(From Left) RCAG secretary Ted Coakley with Fachtna Shanahan, Declan Maguire and Rural Social Scheme supervisor Martin Coughlan outside the Reenascreena Community Hall

Their immediate priority is to give the community hall and the village approaches a much-needed spring clean in preparation for this year's Reenascreena Crossroads Arts Festival, which will take place on the weekend of 24th and 25th June.

We're sure that Declan and Fachtna will prove to be a great asset to the community, and hope you'll all join us in wishing them all the best in their endeavours.

Reenascreena Community Action Group Committee

Artist Marie Brett discusses the Wishing Tree project with RCAG secretary Ted Coakley

Well here's your chance. As part of the Reenascreena Crossroads Arts Festival 2006 visual artist Marie Brett is coming to Reenascreena to do some hands-on work with the local community. In a project sponsored by Cork County Council Marie will be holding workshops to encourage us all to look at Reenascreena's past, present and future through the medium of art, and asking us to record our wishes, hopes and prayers for the future.

You can find out more about the concept of the Wishing Tree Sculptures in a seperate article by the artist.

Meanwhile, here are some dates for your diary:

Wed. June 7th & Thur. 8th --  School workshops, all day-including all children

Tue. June 20th & Wed 21st -- Installation (artworks rigged by Marie & her husband Nic)

Wed. June 21st -- Community help put out flags in John Murray’s garden, 6-7pm

We are delighted to welcome Marie to Reenascreena, and look forward to working with her on the project. Please show your support by turning up to the workshop if you can, and making your artistic contribution to this exciting community project.

Wishing Tree at St. Finbarr's Hospital, Cork with artist Marie Brett

The artworks will reference the practice of leaving ‘tokens’ at holy wells and will take the form of ‘wishing trees’. These sculptural artworks will look both back in time, through the history and folklore of the area as well as forward in time through the hopes and aspirations of the community for the future. The project will also celebrate the local natural landscape, individuals creativity and working as part of a collaborative team. The project will be open to all community members’ and it’s hoped that lots of people will get involved. It is hoped that once the artworks are created, and people pass by, they will take a moment in quiet personal contemplation to reflect on their own personal wish, hope or prayer for the future.

It's coming!

The biggest thing to hit Reenascreena since... well, since last year's extravaganza... is on its way.

 The Reenascreena Crossroads Arts Festival 2006 will finish on Sunday 25^th June this year... what we don't know yet is when exactly it will be starting.

Got a suggestion for the festival programme or want to get involved? Let us know by posting to the festival topic in the Reenascreens Online Forum.

There'll be old favourites like "The Reenascreena Trail": a guided evening walk around the area with historian Fachtna O'Callaghan. There'll be traditional music and dancing, drama and recitation. There'll be contemporary music by an eclectic mix of local artists and visiting musicians. There'll be pig roasting, road bowling, and fascinating new twist to the annual Reenascreena Derby.

 In short, for a weekend full of all manner of  merriment make sure you block book your diary and head for Reenascreena on the last weekend in June.....

We'll see you there!