Caring for Repairing Exhibition & Féile

Celebrating fixing and mending our exhibition, Caring for Repairing and Repair Fête condenses 10-months (Feb-Nov ’22) of work on Repair Acts, Ireland.

Our Saturday (5th Nov) and Sunday (6th Nov) programme extends the art works created for the programme, including the documentary ‘Turning the Collar’ as well as archival, declaration and online work by bringing together an exciting number of repair specialists, artists, designers and activists who are working across the fields of repair, care, maintenance and healing cultures.

While all events are free, we recommend where it will be indicated to book via Eventbrite as numbers will be limited due to space and facilitation. We also advise to turn up early, as no-shows, will be returned, so others can participate.

Workshops, Conversations, Performances

10.00-19.00 // Caring for Repairing, St. James’s Hall. Displays works generated by Repair Acts, lead artist Teresa Dillon with exhibition design in collaboration with architect Ana Filipovich and Men Shed, Mullingar. Archival research and text collated by Dillon, Alma Clavin, Robin Ferguson and Maya Vizel-Schwartz illustrates changes in professional repair practices across the last eight decades. With installation based documentary, video, textile and images based works weaving past, present and future local and global narratives of repair, together with stories gathered from the People’s Archive of Everyday Repair.

10.00-12.30 // Do It With Kenny, St. James’s Hall. Taking the fear out of fixing a bike puncture or changing a chain. Aimed at anyone , family orientated workshop aimed at anyone who wants to mend a bicycle. Hosted by Kenny’s Bi-cyle Shop. Drop-in, no booking required.

10.00-16.30 // Caring for Repairing, Various Locations. Exhibition continues with textile, video and image worked showing on the street and in the vacant shops spaces on the hill.

11.00-13.00 // Restoration of Arden Wood, Arden Wood. The ancient woodland of Arden Wood is the first woodland that the Native Woodland Trust acquired. Estimated to be over 350 years old, join the Trust for a family orientated walk through its holly, hazel, spindle, bramble. Registration required, see specific event posting for details.

11.00-16.00 // Furniture Uplift with Handmade Design at the Distillery. Do you love the look of painted furniture, but aren’t sure where to begin? Join Claire Delabre, designer, upholster and owner of Handmade Design Studio for this entry level, hands on workshop and learn how to transform a drab piece of furniture into a fabulous new piece. Limited to 8 people. Registration required, see specific event posting for registration details.

11.00-16.00 // Of Mortars and Stone Walls at The Yard, Lower Main Street. Second day of this two-part workshop with expert stone masons Neil O’Dwyer and David Corrigan (O’Dwyer Masonry) and conservation consultant Caroline Gethings (Anú Heritage). Focuses on learning the basics of dry stone walling with support given on how to approach heritage repairs and working with traditional mixes and mortars. To attend this workshop you need to be available for both days (Saturday and Sunday). Limited to 15 persons. Registration required, see specific event posting for registration details.

14.00-16.30 // Fun Mends with Noelle at the Library. Ideal for those busy little fingers (3-6yrs), who enjoying craft activities that use and recycle everyday materials. Limited to 15 children. Registration required, see specific event posting for registration details.

14.00-16.00 // Pocket Forests, Harbour Road. Pocket Forests refer to a particular way of growing small biodiverse forests. Using recycled materials to prepare the ground, this talk and demonstration provides people with an insight into how they can develop their own Pocket Forest. Limited to 20 people. Registration required, see specific event posting for registration details.

14.15-15.15 // Heart, Body, Mind, at St. James’s Hall. Health and fitness practitioners from Kilbeggan including Damian McManamon, Una Smith, Mary Gardner and Mick Murphy discuss care, repair and maintenance from a somatic perspective. Drop in, no booking required.

15.30-16.30 // The Future is Now, at St. James’s Hall: Closing conversation hosted by Repair Acts with reflections by Manchán Magan, TP O’Gorman, Men’s
Shed, Kilbeggan, Gareth Farrell, Principle Mercy School Kilbeggan, Pat Gallagher, Westmeath CoCo, Cllr Hazel Smyth, artist Fiona Kelly and Micheál Callaghan, Community Wetlands Forum. Drop in, no booking required.

16.30 // Exhibition closes, St. James’s Hall. Exhibition closes at St James Hall, in preparation for setting up for the performance Arán & Im.

19.30 – 20.40 // Arán & Im, St. James’s Hall. Theatrical performance and installation in which writer, author, television programme maker, Manchán Magan bakes sourdough bread for 70 minutes while offering insights into the wonders of the Irish language – exploring potent words of landscape, terms of intuition and insight, and the many phrases that bring to life the mysterious glory of our natural world. Registration required, see specific event posting for registration details.

21.00-00.00 // The Saddlers Inn. Closing Thanks.

All events are free. Workshops outside of St James Hall will be limited in numbers with registration required via Eventbrite (details on specific event postings).

For those requiring information on access to all spaces. St James Hall is on flat ground with ramp access, please note that other venues have either ramp access, low steps, elevators or street access. If you have any special access requirements please get in touch via email.