A lively culture night featuring The BUGS ukulele band, with a twist - audience participation through kazoos! The B.U.G.S – Ballinamore Ukulele Group Singers are an inclusive community ukulele group, offering a fun learning environment to include all playing abilities, along with performance opportunities, locally and nationally, that is entertaining and engaging for a broad audience base.

Formed in 2022 the group have performed across the country, participating in ukulele festivals, and gigging at local events eg. Ballinamore Family Festival and The Leitrim Gathering. The Bugs have a diverse setlist performing material from Dolly Parton to Talking Heads.

 As part of their performances, they themselves include the use of kazoos and the proposal for this culture night is to give each member of the audience a kazoo to join in.

This will be a lively evening where people can enjoy the eclectic sounds of The Ballinamore Ukulele Group Singers culminating in a collective performance of 'Lovely Leitrim' with ukuleles, voices and kazoos.  Each audience member will leave with their very own Kazoo and knowing how to use it.

Join us for a relaxed and inspiring evening in our fully equipped ceramics studio in Ballinamore, where you’ll get hands-on with clay and explore the timeless art of Irish ceramics. Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to build on existing skills, this workshop is the perfect introduction.

The evening begins with a short presentation tracing the rich history of Irish pottery—from ancient Neolithic vessels and Celtic craftsmanship to the work of modern-day ceramicists. You’ll gain a deeper appreciation for how clay has shaped Ireland’s creative heritage over millennia.

Then it’s time to roll up your sleeves! Under the expert guidance of Denise Corbett and her experienced team, you’ll work with authentic Irish clay to create your own ceramic piece. You'll be introduced to a variety of traditional and modern techniques including pinching, coiling, slabbing, hand-building, modelling, throwing on the wheel, and glazing.

No experience? No problem. Our supportive, small-group environment ensures that everyone gets plenty of hands-on help. Denise Corbett, a seasoned ceramic artist, brings over 30 years of teaching experience and a warm, encouraging style that helps students of all levels unlock their creativity.

All pieces created on the night will be professionally fired and available for collection at a later date, leaving you with a unique, handcrafted reminder of your journey into clay.

Places are limited so early booking is essential.

Step into a world of creativity this Culture Night with a unique event taking place at the rural home studio of award-winning visual artist Harriet Myfanwy Nia Tahany. For the first time, Harriet is opening her purpose-built mural space to the public, inviting you to take part in a collaborative painting workshop and an open-air exhibition under the stars.

During the day, a small group of emerging artists and creative community members will join Harriet in transforming a series of outdoor mural walls into vibrant works of art. These murals will be designed and painted on-site during a hands-on workshop that invites expression, experimentation, and joyful collaboration.

In the evening, the space will reopen to the public for a relaxed exhibition event. Visitors are invited to view the freshly completed murals, meet the artists involved, and enjoy the creative energy of this one-of-a-kind gathering. Guests will also have the unique opportunity to witness the final touches being added in real time, as the murals come to life before their eyes.

There will be music, refreshments, and a chance to explore the outdoor studio space and speak with Harriet about her work and the evolving vision for the studio as a rural arts hub.

Culture Night at The Dock

Culture Night is an annual all-island celebration of the richness and diversity of culture in Ireland today. This year, The Dock will host a series of events open to all ages and abilities – from Sean-nós steps to Zimbabwean Freedom Dances, an Irish language tour in the gallery, and a late-night techno house party led by Leitrim’s newest DJ collective.

Thanks to the continued support of the Arts Council of Ireland and Leitrim County Council Arts Office, all activities are made available to the public free of charge. This year, we are grateful for the additional support of an tOireachtas and Foras na Gaeilge. Read more about each event below and book your free tickets today!

Oíche Chultúir ag The Dock

Is ceiliúradh bliantúil uile-oileáin é Oíche Chultúir ar shaibhreas agus éagsúlacht an chultúir in Éirinn inniu. I mbliana, beidh sraith imeachtaí ar siúl ag The Dock atá oscailte do gach aois agus cumas – ó chéimeanna Sean Nós go Damhsaí Saoirse na Siombáibe, turas Gaeilge sa ghailearaí, agus cóisir techno déanach san oíche faoi stiúir chomhchoiteann DJ is nuaí Liatroma chun damhsa a dhéanamh ar feadh na hoíche.

A bhuíochas le tacaíocht leanúnach Chomhairle Ealaíon na hÉireann agus Oifig Ealaíon Chomhairle Contae Liatroma, tá na gníomhaíochtaí go léir ar fáil don phobal saor in aisce. I mbliana, táimid buíoch as an tacaíocht bhreise ón Oireachtas agus ó Fhoras na Gaeilge. Léigh tuilleadh faoi gach imeacht thíos agus cuir do thicéid saor in aisce in áirithe inniu!

Cultural Dance Celebration, 4-6pm

Cultural Dance Celebration by Undercurrent Dance Theatre with introductory movement games and activities with Kate Wilson suitable for families and all ages, followed by an introduction to Zimbabwean Freedom Dances and Salsa led by Cythnia Siberry. After a break for chatting and a drink of water, August Kirwin will introduce Sean-nós basic steps followed by some Irish circle dances. After another break for connecting and chatting, Kate will lead a dance share open floor for participants and facilitators to share their own cultural dances, and finally, closing with a circle activity and reflections. 

libraries of rest by Ciara Barker, 6-8pm

Ar Oíche Chultúir, bí linn ar chamchuairt de libraries of rest trí mheán na Gaeilge. Tugann an taispeántas tumtha seo le Ciara Barker cuireadh do chuairteoirí todhchaí na spásanna agus na gcleachtas suaimhneach a shamhlú. Ag The Dock, spreagfar lucht féachana chun machnamh a dhéanamh ar Thodhchaí tuairimíochta atá dírithe ar fholláine chomhchoiteann, scartha ó tháirgiúlacht. Ag éascú cruthú acmhainne comhroinnte smaointe chun rochtain a fháil ar scíth, comhcheanglóidh libraries of rest suiteáil, súgradh, fuaim agus solas, ag maireachtáil spás idir ealaín amhairc, timpeallacht tumtha agus teoiric chriticiúil.

Join us for a tour of libraries of rest through Irish. This immersive exhibition by Ciara Barker invites visitors to imagine the future of restful spaces and practices. At The Dock, audiences will be encouraged to consider speculative futures centred on collective well-being, divorced from productivity. Facilitating the creation of a shared resource of ideas for accessing rest, libraries of rest will combine installation, gameplay, sound and light, inhabiting a space between visual art, immersive environment and critical theory.

TILT DJ night, 8pm-late

Join us for a late-night techno house party led by Leitrim’s newest DJ collective. TILT is a DJ collective led by Harry Bouchier, aka Elliot, meeting at The Dock to develop skills and techniques. Local participants have been preparing set lists alongside industry professionals for a night of dancing at The Dock. This Culture Night, the TILT Collective will take turns performing from 8pm until late. This gig is free to attend and open to all ages.

Exhibition Launches:

Co-Create II:

This exhibition celebrates the final work of collaborative projects by four Leitrim Artists. Stain glass artist Colette Langan & designer Erika Marks along with collaborative pair weaver Helena Golden & ceramicist Bairbre Kennedy. Meet the artists and learn about their innovative approaches and the challenging but rewarding art of collaboration! This project has been kindly supported by the Leitrim Arts Office through the Creative Communities programme.

ARTWALL Launch: Hey Bulldog!

An exhibition by designers Joe & Amanda Vencatasamy of Hey Bulldog! Design. Unique creations bursting with eye popping colour and texture, this promises to be a very unique show not to be missed. Enjoy their vibrant exhibition of textile wall works and learn more the about how these pieces came about. Hey Bulldog! design is growing in popularity having recently exhibited in the Royal Hibernian Academy’s summer show in Dublin this year.

Discover the Art of Tufting – And Try It Yourself!

For Culture Night, Amanda from Hey, Bulldog! Design will be hosting a live interactive tufting demo where visitors can experience the process behind creating contemporary textile art. She'll demonstrate how tufted art pieces are created using colourful wools, a tufting gun, and tufting shears. Amanda will talk through the materials, techniques and inspiration behind the work.

Attendees will be invited to try tufting for themselves on a shared frame—offering a tactile, joyful insight into this expressive craft. This event is suitable for adults aged 18+ only, due to the tools involved and nature of the interactive demonstration.

6pm to 7pm - Community Trad Session

Carrick Trad and Drumsna Comhaltas come together to provide a fantastic mix of young and not so young traditional Irish musicians revelling in the joy of music as a shared language. Over the years to this group has expanded its influence, spreading the beauty of traditional music and song far and wide.

7.15pm to 7.45pm - Film Screening - The Call of the Shannon

The Call of the Shannon is a collection of four short stories from ordinary people about their lived experience of the river. From a fisherman, Colin Wike, who travelled from England to fish in its waters, to Colin Becker, a waterways expert and current owner of the Chang Sha, a boat built in 1846.

His story is followed by Mary and Jeanette Dunne, who share their childhood memories of the Shannon, the Chang Sha, and their beloved parents. The film finishes with an account of two young boys, Damien Masterson and Fred Óg Holt, captured in a Dollard Tru-Colour postcard in the 1960s, and how the Shannon influenced the life of one of the boys in particular.

This work highlights the importance of photography and film in documenting domestic culture and the everyday in a social, political, and historical context. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Atty Dunne documented life in Carrick-on-Shannon, both on and off the river, long before it was common practice. Her archival material is a treasure trove, capturing a different way of life, transporting us like time machines to the past.

8pm to 9.30pm - Rakish in Concert

The Fantastic Rakish. Following huge demand, this local band is back after bringing their toe-tapping music to delighted audiences in Ireland and across the world. Rakish thrill their audiences, performing haunting Irish melodies, classic country to foot stomping folk Rock. An event not to be missed in this new and exciting venue.

To launch a celebration of films by Neil Jordan over this weekend, The Glens Centre and Adaptation Film Festival www.adaptation.ie present a free open air screening of The Miracle (Neil Jordan, 93mins, 1991), starring Niall Byrne, Beverly D’Angelo and Donal McCann. This screening, in keeping with the seaside town of Bray setting for the film, takes place in a festival tent in Goldens Yard, Manorhamilton. The Miracle is adapted from two of Neil Jordan’s short stories found in his award-winning debut collection Night in Tunisia.

Note, there is also a free Culture Night screening of The Safety Catch (Joe O’Byrne, 90mins, 2025) at 6.00pm in the adjacent Glens Arts Centre. This adaptation of the Nick Snow stage play tells the story of legendary motorcycle rider Michael Dunlop.

What if you could redesign your town? What if you could step into the past—and imagine the future?

Join us for Future Cast: Building Futures, an exciting Culture Night experience that blends virtual reality, digital twins, and LEGO to explore how we build, live, and solve problems together.

Travel through time in a VR journey through Manorhamilton’s architectural past. Use a digital twin of the W8 Centre to reimagine your community in real time. Then roll up your sleeves and take on the LEGO Housing Lab challenge—can you design a better future?

This interactive evening is perfect for curious minds aged 10-30, and anyone interested in housing, heritage, or creative problem-solving. With hands-on workshops, immersive tech, and inspiring talks, Future Cast is a celebration of imagination, innovation, and community.

All activities are free and fully accessible. No experience needed—just bring your ideas. Let’s build the future together.

Gaza Biennale is a collaborative international art project that features over 50 artists from Gaza, serving as a form of resistance against the ongoing war, destruction, and suffering of innocent civilians in Gaza.

International Pavilions for the project have so far been organised in Berlin, Edinburgh, London, Padua, South Africa, Valencia, Denmark, Istanbul, New York, Sarajevo, Toronto, Washington D.C., and now in Ireland.

Organised by the North Leitrim Palestinian Solidarity Group and supported by the Leitrim Sculpture Centre, the project in Ireland will feature a series of video portrayals of artists from Gaza, including several documentary and fictional films that provide historical context to the ongoing conflict.

The event in Ireland also hopes to feature 'Gaza: A Picture of Destruction' by Mohammad Suliman, who is displaced in Cairo. This installation project (currently en-route to Ireland) depicts the destruction of homes in the Gaza Strip caused by the war. Suliman utilises his training in creating architectural models to document this historical moment, the impact of war on civilian lives, and the profound psychological and social effects it leaves behind. The models depict destroyed cities, including demolished houses, and environmental elements that did not escape Israeli occupation.

The Gaza Biennale at Leitrim Sculpture Centre raises awareness and understanding of Palestinians' current plight and affirms and supports their right to self-determination.

Middle Eastern music and food are also available.