All About Cork: GoFundMe page to help bring Shandon dragon to life again

Blackpool-based Cork Community Art Link (CCAL) has set up a GoFundMe page in support of their efforts to bring the Dragon of Shandon to life again this October.

The Dragon Of Shandon parade will return for its 19th year on Halloween with thousands of people young and old expected to take to the streets.

The 36-foot dragon, made entirely out of tape, will be escorted by her legion of loyal ghouls, beasts, misfits and demons to celebrate the ancient tradition of Samhain.

CCAL said it would be “very grateful for all donations to Corks largest community spectacle”.

“The Dragon of Shandon is our flagship event and takes place on the night of October 31, attracting more than 15,000 people onto the streets of Cork city.

“For more than 18 years the 36-foot dragon, made entirely with tape by the hands of the community, has emerged from the underworld to prowl the streets escorted by her legion of loyal skeletons, ghouls, beasts, and misfits to celebrate the ancient tradition of Samhain in a thrilling nighttime parade and finale show attracting thousands of spectators, young and old, to Cork city.

“Cork Community Art Link is privileged to bring the dragon to the streets of Cork in 2024 as it demonstrates the importance of cultural democracy and empowers communities to express themselves through art and with your kind donations we can make it happen. We can feed the dragon.

“We can wake it up. We can celebrate our traditions, our city, our people and, above all, we can all contribute to the cultural life of our community.”

To donate visit https://tinyurl.com/yc5xt8bh. See further updates on the dragon’s progress on the CCAL Facebook page.

Graffiti Theatre marks 40 years

Blackpool’s Graffiti Theatre is celebrating 40 years and while festivities are in full swing, more are planned for the remainder of the year.

The theatre said on Facebook: “We have been super-busy during our birthday year, with many productions, programmes, and projects being delivered by our amazing, passionate, and hardworking team of directors, facilitators, and artists.”

“It is a year of celebration, dedication, and reflection.

“We are feeling energised and extremely excited (and, OK, maybe a little bit tired) to see out our 40th year in style (and into 2025).

“We will have more 40th anniversary updates, insights, and announcements over the next few days and weeks. Stay tuned.”

Graffiti Theatre is supported by funding from The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Cork City Council, Cork Arts, Ealaín na Gaeltachta, Foras Na Gaeilge, and Tomar Trust.

Talk on Blarney St history

Those interested in the history of Cork’s famous Blarney St will want to get themselves to Church St tomorrow evening.

The Shandon Area History Group invites you to hear the story of ‘Bygone Blarney Street’.

This is a trip down Blarney St — Ireland’s longest street —or is it? The talk goes through the centuries, looking at what people were doing and how life changed.

The speaker is Richard Forrest, chairman of the Blarney and District Historical Society, Coffa House, Church St. The talk takes place at 7.30pm. All are welcome.

Keep up to date with all the events organised by the very active historical group on its Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ShandonHistory.

Delanys mark anniversary

Delanys GAA held a special event to mark their 75th anniversary recently.

The legendary club welcomed some legendary players back for a nostalgic look.

The club said: “We would like to thank all our past and present members who came to Delanys last week to make a video celebrating the last 75 years. There is still some work to be done with editing etc and eventually it will be available on Youtube.

“There was some great stories about the green bus and stories about matches especially when we went up senior in hurling. Once again thank you to everyone who played their part in the video.”

Firkin present Queer Sanctuary

Dance Cork Firkin Crane will present Tearmann Aiteach/Queer Sanctuary by Isabella Oberländer and Fearghus Ó Conchúir this Friday and Saturday in Shandon. The duet features movement, garments, music and visuals.

A spokesperson for the venue said: “Dance artists Isabella Oberländer and Fearghus Ó Conchúir are bringing a duet of sweaty dancing, fabulous strangeness, abundance, transforming naked bodies, sparkling visual design and gorgeous garments to Dance Cork Firkin Crane in October. What’s not to love?

“Tearmann Aiteach / Queer Sanctuary dances a welcoming space that supports flourishing, solidarity and spritely sparkle. It has grown out of Fearghus and Isabella’s separate practices as artists of different genders, generations and nationalities.

“Since coming to Ireland over 15 years ago. Isabella has collaborated with a range of feminist and queer artists, often in visual arts and performance. Fearghus has been making work for the past 30 years often engaging with the politics of sexuality, such his major work, The Casement Project. Together with a group of queer artists and allies ranging from their twenties to closer to sixty (Fearghus!), they’re using the joy of dancing to welcome what hasn’t always fit in.

“Their influences are from the club, from the lake, from the forest, from the silly and the fierce.”

Fearghus and Isabella said: “We’re thrilled to bring this piece to life and share it with audiences in Cork, where we worked today on developing the piece earlier in 2024. We hope we have crafted a space where movement and connection spark transformation, and we invite the audience to an immersive experience that is joyful and maybe a little challenging.”

Tickets are available online at https://dancecorkfirkincrane.ie/tearmann-aiteach-queer-sanctuary/.

Award deadline looming

A reminder that nominations for the Joe Sheehan Community Award for 2024 need to be submitted soon. The award is open to anybody living in the North Cathedral, Middle Parish, Sacred Heart, Sunday’s Well, St Mary’s, Popes Quay and Blarney Street communities.

Nomination forms, available in the Credit Union office, must be returned to Cathedral Credit Union on or before October 19. Or email your nomination to info@cathedralcu.ie.

Have Blackpool news to share? Contact Robert.mcnamara@theecho.ie