11th McCarthy’s Community Talent Competition produced by Red Sandstone Varied Productions.
AUDITIONS SUNDAY 28th APRIL 10am-4pm Old Cork Waterworks, LEE ROAD.
FREE ENTRY event for Primary and Secondary school children. No advance booking required, simply turn up on the day to audition.
This is the eleventh year of Cllr Kieran McCarthy’s Community Talent Competition in Cork city, the auditions for the FREE ENTRY arts participation event take place Sunday 28th April, 10am-4pm at the site of the Old Cork Waterworks Experience, Lee Road, with call-backs the same day. A Cork performance arts project for young people with no entry fees, where all talents are valid for consideration.
The final takes place at Firkin Crane, Saturday 4th May, 7.30pm, open to the public; Tickets €10, Family of 4 Ticket €35.
This not-for-profit community project supports our community’s young people, and creates a great night’s entertainment for all the family. There are two categories primary school and secondary school, so two winners will be awarded a perpetual trophy and prize money of €150. The project is founded and funded by Cllr Kieran McCarthy in association with RSVP (Red Sandstone Varied Productions.)
If they get through the auditions, this community spirited operation involves volunteer professional performance coaches who take the contestants through boot camp and rehearsals before they meet the final judges, and each year sees talented dancers, vocalists, rap artists, bands, duets, magicians, dancers and actors in the line-up. However, as all talents are valid in this fun-filled community event, it has seen a wide variety of talent through the years such as gymnastics, speed cups, martials arts set to music, newly written children’s plays and so much more.
The talent, like the mentors, coaches and judges, is always diverse, entertaining and fun. Each year MCTC invites professionals in the industry, to offer specialised mentor sessions to the budding young artists. This is an invaluable opportunity for these young people; a chance to avail of mentorship, in a phenomenal sharing of the joy of expression! Cllr. McCarthy began the talent competition as a community initiative, he believes, ‘It encourages all young people to develop their talents and creative skills, to push forward with their lives, and to embrace their community positively.’
Producer Yvonne Coughlan says, ‘We respect that these young people are brave enough to come audition, and we honour that effort with the best advice we can. Our contestants come back and support the event long after their initial participation, because of this encouragement and positivity. RSVP works hard to create a supportive atmosphere at all times, and we love the volunteers who give their time and talents to this event each year. This is about empowering a generation of open minded, inspiring individuals, some of whom, like our sponsor independent councillor, Kieran McCarthy will always love performance art, yet work in areas that change policy and support community.’ www.rsvpireland.net
‘I found McCarthy’s Talent Competition to be a great experience in a fun and encouraging environment, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes performing, or would even like to make new friends’ Daniel Cremin Magician, winner 2016
AUDITIONS McCarthy’s Community Talent Competition.
Venue: Old Cork Waterworks Experience, Lee Road. DATE: Sunday 28th April Time: 10am-4pm. FREE ENTRY!
For further information contact Yvonne: rsvpireland@gmail.com
Cllr Kieran McCarthy kicks off his historical walking tours season during the month of April. On Sunday 7 April, Cllr Kieran McCarthy, will give a public historical walking tour of the hospital grounds (free, 2.30pm meet inside main gate). Cllr McCarthy noted: “For a number of years now I have ran the walking tour of the workhouse story at St Finbarr’s Hospital. Of the twenty or more city and suburban walking tour sites I have developed the tour of the workhouse site has been popular. The tour though is eye-opening to the conditions that people endured in the nineteenth century but a very important one to tell. The dark local histories are as important to grapple with as the positive local histories. Cork city is blessed to have so much archival and newspaper material to really tell the story of the Cork workhouse.
Cllr McCarthy highlighted: “A present day blocked up archway on Douglas Road was the old entrance to the laneway that ran down from Douglas Road through market gardens to the workhouse complex. Between 1838 and 1845, 123 workhouses were built, which were part of a series of districts known as Poor Law Unions. The cost of poor relief was met by the payment of rates by owners of land and property in that district. In 1841 eight acres, one rood and 23 perches were leased to the Poor Law Guardians from Daniel B Foley, Evergreen House, Cork. Mr Foley retained an acre, on which was Evergreen House with its surrounding gardens, which fronted South Douglas Road (now a vacant concrete space). The subsequent workhouse that was built on the leased lands was opened in December 1841. It was an isolated place, built beyond the City’s toll house and toll gates. The Douglas Road workhouse was also one of the first of the workhouses to be designed by the Poor Law Commissioners’ architect George Wilkinson”.
Kieran’s other tours for April include:
Sunday 14 April, Stories from Cork Docklands, historical walking tour with Kieran, learn about the evolution of Cork’s Docklands from its early days through its historical maps, 19th & 20th century industrialisation to housing and community building, meet at Kennedy Park, Victoria Road 2.30pm (free, duration, two hours, area tour, part of the Cork Lifelong Learning Festival, finishes nearby).
Sunday 21 April 2019, Ballinlough Historical Walking Tour with Kieran, learn about nineteenth century market gardens, schools, industries, and Cork’s suburban standing stone, meet outside Beaumont National Schools, Beaumont, 2.30pm (free, duration: two hours, finishes on Ballinlough Road).