An informal lunch to celebrate the closing of the festival. A chance to share memories and make plans to meet again for the Bere Island Arts Festival 2025.
As part of the closing celebrations, there will be a musical and literary collaboration between Conal Creedon and Eva McMullan.
Recipient of the Lord Mayor’s Culture Award 2020, Conal Creedon was appointed cultural ambassador to the City of Cork 2019 and adjunct Professor of Creative Writing at UCC 2017. Cónal's friendly and humorous style has made him a regular at International literary festivals and a guest lecturer in most universities in Ireland, and as far afield as New York University – NYU, Florence University, James Joyce Foundation at Zurich University, Fudan University Shanghai. Cónal's short stories have achieved recognised in numerous awards, And his novel, Begotten Not Made was awarded the prestigious Eric Hoffer Award USA 2020 and his historical fiction, Art Imitating Life Imitating Death, was awarded the IP Gold Award USA 2023. Cónal’s film documentaries are regularly screened at internationally renowned festivals and universities – including World Expo 2010 China. His stage plays have achieved high critical acclaim and picked up a number of awards in New York – with productions at home in Ireland and internationally in Shanghai, China and New York, USA.
Dr. Eva McMullan is a musicologist at the Department of Music UCC whose interests are rooted in connecting communities through choral music and devising teaching methodologies that increase the accessibility and receptiveness of music. Renowned for her enthusiastic presentations, Eva is currently the musical director of the University College Cork Choir, the Crosshaven Community Choir. Most recently, she has returned as conductor of the iconic St. Francis Church Choir. As musical director, Eva has collaborated with both Nationally and Internationally acclaimed performers such as the late Cork Soprano Cara O’Sullivan, Iarla Ó’Lionáird, John Spillane, Cónal Creedon, Brian Kennedy, Karen Casey, the Frank and Walters and Paddy Casey. In addition, Eva has also collaborated with the Kansas State University Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Dr. David Littrell, the Dublin Orchestral Players conducted by Dr. Ciarán Crilly and NUIG Orchestra conducted by Mr. Hugh Kelly. This event will bring the literary excellence of Cónal Creedon and the choral expertise of Eva McMullan together once again in this spectacular conclusion to this inaugural Bere Island Festival.
This is a free event. Tickets must be booked in advanced. Donations can be made at your own discretion on the day.
Click HERE to book your place.