Culture Night will take place on Friday 22 September and this year’s free festivities have something for everyone. Venues and public spaces across the island of Ireland open their doors to host a programme of free nighttime entertainment, as part of an all-island celebration of arts, heritage, and culture.
The Dock will present an eclectic mixture of free events for all ages. You are invited to dip into fun and interactive activities including a children’s puppet show, a community exhibition, a youth trad session, a screening of local short films, and a performance by cellist Eimear Reidy to round off the night.
All events are free and some require booking. Please go to "Book Now" to reserve your free tickets.
7-8pm: Youth Trad in the Jury Room
From 7-8pm, the Jury Room will be filled with the toe-tapping sounds of a traditional music group, led by Irish traditional flautist Emily Keane and harpist Emma Benson.
Emily Keane is from Elphin County Roscommon and has been playing flute since she was 13 years old. Emily has represented her local Elphin CCÉ and Roscommon CCÉ in All Ireland fleadh competitions, where she won gold at the All Ireland Fleadhfest in Sligo this year. Guidance and encouragement from local Roscommon flute players, as well as playing alongside local musicians, have influenced Emily’s flute playing. From both attending lessons and playing at local sessions with the strong North Connacht flute tradition, Emily has learned and developed her flute style from experienced local musicians.
Emma Benson hails from Keadue in County Roscommon and began learning the harp at the age of seven, under the guidance of Michael Rooney. Emma has won numerous All Ireland medals on the harp, including 1st place in Senior Harp in 2022. Along with this, Emma has won many prizes over the years at the prestigious O’Carolan Harp Festivals in Keadue and Nobber Harp Festival. Emma enjoys teaching and performing music and recently appeared on the RTÉ Céilí House Series “Carrying the Tunes”.
No booking required.
8.30-9.30pm: Cello Performance by Eimear Reidy
From 8.30-9.30pm, Eimear Reidy will present two new works for cello – one commissioned by The Dock, the other supported by a Leitrim County Council Bursary Award.
Reidy is a cellist whose sensitivity and versatility with the instrument spans baroque traditions and historical performance to the extended techniques of improvised and experimental music. Her 2021 debut solo album, Things That Happened at Sea on Nyahh Records, has been described as “intensely lyrical… shivering luminescence” by the Quietus (UK) and “exquisite” by Foxy Digitalis (US).
Reidy has written and performed internationally for theatre and dance performances, while also regularly performing as a soloist, in duos with Natalia Beylis, producer Robert Curgenven and various ensembles at contemporary art centres and festivals including Body and Soul, Feile Na Greine, Idir Dha Thra, Spike Cello and Tradition Now at the National Concert Hall.
