Opera. Movies. Book Readings. Live Music. Photographic Exhibition. Irish-Language Events. Discussion. Street Food.

Join us from 9-11 May (and a festival satellite event on 16 May) for a feast of culture at Maynooth University’s annual Arts and Minds festival.

Get your tickets now! Concession tickets available for Students/Unwaged/Senior Citizens/MU Alumni. Full programme listing here.

There's something for everyone at this year's festival which begins on Thursday, 9th with a concert version of Vivaldi's opera, L'Olimpiade courtesy of Irish National Opera. Our collaboration with Maynooth Film For All continues on Friday 10th with a screening of the award-winning movie, Ballywalter starring Maynooth graduate, Seána Kerslake and TV presenter, Patrick Kielty.  Also on Friday, An Fhéile Bheag kicks off with REIC, a slam poetry and performance evening directed by Ciara Ní É in Maynooth village.

Our Saturday programme is sure to tickle cultural tastebuds. Queer Religion, an award-winning photographic exhibition which spotlights and celebrates prominent queer leaders in religion will be on display from 10am in the TSI Building, and in the afternoon, a panel discussion event with the photographer, Frances Marshall and a compelling panel of guests, will chat about the multifaceted nature of queerphobia. This event will be chaired by Karen Dempsey, founder and Director of Entheos Ireland.

Between the dazzling lineup of poets, and novelists in The Literary Lounge, between MU Arts and Minds Festival Writer-in-Residence Donal O’Kelly who reads excerpts from his current work-in-progress, Nilly and Nullius, exploring modern border control doctrine and its tangled roots, and a screening of the classic 1922 silent movie, Foolish Wives, accompanied by live music from silent movie maestro, Stephen Horne, your cultural appetite is sure to be fulfilled!

If you're hungry for more, or just plain hungry, we're partnering this year with Irish Village Markets, the Street Food Specialists, so hungry culture vultures can avail of quality, diverse street food from 12-6pm on Saturday, beside the TSI Building (#30 on campus map). So why not bring a picnic blanket, cop a squat, and enjoy this uniquely Maynooth and family-friendly festival.

An Fhéile Bheag continues its 2024 programme throughout Saturday with: Irish-medium workshops in sean-nós singing with TG4 Singer of the Year (2023), RTÉ Folk Awards 2024 recipient and Maynooth University graduate, Síle Denvir, and in Irish-language rap for teenagers with Séamus Barra Ó Súilleabháin aka Súil Amháin (Gradam Nós 2024); a sean-nós singing walk with famous Oriel singers Piaras Ó Lorcáin (RTÉ Folk Awards 2024) and Bláithín Mhic Cana (Sean-nós Cois Life 2024); an outdoor performing arts picnic with leading Irish-language artists including singer Máire Ní Churraoin (RTÉ Folk Awards 2024) and dancer, Becky Ní Éallaithe (medal winner at Steip 2024); and concluding with a wonderful arts forum featuring Gaelic song repertoires outside of the Gaeltacht.

Closing our biggest festival to date with a musical bang, At the Aula presents ON THE ROAD AGAIN an evening of songs and stories with Tom Dunne of Something Happens, Fiachna Ó Braonáin of Hothouse Flowers, and multi-instrumentalist Alan Connor. Also performing in the Aula at this magical Maynooth evening is the wonderful Irish alternative folk duo, Lemoncello.

And in our first-ever festival satellite event on Thursday 16th May, Adania Shibli, the acclaimed Palestinian novelist, essayist, and academic, author of the important novel Minor Detail will be joining us, reading from her work and in conversation with Dr Rita Sakr and Dr Sinéad Kennedy.

Arts and Minds is Maynooth University’s campus celebration of the best in the Irish and international arts and culture, welcoming the university and wider community, alumni, students, and staff to join us for live and in-person arts events.

Get Curious About Culture and get your tickets here before they're snapped up!

 

Arts and Minds Festival Programme - Campus Map

 
Music at arts festival in Maynooth
2024 MU Arts and Minds Festival, Queer Religion
 
2024 MU Arts and Minds Festival, Irish-language arts events

 
 

Thursday, 9 May 2024
7.30pm
(Registration from 7pm)
L'Olimpiade by Vivaldi with the Irish National Opera
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
South Campus - Aula Maxima
Friday, 10 May 2024
7-9pm
 
An Fhéile Bheag - Irish-language slam poetry night with REIC
Free event - Register on Eventbrite
The Clockhouse, Maynooth (Map)
8pm (Registration from 7.30pm) Ballywalter (Movie screening in collaboration with Maynooth Film for All)
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
Iontas Building, North Campus
Saturday 11 May 2024
10-11am
(Registration from 9:45am)
An Fhéile Bheag - Sean-nós singing workshop through the medium of Irish with Síle Denvir
Free event - Register on Eventbrite
North Campus - John Hume Building
11-12pm
(Meet at MU Library at 10.45am)
An Fhéile Bheag - Sean-nós singing walk with Bláithín Mhic Cana (Sean-nós Cois Life 2024), Piaras Ó Lorcáin, and young special guest singers from South Armagh
Free event - Register on Eventbrite
South Campus - Library + Gardens on South Campus.
12-1pm
(Registration from 11.45am)
An Fhéile Bheag - Rap workshop through the medium of Irish for teenagers with Séamus Barra Ó Súilleabháin
Free event - Register on Eventbrite
North Campus - John Hume Building
12.30-1.30pm
(Registration from 12:15pm)
The Literary Lounge - Poetry readings with Jane Clarke & Catherine Gander
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
North Campus - Iontas Building
1-2.30pm
 
An Fhéile Bheag - Picnic Bheag Ealaíonta, Outdoor Irish-language arts picnic
Free event - Register on Eventbrite
North Campus - John Hume Building
2-3pm
(Registration from 1.45pm)
Queer Religion - Panel Discussion
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
North Campus - TSI Building
3.15pm-4.15pm
(Registration from 3pm)
The Literary Lounge - Novelists Maggie Armstrong & Catriona Shine
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
North Campus - Iontas Building
3-4.30pm
(Registration from 2.45pm)
An Fhéile Bheag - Discussion forum on sean-nós song repertoire and development of Irish-medium song communities outside of Gaeltacht regions with Bláithín Mhic Cana (Sean-nós Cois Life 2024), Piaras Ó Lorcáin, Tríona Ní Shíocháin, and Amhlaoibh Ó Síocháin Ó Beoláin (Irish-medium event).
Free event - Register on Eventbrite
North Campus - John Hume Building
4.30pm-6pm
(Registration from 3.15pm)
Nilly and Nullius with Donal O'Kelly
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
North Campus - Iontas Building
3.30pm-6pm
(Registration from 3.15pm)
Foolish Wives - 1922 silent movie screening with live music accompaniment
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
South Campus - Aula Maxima
6-7.20pm
(Registration from 5:45pm)
The Literary Lounge - Colin Barrett (Wild Houses) & Philip Kenny
Purchase tickets via Eventbrite
North Campus - Iontas Building
8.30pm
(Registration from 8pm)
At the Aula Presents..On The Road Again and Lemoncello
Purchase tickets via Eventbrite
South Campus - Aula Maxima
Satellite Event - Thursday 16 May 2024
6pm
(Registration from 5.30pm)
Adania Shibli: Novelist & Essayist in conversation with Dr Rita Sakr and Dr Sinéad Kennedy
Purchase tickets on Eventbrite
North Campus - TSI Building - Ground floor foyer - #30 on campus map

Féasta Cultúrtha do Chách 

Bígí linn 9-11 Bealtaine d’fhéasta cultúrtha a mhairfidh trí lá mar chuid d’fhéile bhliantúil Ollscoil Mhá Nuad, Ealaín agus Eagna.   

Faigh do chuid ticéad anois ar Eventbrite.  

Gheobhfar rud éigin do gach éinne ag féile na bliana seo, ag tosú le hOpera Vivaldi dar teideal , L'Olimpiade, á chur i láthair ag Opera Náisiúnta na hÉireann Déardaoin 09 Bealtaine. I gcomhpháirt le Maynooth Film For All, taispeánfar an scannán iomráiteach, Ballywalter, ina bhfuil príomhpháirteanna ag Seána Kerslake, céimí de chuid Ollscoil Mhá Nuad, agus ag Patrick Kielty, Dé hAoine 10 Bealtaine. Beidh tús bríomhar leis an bhFéile Bheag an oíche chéanna, Dé hAoine 10 Bealtaine, le hoíche spleodrach shlamfhilíochta trí mheán na Gaeilge le REIC, faoi stiúir Chiara Ní É. Rachaidh clár an tSathairn go mór i bhfeidhm ar dhaoine. Beidh an taispeántas cáiliúil grianghrafadóireachta,  Queer Religion, a cheiliúrann ceannairí aiteacha sa reiligiún, ar siúl óna 10 a chlog ar maidin i bhFoirgneamh TSI, agus tar éis lóin beidh plé painéil ar siúl leis an ngrianghrafadóir, Frances Marchall, agus aoichainteoirí eile den scoth. Beidh filí agus úrscéalaithe den scoth le cloisteáil mar chuid de The Literary Lounge, beidh Dramatic Monologue le Dónal O’Kelly, ealaíontóir amharclannaíochta, aisteoir, agus scríbhneoir cónaithe de chuid Arts and Minds, ar stáitse, agus taispeánfar an scannán ciúin clasaiceach, Foolish Wives, le tionlacan beo ceoil le Stephen Horne. Lón iontach cultúrtha, go deimhin! 
 
Má bhíonn ocras ort, beidh togha an bhia le fáil mar chuid den Aonach Bia a bheidh ar siúl i gcompháirt le Irish Village Markets, in aice leis an bhFoirgneamh TSI 12-6i.n. ar an Satharn. Tabhair leat blaincéad, aimsigh spota deas duit féin, agus bain taitneamh as an bhféile seo a fháiltíonn roimh theaghlaigh i gceartlár Ollscoil Mhá Nuad. 
 
Mar chuid d’imeachtaí lán-Ghaeilge na Féile Bige beidh ceardlann amhránaíochta le Síle Denvir (Gradam TG4 2023, RTÉ Folk Awards 2024), ceardlann rap do dhaoine óga le Séamus Barra Ó Súilleabháin (aka Súil Amháin, Gradam Nós 2024), siúlóid amhránaíochta amuigh faoin aer le hamhránaithe cáiliúla Oirialla, Bláithín Mhic Cana, agus Piaras Ó Lorcáin, picnic ealaíonta le togha na n-ealaíontóirí, Máire Ní Churraoin (RTÉ Folk Awards 2024) agus Becky Ní Éallaithe (Bonn i Steip 2024) ina measc. Ar deireadh, beidh fóram álainn againn a dhíríonn ar stór amhránaíochta na hIarGhaeltachta. 

Chun críoch iontach a chur leis an bhféile san Aula Maxima, beidh tráthnóna amhránaíochta agus scéalta againn mar chuid de ON THE ROAD AGAIN le Tom Dunne, Fiachna Ó Braonáin & Alan Connor, le tacaíocht ó Lemoncello.

Agus ar deireadh, tá an-lúcháir orainn a fhógairt go mbeidh Adana Shibli, scríbhneoir agus scoláire mór le rá ón bPalaistín, agus údar an leabhair iomráitigh, Minor Detail, linn d’ócáid speisialta ar an Déardaoin 16 Bealtaine, ina mbeidh sí i mbun comhrá leis an Dr Rita Sakr agus an Dr Sinéad Kennedy. 

Ceiliúradh de chuid Ollscoil Mhá Nuad is ea Ealaín agus Eagna  ar scoth na n-ealaíon in Éirinn agus go hidirnáisiúnta. Cuirtear fáilte roimh phobal na hOllscoile agus roimh an bpobal mór ag na himeachtaí beo seo ar an gcampas. 

Bí fiosrach, bí linn. 

Tar go Maigh Nuad i mí na Bealtaine d’eispéireas ealaíonta agus cultúrtha den scoth. 

Clár iomlán, maille le hamanta, ionaid, agus ticéid, le fáil anseo a leanas