, Rua Red Arts Centre and Tallaght Community Arts (TCA) collaborating to present a free programme of events that includes talks, film, interactive exhibitions, workshops, outdoor installations and an evening concert.

The Civic Theatre will bring back to life the story of The Children of Lir through the production Shapeshifters and the Children of Lir, which also includes a post show discussion.

The local theatre will also stage a tribute, through the medium of film, to Irish philosopher John Moriarty and an evening concert with Adrian Crowley called Crash Ensemble.

Rua Red is presenting a film and sound sculpture installation on the forgotten history of the revolutionary women couriers of 1916 and in the evening hosting a panel discussion called ‘Ireland 101 years on’, which will look at the new Irish 101 years on from the Rising – in light of South Dublin County’s 120 different nationalities.

A range of fun family art activities will also be staged in Rua Red on Easter Monday from 11am to 3pm.

Tallaght Community Arts will link the past with the present through their tented photographic studio, which will see invited families and groups of friends photographed with old photographs to create a link to the past.

Members of the public can also photograph themselves throughout the day and contribute to an online photo exhibition.

To mark the 150th Battle of Tallaght, the County Library is presenting an installation, curated by South Dublin library staff, which recounts the events of that fateful day in 1867 – when Tallaght became the focal point of the Fenian rising in Ireland.

For full information on the South Dublin County programme visit www.sdcc.ie/cruinniu.

While all events are free, booking is required for events in the Civic Theatre and Rua Red.

Visit www.civictheatre.ie to book or call Rua Red on 4515682 or email info@ruared.ie.