Scientists and theatre makers are joining forces to bring a new interactive comedy show - driven by hopepunk, climate research, music and what matters most to the local community - to rural Ireland. The first performance of We Built This City on Rock and Coal will take place at University of Galway on Thursday May 30th, with other shows scheduled for Galway, Cork, Donegal, Mayo and Antrim. The venues range from arts centres to ringforts and the project will visit three offshore islands: Inishbofin, Arranmore and Rathlin. By bringing shows to rural centres like Ionad Cois Locha, Interface Inagh, Wild Nephin National Park, and the Centre of Excellence for Climate Action and Sustainability in west Cork, the project aims to prompt discussion and change around environmental topics, while finding local positive steps towards solving climate change. Each live show will include sustainability workshops and citizen science activities, along with a space for audience members to speak up or be interviewed. These material from the audience will then be used to improvise scenes, songs and sketches, making each of the shows unique. We Built This City on Rock and Coal is co-created by Dr Jessamyn Fairfield, award winning science communicator and performer and lecturer at University of Galway’s School of Natural Sciences, and Katy Schutte, global improvisation practitioner and author. They will partner with Dr Gesche Kindermann, sustainability and conservation expert and lecturer with University of Galway School of Natural Sciences, and storyteller Órla McGovern, among others. Audience stories about climate change and climate action will also be collected and shared online as part of the Caomhnú citizen science initiative. Dr Jessamyn Fairfield said: “The whole idea of this project is reclaiming our agency when we talk about climate change. We worked with rural communities to develop this project, and we’re thrilled to be exploring climate action, citizen science and sustainability through a comedic lens with people up and down the coast of Ireland.” Katy Schutte said: “It's a great project where comedy gets to make the world a better place! The more we enjoy our local natural environment and the people in it, the more we care about the global climate crisis.” We Built This City on Rock and Coal is a recipient of the Creative Climate Action fund, an initiative from the Creative Ireland Programme. It is funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The fund supports creative, cultural and artistic projects that build awareness around climate change and empower citizens to make meaningful behavioural transformations. The project is also supported by University of Galway and iCRAG, the SFI Research Centre in Applied Geosciences hosted at University College Dublin. More information including show dates and ticket links is available at http://webuiltthiscity.ie/  Ends

Chun 20 bliain den bpáirtnéireacht atá ar bun acu le hEalaín na Gaeltachta a cheiliúradh, tá ceochoirm mhór shean-nóis á reachtáil ag Ionad Léann na hÉireann in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. In Amharclann Mick Lally, Dé Máirt 4 Meitheamh, 8-10pm a bheidh an ócáid ar siúl agus scoth na n-ealaíontóirí as Gaeltacht Chonamara ar stáitse.  Ina measc san a bheidh páirteach sa léiriú diamhair seo, beidh Bríd Ní Mhaoilchiaráin, Máire Ní Mhaoilchiaráin, Sarah Ghriallais, Máire Pheter Uí Dhroighneáin, Áine Ní Dhroighneáin, Róisín Ní Mhainín, Pádraic Ó hOibicín, Máirín Mhic Lochlainn, Mairéad Ní Fhlatharta, Treasa Ní Mhiolláin, Seosamh Ó Neachtain, Saileog Ní Cheannabháin, Gearóid Ó Dubháin, agus Micheál Ó Cuaig. Deir an Dr Méabh Ní Fhuartháin, Ceann an Ionaid: “Tá breis agus 20 bliain ann ó cuireadh an pháirtnéireacht idir Ionad Léann na hÉireann agus Ealaín na Gaeltachta ar bun chun ealaíon an tsean-nóis agus na healaíona dúchais béil i nGaeltacht Chonamara a chur chun cinn. Dar linn gur fiú an méid sin a cheiliúradh agus a chraobhscaoileadh le ceolchoirm mhór a thabharfaidh deis dúinn a bhfuil bainte amach againn ó cuireadh an pháirtnéireacht eadrainn ar bun a thaispeáint don bpobal. Beidh cuid de na healaíontóirí comhaimseartha is cumasaí dá bhfuil ag obair i nGaeltacht Chonamara ar an ardán in Amharclann Mick Lally, rud a fhágann gur showcase iontach don nGaeilge, don nGaeltacht, agus d’ealaíona an tsean-nóis a bheidh sa cheolchoirm neamhchoitianta seo.” Cosnaíonn na ticéid €10 agus tá an t-airgead uilig ag dul chuig Clann Shíomóin na Gaillimhe, agus tá siad ar fáil ag https://buytickets.at/theblackgateculturalcentre/1253133. Tuilleadh eolais ó irishstudies@universityofgalway.ie Críoch

University of Galway’s Centre for Irish Studies is marking the 20th anniversary of its partnership with Ealaín na Gaeltachta by hosting a gala concert featuring some of the finest exponents of sean-nós singing, dancing, and storytelling.   The concert takes place at the Mick Lally Theatre, Druid Lane, Galway City, on Tuesday June 4th, from 8-10pm.   Performers at this one-off event will include most of those who spent time as artists-in-residence at the Centre for Irish Studies, with the support of Ealaín na Gaeltachta.   The line-up includes Bríd Ní Mhaoilchiaráin, Máire Ní Mhaoilchiaráin, Sarah Ghriallais, Máire Pheter Uí Dhroighneáin, Áine Ní Dhroighneáin, Róisín Ní Mhainín, Pádraic Ó hOibicín, Máirín Mhic Lochlainn, Mairéad Ní Fhlatharta, Treasa Ní Mhiolláin, Seosamh Ó Neachtain, Saileog Ní Cheannabháin, Gearóid Ó Dubháin, and Micheál Ó Cuaig.   Dr Méabh Ní Fhuartháin, Head of Irish Studies at University of Galway, said: “The living link with the vernacular arts traditions of the Connemara Gaeltacht is central to the work we do at University of Galway’s Centre for Irish Studies. This unique concert is an opportunity to celebrate the vitality of those traditions and to acknowledge the generosity of the remarkable artists who have contributed so much to their own communities and to our understanding of the Gaeltacht arts. This event is a salute from us to a remarkable group of artists and colleagues who have had a significant impact on all those who have benefited from their work at the Centre for Irish Studies over the past two decades.”   Tickets are €10 with all proceeds going to the Galway Simon Community and are available at https://buytickets.at/theblackgateculturalcentre/1253133.   For more information contact irishstudies@universityofgalway.ie   Ends