Cork City Council's First Fridays initiative for August takes place tonight

A host of events will take place across Cork city tonight, Friday, under the umbrella of Cork City Council’s 'First Fridays’ initiative.

This initiative aims to animate the city with markets and events, inviting residents and visitors to explore Cork’s vibrant cultural offerings after dark.

Tonight’s events include an art talk at Nano Nagle Place, a discussion on the solar eclipse at the Blackrock Castle Observatory, readings at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, a dance party at the Cork Butter Museum, and a night market on Cornmarket Street.

As part of the initiative, limited edition cards featuring Cork graphics and a QR code to help collect opinions on night-time in Cork have been made available at participating venues across the city.

Highlights include a talk by sculptor Eoin Turner exploring his work at Nano Nagle Place and the inspiration behind the striking glass sculptures that have become an integral part of their site.

NANO NAGLE'S TOMB

During the talk, he will reflect on the creative journey behind the sculptural installations surrounding Nano Nagle’s tomb, as well as the lantern sculpture.

As the Blackrock Castle Observatory prepares for the upcoming major eclipse, it will be running a solar eclipse talk by astronomy and science communicator Frances McCarthy, followed by a special planetarium show with solar eclipse content.

The event is free to attend but due to a limited seating in the theatre and the planetarium it will be ticketed through the Observatory website.

St Fin Barre’s Cathedral will have readings by two locally based writers, Judy Kravis and Bláithín Mac Donnell, the first in the cathedral’s August ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror’ reading series.

A number of authors, poets and storytellers have been invited to read at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral every Friday in August at 6pm. After the readings, the cathedral will remain open until 9pm.

An event in the butter museum marks Lughnasadh, one of the cardinal points in the Celtic calendar when the harvest traditionally begins.

Attendees are invited to dance with singer songwriter Ger Wolfe and friends at an event hosted by Maria Gillen, an award-winning storyteller and set caller who will curate songs, stories and sets.

Cornmarket Street will come alive with a vibrant night market from 5pm to 9pm, while Elizabeth Fort will remain open until 8pm.

To see the full line-up of First Fridays events visit www.purecork.ie/whats-on.