2024 MU Arts and Minds Festival

A Cultural Feast for All

Join us from 9-11 May (and at our festival satellite event on 16 May) for a feast of culture at Maynooth University’s annual Arts and Minds Festival.

There's something for everyone at this year's festival which begins on Thursday, 9th with a concert version of Vivaldi's opera, L'Olimpiade courtesy of Irish National Opera. Our collaboration with Maynooth Film For All continues with a screening of the award-winning movie, Ballywalter starring Maynooth graduate, Seána Kerslake and TV presenter, Patrick Kielty on Friday, 10th. Also on Friday, An Fhéile Bheag kicks off with REIC, a slam poetry and performance evening directed by Ciara Ní É in Maynooth village.

Our Saturday programme is sure to tickle cultural tastebuds. Queer Religion, an award-winning photographic exhibition which spotlights and celebrates prominent queer leaders in religion will be on display from 10am, and in the afternoon, a panel discussion event with the photographer, Frances Marshall and a compelling panel of guests, will chat about the multifaceted nature of queerphobia.

Between the dazzling lineup of poets, and novelists in The Literary Lounge, Nilly and Nullius, a reading of excerpts from his current work-in-progress by theatre maker and actor Donal O'Kelly, and a screening of the classic 1922 silent movie, Foolish Wives, accompanied by live music from silent movie maestro, Stephen Horne, your cultural appetite will definitely be whetted!

Speaking of appetites, we're partnering this year with Irish Village Markets, the Street Food Specialists, so hungry culture vultures can avail of quality, diverse street food.

An Fhéile Bheag continues its 2024 programme throughout Saturday with: Irish-medium workshops in sean-nós singing with TG4 Singer of the Year (2023), RTÉ Folk Awards 2024 recipient and Maynooth University graduate, Síle Denvir, and in Irish-language rap for teenagers with Séamus Barra Ó Súilleabháin aka Súil Amháin (Gradam Nós 2024); a sean-nós singing walk with famous Oriel singers Piaras Ó Lorcáin (RTÉ Folk Awards 2024) and Bláithín Mhic Cana; an outdoor performing arts picnic with leading Irish-language artists including singer Máire Ní Churraoin (RTÉ Folk Awards 2024) and dancer, Becky Ní Éallaithe (medal winner at Steip 2024); and concluding with a wonderful arts forum featuring Gaelic song repertoires outside of the Gaeltacht.

Closing our biggest festival to date with a musical bang, At the Aula presents ON THE ROAD AGAIN an evening of songs and stories with Tom Dunne of Something Happens, Fiachna Ó Braonáin of Hothouse Flowers, and multi-instrumentalist Alan Connor. Also performing in the Aula at this magical Maynooth evening is the wonderful Irish alternative folk duo, Lemoncello.

Finally, our first-ever Arts and Minds satellite event will take place on Thursday 16th May. Adania Shibli, the acclaimed Palestinian novelist, essayist, and academic, author of the important novel Minor Detail will be joining us, reading from her work and in conversation with Dr Rita Sakr and Dr Sinéad Kennedy.

Arts and Minds is Maynooth University’s campus celebration of the best in the Irish and international arts and culture, welcoming the university and wider community, alumni, students, and staff to join us for live and in-person arts events.

Get Curious About Culture

And come to Maynooth in May for a unique arts and culture experience

V isit mu.ie/artsandmindsfestival for the full programme, event times and event locations.

Féasta Cultúrtha do Chách

Bígí linn 9-11 Bealtaine d’fhéasta cultúrtha a mhairfidh trí lá mar chuid d’fhéile bhliantúil Ollscoil Mhá Nuad, Ealaín agus Eagna.

Gheobhfar rud éigin do gach éinne ag féile na bliana seo, ag tosú le hOpera Vivaldi dar teideal , L'Olimpiade, á chur i láthair ag Opera Náisiúnta na hÉireann Déardaoin 09 Bealtaine. I gcomhpháirt le Maynooth Film For All, taispeánfar an scannán iomráiteach, Ballywalter, ina bhfuil príomhpháirteanna ag Seána Kerslake, céimí de chuid Ollscoil Mhá Nuad, agus ag Patrick Kielty, Dé hAoine 10 Bealtaine. Beidh tús bríomhar leis an bhFéile Bheag an oíche chéanna, Dé hAoine 10 Bealtaine, le hoíche spleodrach shlamfhilíochta trí mheán na Gaeilge le REIC, faoi stiúir Chiara Ní É. Rachaidh clár an tSathairn go mór i bhfeidhm ar dhaoine. Beidh an taispeántas cáiliúil grianghrafadóireachta, Queer Religion, a cheiliúrann ceannairí aiteacha sa reiligiún, ar siúl óna 10 a chlog ar maidin i bhFoirgneamh TSI, agus tar éis lóin beidh plé painéil ar siúl leis an ngrianghrafadóir, Frances Marchall, agus aoichainteoirí eile den scoth. Beidh filí agus úrscéalaithe den scoth le cloisteáil mar chuid de The Literary Lounge, beidh Dramatic Monologue le Dónal O’Kelly, ealaíontóir amharclannaíochta, aisteoir, agus scríbhneoir cónaithe de chuid Arts and Minds, ar stáitse, agus taispeánfar an scannán ciúin clasaiceach, Foolish Wives, le tionlacan beo ceoil le Stephen Horne. Lón iontach cultúrtha, go deimhin!

Má bhíonn ocras ort, beidh togha an bhia le fáil mar chuid den Aonach Bia a bheidh ar siúl i gcompháirt le Irish Village Markets, in aice leis an bhFoirgneamh TSI 12-6i.n. ar an Satharn. Tabhair leat blaincéad, aimsigh spota deas duit féin, agus bain taitneamh as an bhféile seo a fháiltíonn roimh theaghlaigh i gceartlár Ollscoil Mhá Nuad.

Mar chuid d’imeachtaí lán-Ghaeilge na Féile Bige beidh ceardlann amhránaíochta le Síle Denvir (Gradam TG4 2023, RTÉ Folk Awards 2024), ceardlann rap do dhaoine óga le Séamus Barra Ó Súilleabháin (aka Súil Amháin, Gradam Nós 2024), siúlóid amhránaíochta amuigh faoin aer le hamhránaithe cáiliúla Oirialla, Bláithín Mhic Cana, agus Piaras Ó Lorcáin, picnic ealaíonta le togha na n-ealaíontóirí, Máire Ní Churraoin (RTÉ Folk Awards 2024) agus Becky Ní Éallaithe (Bonn i Steip 2024) ina measc. Ar deireadh, beidh fóram álainn againn a dhíríonn ar stór amhránaíochta na hIarGhaeltachta.

Agus ar deireadh, tá an-lúcháir orainn a fhógairt go mbeidh Adana Shibli, scríbhneoir agus scoláire mór le rá ón bPalaistín, agus údar an leabhair iomráitigh, Minor Detail, linn d’ócáid speisialta ar an Déardaoin 16 Bealtaine, ina mbeidh sí i mbun comhrá leis an Dr Rita Sakr agus an Dr Sinéad Kennedy.

Ceiliúradh de chuid Ollscoil Mhá Nuad is ea Ealaín agus Eagna ar scoth na n-ealaíon in Éirinn agus go hidirnáisiúnta. Cuirtear fáilte roimh phobal na hOllscoile agus roimh an bpobal mór ag na himeachtaí beo seo ar an gcampas.

Bí fiosrach, bí linn.

Tar go Maigh Nuad i mí na Bealtaine d’eispéireas ealaíonta agus cultúrtha den scoth.

Clár iomlán, maille le hamanta, ionaid, agus ticéid, le fáil anseo a leanas : https://mu.ie/artsandmindsfestival .