GAA commentator Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh is to make the journey to Leeside later this month when he will act as cultural ambassador for Cork’s Culture Night.
Mr Ó Muircheartaigh will speak about his time at Coláiste Íosagáin in Ballyvourney, Co Cork, as part of a programme of events organised by Gael-Taca for the night on September 18th.
“I think it’s added attraction that many of the events are free - there’s something about when you are getting something free, that’s great value, people say,” said Mr Ó Muircheartaigh.
“But then many of [the events] are very rewarding, they find them interesting and you know people meet - castar na daoine ar a chéile as we say in Irish - and new ideas might emerge from it.”
This year’s programme, which contains more than 200 free events at more than 100 participating venues, is the largest yet for Culture Night in Cork.
One of the events, Cork Ignite, will showcase a dazzling mix of technologies, as the front of Cork's College of Commerce is brought to life through projections and an accompanying music score.
Produced by the National Sculpture Factory and Create, the project involves artist Simon McKeown working with local artists and disability agencies to create a live art event.
Cork Culture Night will also partner with music festival Sounds of a Safe Harbour to present a series of free music concerts, including a secret gig.
The concerts include A Journey from Mountain to Sea with Cork Concert Orchestra and the European premiere of Bryce Dessner's Music for Wood and Strings in Fitzgerald Park.
The Cork Pipers’ Club and the DustBusters Light Orchestra will perform in Cork Bus Station, while Bus Éireann buses will take people all over the city to various events for free.
UCC's school of English will celebrate writers and literary works from the Renaissance to 20th-century Ireland, and the night will also feature poetry slams, rapping and readings.
L’Atitude 51 will retrace the footprints of Cork’s Wine Geese families - the streets, buildings and people originally from Cork that are connected to some of the world’s most famous wine families.
Meanwhile, the English Market will open late and serve a variety of delicious Cork dishes to those on the culture trail, which also includes dance performances at the Firkin Crane.
Triskel Christchurch will show cheesy trailers from the 1980s, while photographic exhibition 60 Years of the Cork Film Festival will be installed in the atrium of Cork City Council.
Boole remembered
Meanwhile, maths genius George Boole will be remembered with a talk by Olivia Frawley on the George Boole 200 Family History Project, which will take place in the Unitarian Church on Princes' Street.
Younger children will be able to learn about nature with the Crafty Ol' Bats in Fitzgerald Park and the sand casting workshops by Backwater Artists Group on Wandesford Quay
The popular Dowtcha Puppets will present a performance of X Tractor, featuring an oversized tractor driven by Miley Silage, in the Millenium Hall at Cork City Hall.
For further information, follow Cork Culture Night at @corkcityarts on Twitter, Cork Arts on Facebook or visit the official website.
