Violetta Curry NuSoulJazz

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Friday 30 September 2016 at 8pm
Venue: Charleville Castle
Tickets:  €15    honoringmyroots@gmail.com

Originally hailing from Philadelphia and now resident in Barcelona, Violetta brings her unique vocal style to Ireland, accompanied by the acclaimed Catalan jazz pianist, composer and arranger Jaume Vilaseca, along with Dick Them on bass and renowned Irish drummer Kevin Brady. “This concert honours the women who have inspired me all through my career. But more than just historical figures, many of these giants of 20th century music were family friends, names that were familiar to me as a child growing in Philadelphia, the daughter of well-known pianist Paul Curry. My father was a working musician, a session man who never pushed to the front or grabbed the spotlight. A natural talent, he was respected and sought after, as an arranger and accompanist.

Best known for his work with Hines, Hines and Dad, he also shared the stage with many of the greats, such as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. I remember answering the phone to both of these great ladies on many occasions when very young, not realising until years later who exactly I had been speaking with.” Violetta Curry ‘Master of the essence of Black music’: La Boite ‘Gifted’: AND “Violetta is soul-oriented, with strains of Stevie Wonder and Dione Warwick in her lithe, improvisatory vocals” Cormac Larkin, Sunday Tribune

Culture Night 2016

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Music & Dance 

On Friday, September 16th

Charleville Castle Ballroom

Culture Night is upon us once again this year and Rahan Comhaltas are raring to host this special cultural variety night full of energy, song, dance, refreshments and as always, lots of craic!

Also expect to take in the colourful sights and sounds of Oriental and Tribal dance, and African/Reggae music from Olaconga.  Every year is a full house so come before 8pm to avoid disappointment! Venue is free entry 🙂

 

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The Explorers Museum Summit Weekend

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The Explorers Museum Summit Weekend

Dates: June 24 – 26, 2016

Location: Charleville Castle – Global Expedition Base

Tullamore, Ireland

www.explorersmuseum.org

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2016 TEM Weekend Summit: REDEFINING EXPLORATION & THE ESSENCE OF WATER

Exploration has changed. In the early days, discovery was mostly about filling in the blanks on the map. Since then the earth’s lands have been charted, many mountain ranges summited, forests wandered, labyrinths of caves unravelled, rivers and seas voyaged upon and peered within.  Certainly planet Earth still holds many mysteries, and our glimpses through space reveal infinitely more territories as yet unknown, however as science begins to unravel these it is clear that the nature of exploration has transformed.  As explorers today we pursue purposeful discovery. Beyond preservation and sustainability, exploration seeks to foster kinship with the planet, its species and resources, even as we continue to open the vast realms beyond planet Earth.

This weekend you will meet a number of scientists, conservationists, film producers, authors and humanitarians, all who are involved in exploration and furthering discovery. It is by meeting these individuals, hearing their talks and watching the films that are on offer this weekend, that will help to redefine and clarify exploration and its ever expanding realm and importance in today’s terms.  The weekend will also focus on “The Essence of Water”, the most vital of the Earth’s resources. It is this precious natural asset that provides the safety habitat, means of transportation, and enables all forms of life.

Charleville Castle – Global Expedition Base of The Explorers Museum sits at the crossroads of all that exploration today represents, a site for historic firsts, connectivity with the surrounding land, as well as a unique biodiversity, and primordial forests that offer opportunity for many new discoveries.

 

For ticket information, please click HERE

For full schedule, please click HERE

 

Culture Night with Charleville Castle & Friends!

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Thanks to all who came out to Culture Night at Charleville Castle on Friday September 18th, it was a full house all evening! Special thanks to our performers The Red Embers and special guest Mandy McLoughlin & group, Jacek & Friends and of course Rahan Comhaltas for some great craic to round off the evening. Lots of fun was had by all, nobody went without with all the great refreshments going around too.  Also many thanks to the County Council Arts Office for their support.
Roll on next year!

Culture Night with Charleville Castle & Friends!

CN2015_web_emailbannerCome and experience an awe-inspiring, interactive variety of cultural performances this Friday at Charleville Castle, Tullamore!

Culture Night takes place once a night each year on
September 18th.  Originating in Temple Bar, it has now extended to hundreds of venues that host free events which take place throughout the whole country in the majority of towns and cities in Ireland.  Its purpose is to celebrate international creativity in this country, and also for each county, town and city to be aware of and appreciate its multicultural, talented citizens.

Venues in Tullamore, Co. Offaly also host a variety of Culture Night performances each year in various venues throughout the town through the Offaly County Council Arts Office.  This year, over 30 venues will open up their doors and showcase some of County Offaly’s best talent through poetry, theatre, craft, song, dance and comedy; Charleville Castle will of course be right in the middle of the excitement – with an amazing variety of international songs, dance and revelry!

Rahan Comhaltas and friends plan to entertain you with an eclectic mix of Egyptian and Contemporary Dance, Storytelling, Gypsy, French and Polish songs, and some surprise international acts in the gorgeous setting of Neo-Gothic styled Charleville Castle – one of County Offaly’s artistic jems itself.charleville events

The Red Embers and special guests open the evening with a series of Egyptian style and Contemporary dances.  This cultural dance troupe is based out of Charleville Castle, Tullamore and have been entertaining audiences nationwide since 2006 at events and festivals such as Shakefest, Tullamore Arts Festival, Hulabaloo Children’s Festival, Bealtine Festival, Castlepalooza and countless St. Patricks Day Parades throughout County Offaly.

Jacek and Friends will be performing an energetic set of Gypsy Jazz, Classical, French and Polish songs to the spirited sounds of violin, guitar and vocals and will be sure to have the audience hopping. Jacek & Friends have played other local venues on Culture Night in the past but have not had the fortunate opportunity yet to fill the walls of the Grand Ballroom’s perfect acoustics with their music until now.

Following Jacek & Friends we introduce the finale of the evening’s entertainment with Rahan Comhaltas and friends taking to the stage to bring to you the very best of their own Irish traditional culture with a show that both captivates the audience and welcomes their participation. After the initial staged show, light refreshments are served during the short break ‘sos’. Then the wild card part of the show unfolds where guests are invited to join in the Seisiún experience, taking to the floor as they wish … with a step, tune, song, or story which will bring the evening to a fantastic crescendo that will have the audience singing, participating and dancing along.  Music, song, dance and storytelling await the lucky audience on this anticipated night – but who will show up? There is only one way to find out – see you there!

The show starts at 7:30pm – there is no advanced booking necessary but arrive early to get a good seat. Audience members get a double whammy – not only do they get to experience amazing cultural talent in County Offaly’s Culture Centre of the Midlands on the heel of successful Multicultural Dance and Art Festival Shakefest, but they also get to experience it in one of Ireland’s Neo-Gothic Architectural and Artistic Masterpieces – Charleville Castle.

We wish to thank the Offaly County Council Arts Office for supporting this venture.