Popular Cork Halloween parade has been a roaring success for many years

Samhain celebrations are looking a bit different again this year with the traditional Dragon of Shandon street parade unable to take place for the second year in a row. 

However, organisers Cork Community Art Link have put together a new Covid friendly format with a number of installations, performances and even a treasure trail organised for tomorrow evening.

The event will be spread across the city at various locations including the Coal Quay, Shandon, North Main Street and there will also be a number of illustrated billboards and a roaming comic book kiosk to brighten up the evening.

Performances from the Department of Theatre UCC, Cork City Samba Band, Joan Denise Moriarty School of Dance and a Giant Skeleton Troupe, are organised along with an Evil Echo Comic Book kiosk, a Samhain Stories audio installation in St Peter’s Garden, a Spookscreen local Horror Shorts screening in the Gate Cinema, and last but not least, a Treasure Trail, with clues hidden in spectacular artworks on the usual parade route where the first participants to reach the end within the time limit will win a special prize.

The #DragonofShandon2021 project is supported by The Arts Council, Cork Arts Office, Cork City Council, The HSE, Cathedral Credit Union, Cork City Partnership, Faílte Ireland, Shandon Business Association, the Gate Cinema and Aunty Nellie’s Sweet Shop.

Launched in 2006, the Dragon of Shandon street parade was the brainchild of William Frode de la Foret, the Director of Cork Community Art Link.

The project began in a bid to showcase the artistic skills of various community groups, which remains the pervading ethos of the project today.

An enormous dragon, created by various groups annually, is the star feature in the Halloween parade.

The community project has involved thousands of participants over the years.

In 2018 the parade brought a record 15,000 spectators onto the streets.

Due to Covid-19, the Dragon of Shandon along with its usual cortege of ghostly characters could not take to the streets last year, but in place of the parade Cork Community Art Link worked on innovative projects to ensure the spooky season did not go unmarked in the city.

Collaborating with Meitheal Mara, the organisation created a river installation between Popes Quay and Kyrl's Quay by the Shandon footbridge.

The skeleton boat installation garnered much attention, with another Halloween carousel display in Shandon also proving a hit.

Whilst the Dragon of Shandon has been an enduring success over the years, the project is largely dependent on donations to make the annual event happen.

"Every contribution will help to facilitate free open workshops for the community and bring the Dragon of Shandon to life again next year," the community arts organisation stated in a post on social media.

For more information about Cork Community Art Link or to donate visit www.corkcommunityartlink.com