Balbriggan celebrates creativity over consumption

Balbriggan’s growing reputation as a centre for the arts was further enhanced with a series of pre-Christmas cultural happenings in the town.

There was warm acclaim for local man Matthew Kelly at the launch of ‘Dear Balbriggan’, his fascinating anthology of the town’s creative talent at the Our Balbriggan Hub.

The occasion marked the start of a series of events open to the public over the weekend, inspired by locally-based artists eager to celebrate creativity over consumption during the festive season.

Activities centred on three other venues throughout the town: The Old Bank Building, George’s Square; The Warehouse, Vauxhall Street (adjacent to Monica Tolan’s) and 2-4 Dublin Street, formerly Vision Radio.

Matthew Kelly, artist Jennifer O’Connor and Cllr Seána Ó’Rodaigh at the launch of ‘Dear Balbriggan.’

There was a wonderful reaction at the launch of Balbriggan visual artist and art educator Alison O’Grady’s 60-canvas composition, Ár mBaile, which captures the town painted through the eyes of its people, at 2-4 Dublin Street.

The Warehouse on Vauxhall Street hosted music and arts engagement on Friday and Saturday.

The Warehouse event, along with a visual art exhibition at The Old Bank, Georges Square, were curated by Italian art historian and visual arts curator Valeria Ceregini.

They include the work of acclaimed artists Darren Rogers, Thomas Brezing, David Newton, Akvile Simanskiene, Billy Brew, Shaneski, Gordon Farrell, Antonio D’Souza, Maya Brezing, Murielle Celis and many others.

The famed nine-year-old Ukrainian drummer who has raised the roof across Ireland was another star attraction.

Mark Kosinsky (pictured above), from Berdyansk in south-eastern Ukraine, now resident in Monaghan, brought the house down during an earth-shattering drum solo on the Late Late Toy Show.

He and his family fled Ukraine in February following the Russian invasion.

Mark, his father Dmitry (guitar) and Maciej Blizinski (bass), known collectively as the ‘Mark Kosinsky Trio’ played at The Warehouse.

Further details can be found on @OurBalbriggan Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages.