Dalkey play featured in culture plan

A POPULAR play performed at Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre is to be featured in a new Local Culture Plan that has been designed to drive creativity in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown.

‘When Beckett met Binchy’ will be part of the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Culture and Creativity Plan, that was launched by the Taoiseach Enda Kenny, and Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys at a special event in Dublin Castle recently.

The development of Culture Plans for every county is a cornerstone of Pillar 2 of the Creative Ireland Programme – Enabling Creativity in Every County.

Since the launch of Creative Ireland in December 2016, every local authority has established a Culture Team which includes arts officers, heritage officers, librarians, museum and gallery curators, led by a local Creative Ireland coordinator.

Each team has now put together a plan for their county to encourage communities and citizens to engage, participate and enable their creative potential.

Highlights from the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Culture Plan include UCD Festival’s Poetry Programme, the dlr LexIcon Family Day, Children’s Book Festival 2017 and Samhain Haunted Forest Walk, Marlay Park.

Minister Humphreys said: “I would like to sincerely thank all of the Culture Teams in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown who have been working so hard in recent months to help us realise some of the key ambitions in the Creative Ireland programme.

“Dun Laoghaire Rathdown already has a vibrant cultural scene and through Creative Ireland we want to see more people in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown participating in the arts locally.

“Through Creative Ireland we want to create an ecosystem of creativity in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and every other county nationwide.

“We want to see more people not just attending the theatre or going to a cultural event, we want to see them getting involved. In this way, we can help to build happier, healthier communities. 

“The power of culture cannot be overestimated; arts and culture can open our minds, enliven our communities and enrich our children’s lives. 

 “The development of a Culture Plan is an important commitment in the Action Plan for Rural Development.

“This is because we believe that culture should be part of the development of every community, be it rural, urban, or somewhere in between.”

The minister added: “I look forward to seeing this plan being implemented in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown in the coming months, to see Creative Ireland in action.”