The West Cork islands inspire great creativity. And there’s a packed programme of creative events for you to dip in to this summer!
Check out our list of some of the most exciting creative things to do on our West Cork islands in the months ahead.
1) Learn to Sing with an Expert Vocal Coach
Workshops run from 15 – 27 July (Sherkin Island)
Find your voice in a wonderful week of vocal workshops with expert vocal coach, Brian Clickner. There are weeks set aside for beginners as well as more experienced singers. Brian is a professional singer, voice teacher and Music Director who currently serves on the faculty of SUNY Brockport in New York. An advanced workshop takes place on Sherkin the following week!
Find out more.
2) Pop-Up Choir Days on Heir and Sherkin Islands
22 July (Heir) | 11 August (Sherkin)
Come along and sing for fun on one of two pop-up choir days on the West Cork islands. Take this opportunity to tune up your voice in a spectacular island setting.
Find out more.
3) Reading on Whiddy Island – West Cork Literary Festival
15 July (Whiddy Island)
All aboard the ferry to Whiddy Island for this special event where we celebrate Bantry Bay, the sea beyond and the poetic beauty of West Cork as part of the West Cork Literary Festival. On this year’s trip to Whiddy we are joined by Imogen Hermes Gowar, author of the magnificent bestselling debut The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock.
Find out more
4) Travel and Nature Writing Workshop with Philip Hoare
17 – 19 July (Whiddy Island)
Whiddy Island is the perfect setting for the West Cork Literary Festival’s 3-day travel and nature-writing workshop with Philip Hoare. His book Leviathan or, The Whale won the 2009 BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction. It was followed in 2013 by The Sea Inside. His new book, RISINGTIDEFALLINGSTAR, has been shortlisted for the 2018 Stanford Travel Writing Prize.
Find out more.
5) West Cork Fit-Up Theatre Festival
July – August (Bere, Heir, Sherkin and Whiddy islands)
One of the highlights of a West Cork summer is the opportunity to see great actors putting on wonderful performances against the backdrop of a West Cork island. We’ll post details of theatre performances on Bere, Heir, Sherkin and Whiddy islands on our events calendar just as soon as the programme becomes available!
6) A Celebration of Renowned Artist, Percy Hall
28 – 29 July (Heir Island)
In 1963, Percy Hall came to West Cork on holiday and fell in love with the islands of Roaringwater Bay. Now Heir Island will host a celebration of his work, with music on offer from Barefoot Baroque too!
Find out more
7) Paintbrush Meets Lens [Art & Photography Exhibition]
28 July – 10 August (Sherkin Island)
Paintbrush meets Lens is an intriguing joint exhibition of work by photographer Robbie Murphy and painter Jo Ashby on West Cork’s Sherkin Island.
Find out more.
8) Out of the Blue – Art Exhibition
28 July – 28 August (Bere Island)
Bere Island’s local artists are set to stage an exhibition of their work. Find out more.
9) Cape Clear Story-Telling Festival
31 August – 2 September (Cape Clear)
The Cape Clear Story-Telling Festival celebrates one of the world’s oldest art forms. It brings story-tellers and listeners together for amazing experiences in the unique setting of Ireland’s southernmost inhabited island.
Find out more
10) The Palette & the Plate: A Sherkin Island Guided Art Tour
14 September (Sherkin)
Explore the links between the palette and the plate as Sherkin Island’s artists invite you into their galleries on a tour as part of A Taste of West Cork Festival 2018. It’s a wonderful way to gain an insight into island life and the creativity it inspires.
Find out more
Of course, there are more than 10 creative things to do on the West Cork islands this summer …
11) Visit an Island Art Gallery
A visit to the Island Art Gallery on Heir Island – open all summer – or visits to the art studios on Sherkin Island are lovely things to do.
You’re sure to be inspired by our creative communities when you visit our West Cork islands. Join one of the wonderful creative events on the West Cork islands and be part of our glorious and inspiring summer!
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