X-PO Kilnaboy

X-PO – The Door is Open. Public Meeting 6th September @8pm

2010-08-19T03:08:00.000-07:00

Over the last few years the X-PO LOCAL ARTS PROJECT has been supported day by day, week by week, month by month by the people of the locality. Whether it be setting up and running clubs, groups and exhibitions for singers, dancers, knitters, Irish speakers or local map makers; providing tea and buns for the exhibition launches; organising with the Kilnaboy Development Association the wonderful children’s Christmas Party; supporting coffee mornings, card games, pub quizzes and social nights; attending talks on killeens, natural history, local history, herbs and caving – the events have been run and the people have come. Each September since the X-PO started it has held a General Public Meeting to allow people to make their feelings about the project known. The meeting also serves as an introduction to the X-PO for those who have not heard of it and a report on the year’s activities for those who have. An invitation is extended to everybody to get involved with the project either by joining in the clubs and groups, setting up a new club or group. Please turn up for the Public Meeting and find out about the social and cultural opportunities taking place right on your doorstep.

EVENTS at X-PO Final week before Summer closure!

2010-05-25T04:16:00.000-07:00

Wed. 26th May Archaeological field trip in the High Commons area of Kilnaboy led by long-time resident Michael Lynch. The High Commons has one of the densest concentrations of archaeological monuments in the entire country.

Meet at 7.00 pm at the lay-by of the old church in Kilnaboy on the R476 Corofin to Kilfenora road. All welcome and the event is free of charge.

                
Fri.  28th May at 7pm/8pm/9pm: SEEING  AND DREAMING-
A COLLABORATION  OF VISUAL ART AND PERFORMANCE
              
Meet Dorothy. Dorothy is eighty and lives alone in a Victorian house in Birmingham. She has one eye, no  teeth and a soft spot for Starsky and Hutch.
A visual theatre portrait telling the intricate story of one life. Visual artist and  puppeteer Sarah Fuller and performer Vanessa Earl are collaborating to bring  Dorothy’s story to life using shadows, objects and performance. Her story is told through the memories of her eight-year old grand-daughter who spent many weekends at her house.
Performance lasts approximately 30mins. There will be no seating, so please be prepared to  stand. 
This is a work-in-progress performance, there will be no charge but any donations  will be received with pleasure!

Until 30th May EXCEPT Friday 28th
X-PO  Mapping Group Research, Tracing &  Tales of Kilnaboy Townlands & Inhabitants
The houses and  remains of houses from 24 of the townlands of Kilnaboy named, traced and  placed alongside accounts of the occupants.
 This work  is the fruit of the past two years work by members of X-PO mapping group  who meet every Tuesday from September to the end of May.
Open:  Mon-Fri 8 - 10 pm. Sat and Sunday 2 - 5 pm.

GMIT Verge Symposium.

2010-03-05T07:50:00.000-08:00

Date: Monday 19th April 2010
Venue: Theatre 1000, New Building, GMIT, Dublin Rd., Campus, Galway.
Time: Presentation by Georgina Barney: 2.30
Symposium: 3 - 6pm

The aim of this symposium is to consider the form and content of a new visual art publication, VERGE. The publication is intended as an alternative to urban-based visual arts publications and contains articles from writers, artists and poets on issues relating to rural arts and profiles of pertinent projects.
Each speaker has particular knowledge to bring to this discourse- visual arts practice, art history, sociology, agriculture, heritage and critical theory. It is intended that they bring an external perspective to the publication and stimulate an open interrogation of the direction and dissemination of future research at the institute. The symposium will inform the focus of future trans-disciplinary and practice-led research at GMIT. Research already developed at the institute has fed into a module on Art and Heritage in Rural Contexts. A significant proportion of students studying at GMIT are from rural backgrounds. At a time of accelerated socio-economic, cultural and environmental change, the particular challenges of all forms of visual art practice in rural public spaces is a subject of ongoing research within the institute.

The symposium will be preceded by a presentation by UK based artist Georgina Barney, on her project Great British Farming. The artist is currently undertaking a PhD through practice at Grey’s School of Art Aberdeen.

Panelists:
Jay Koh, Artist, http://ifima.net/
Megs Morely, Artist/Former Public Arts Officer Galway City Arts Office.
Pat Cooke. Director of the MA in Cultural Policy and Arts Management (UCD)
Michaele Cutaya, Freelance Writer/Artist.
Dr. Anne Byrne School of Political Science and Sociology (NUIG)
Dr. Aine Macken Walsh, Teagasc Rural Economy Research Centre
Jenny Haughton Public Arts Policy Advisor, the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaionn.
Catherine Marshall, Art historian.
Chair: Deirdre O’Mahony, Artist/Lecturer (GMIT)

The symposium is free but places are limited.
To register please email:

Second Tues of the Month Talk

2010-03-05T07:48:00.000-08:00

Michael Lynch will be giving a talk on the archeology of the Burren. X-PO next Tuesday 9th March at 8pm.
Free All welcome.

Robin Sheen Caving in the Burren.

2010-02-07T00:46:00.000-08:00

Next X-PO Mapping Group Second Tuesday of the Month Talk: Tues 9th Feb. 2010.

Robin Sheen

Caving in the Burren.

Robin has explored the caves of the Burren for the past 30 years and the X-Po is delighted to have this opportunity for him to share his knowledge with the community.

8pm

Free... Donations welcome!

2009-12-07T02:18:00.000-08:00

Stop Press!
Second Tuesday of the month
Mapping Group TALK
by Deirdre O'Mahony on artists and Kilnaboy
CANCELLED until January 12th at 8 PM.
Apologies

Kilnaboy Christmas Gathering at the X-PO

2009-12-06T01:11:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2008 at the X-PO. Photograph Peter Rees

Kilnaboy Christmas Gathering

at the X-PO.

Friday 11th Dec at 8.00pm

Lighting the Christmas tree, Carol singing, Santa, Refreshments, Set dancing, Mulled wine, tea Mince Pies!

Please Park at the pull-in above the old Kilnaboy Church.

Thanks to: Kilnaboy Community Development Association and the X-PO.

Happy Christmas!

Also: X-PO Mapping Group: Talk by Deirdre O'Mahony on Artists and the Burren.

Next Tuesday 8.00pm all welcome.

2009-09-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

New club at X-PO...every second Wed. Sewing, knitting, embroidery, felting all things related to textiles. Come and sign up next Wed 30th. Club starting the following week and runs every second Wednesday.

"Ragairne" Irish conversation group on next Wed 30th, all welcome.

Set dancing starting again on Thursdays- start date Thursday 1st October.

Singers and players Monday 8.30.

Mapping and Tracing Tuesdays 8.30: All the houses within the parish of Kilnaboy are being named and traced- next step the photographs. If you have photographs of the houses and ruins in the parish please come along and they will be scanned on a Tuesday evening, adding to the archive of local information.

2009-09-07T03:58:00.000-07:00

X-PO starts up again Monday Sept 7th 8.30 - singers night
Mapping Tuesday 8th - Coffee Morning Friday 11th Sept

NEW SEASON NEWS SEPTEMBER 09

2009-08-27T03:36:00.000-07:00

X-PO Kilnaboy Post Office Cultural Exchange Project – GOING FORWARD
PUBLIC MEETING
THURSDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 8PM @ X-PO - KILNABOY POST OFFICE
There will be a public meeting to discuss future actions/ events at the X-PO and to select action teams to initiate and organize clubs, groups and cultural events in the coming months.
All are welcome to attend and contribute to the discussion on the future of the X-PO.

Clubs start with the X-PO Singers and Players at 8pm Monday 7 September. All welcome.

Activities at X-PO April 2009

2009-04-13T00:53:00.001-07:00

X-PO conversation evening, the second Tuesday of every month.

Tues. 14th April: Folklore and stories of Kilnaboy. Conversations led by James Neylon. 8.30 pm

All Welcome.

Set-dancing finishes end of April.

Check blog for clubs and groups summer opening times and activities.

NEXT EXHIBITION BY MICHAEL FORTUNE OPENS SUNDAY 3rd MAY AT 12 NOON.

DEIRDRE O'MAHONY RE-PRESENTATIONS AT THE BURREN COLLEGE OF ART GALLERY.

OPENS SAT 16TH MAY - 12TH JUNE.

Launch 3pm by Jenny Haughton Public Arts Consultant to the Arts Council.

OPEN 12-5 MON - SAT .

Re-Presentations will include the four archives generated though the X-PO along with Deirdre O'Mahonys investigations and research into the rural landscape.

The Mattie Rynne Archive.

The Mapping Group Archive.

The Rinnamona Research Group Archive.

The Peter Rees Archive.

Launch of Wise Ways and Retrace

2009-02-10T00:23:00.000-08:00

Wise Ways

AN EXHIBITION OF ARTWORK BY VISITORS TO RAHEEN COMMUNITY HOSPITAL DAYCARE CENTRE, East County Clare.

Retrace
BY TERRY O’FARRELL
Launch Sunday 15th February at 12 noon.
Exhibition runs from 15th February to March 29th 2009.

Opening Times: Tues to Thursday: 2- 5pm.

Friday: 10.30 – 12.30 (Coffee Morning) Sunday 2-5pm.

Artist Terry O’Farrell will be running workshops with groups from the Kilnaboy Community during 18^th-20^th of March. The current exhibition and workshops are funded by IMMA and the Raheen Hospital Support Group. In doing these workshops in Kilnaboy the participants will be adding to the Wise Ways collection, and the stories will take on a new life through the event

Wise Ways was jointly funded by The Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), Raheen Hospital Support Group and The Iniscealtra Festival of Arts.

Holy Wells Talk at X-PO

2009-01-27T14:06:00.000-08:00

Francis Whelan of the X-PO Mapping and Tracing Group will be giving atalk on the Holy Wells around Kilnaboy on Tuesday 3rd February at 8.30in the X-PO.
Kilnaboy abounds with Holy Wells, some well known and visited on annual pilgrimages by hundreds, some hidden, some known only from old maps and stories but now lost or very hard to find. Francis has an extensive knowledge of the area and will not only be talking about the wells but gathering information for inclusion in the Mapping group archive.
All Welcome

New Exhibition at X-PO: WISE WAYS and ReTrace

2009-01-21T07:54:00.000-08:00

Wise Ways

and

ReTrace

by Terry O'Farrell.

Opening on Sunday Feb. 15th

at 12 noon.

Exhibition runs from Feb 15^th – 29^th March

New Opening Hours: Tues, Wed, Thurs: 2 -5 pm.

Friday Coffee Mornings: 10.30am - 12.30pm.

Sundays: 2-5pm

Workshops: March 18/19/20^th

There is a very exciting exhibition programme coming up at the X-PO in 2009 beginning with Wise Ways. The work was made at Raheen Hospital Day Care Centre by older members of the East Clare community as part the Arts and Education Programme for The Iniscealtra Arts Festival in 2007 and was facilitated by Dublin artist; Terry O’Farrell who is on the panel of artists of the Irish Museum of Modern Art. The exhibition combines objects made in fired unglazed clay and the ‘story’ connected with each clay work from all of the participants and reflects the memories and creativity of the participants, giving a unique representation of aspects of rural life in Clare in the past.

It is linked to local folk knowledge, and is of particular importance in these times as it is a reminder of commonsence ways of ‘making do’ from a time when personal possessions were ment to last a lifetime.

Wise Ways sits well within the ethos of previous work at the X-PO which both privileged and made visible the many overlooked stories of rural life.

The X-PO is delighted to announce that the Irish Museum of Modern Art are facilitating Terry O’Farrell, to do a three day workshop on March 18/19/20^th with various groups in Kilnaboy.

In doing these workshops in Kilnaboy the participants will be adding to the Wise Ways collection, and the stories will take on a new life through the event.

Terry O'Farrell will also be exhibiting her work ReTrace:

I found a photograph amongst my father’s possessions of a girl in sandals disconnected by time and memory from those that had known her. I traced through the dust and later in the studio retraced the void lost without reference.

Terry O’ Farrell. February 2009.

X-PO CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR SALE

2008-11-08T10:19:00.000-08:00

The X-PO Christmas Card is now available.
There are 2 designs - one featuring the Mattie Rynny Wall Portrait from the X-PO kitchen.
The other a view of the old Kilnaboy School House with the Church in the background.

Prices €5 for 6 - all funds to help keep the X-PO going.

New Exhibition at X-PO Megs Morley: Penning the Marts

2008-11-06T01:27:00.000-08:00

Megs Morley:

Penning the Marts

Opening Sunday 16th November at 12pnoon.

Exhibition runs Mon - Thurs 2 - 5pm

Friday Coffee Morning 10.30 - 12.30.

Megs Morley's award-winning work "Penning the Mart" can be seen at X-PO for the first time since the Claremorris Open in 2005 when Curator Andrea Schlieker of the Serpintine Gallery in London awarded it First Prize.

The Video work comprises of interviews with farmers and locals in Claremorris telling their stories and memories of the 'marts' and the changes in their way of farming and the social life that went with it.

The work echoed one of Peter Reeses works, a series of photographs taken of the last cattle mart in Kilnaboy in 2003, which he showed in his "Udder View" exhibition at X-PO last June. This work will also be exhibited along with Megs Morley's Photographs at X-PO.

X-PO AT THE CROSSROADS

2008-09-11T02:06:00.000-07:00

8 Sept 2008
For almost a year now the decommissioned Kilnaboy post office has had a new purpose and new lease of life. Renamed X-PO, the old building has seen a concentrated burst of artistic and community activity unique in a small rural community. Driven by the vision and energy of Dromoher artist Deirdre O’Mahony, as part of her doctoral thesis at the University of Brighton, the X-PO has drawn many people in, curious to see what kind of a thing this X-PO arts project might be way out in the rural west.
Local people initially embraced the project through the first archive exhibition: a tribute to a great local character, genuine gentleman and postmaster of many years, Mattie Rynne. There followed exhibitions, talks and presentations dealing with the changing environment, changing farm life and changing rural social circumstances that mirrored events and concerns in countless other rural parishes.
Local interest groups took ownership of the X-PO idea through local history and mapping projects. They used X-PO computer resources to scan and reprint old photographs gathered in the community for a community archive. They also used the building as a meeting place and a base. The Macra na Fierme also found a home there. Health and Beauty and Set Dancing evenings were arranged.
Visitors from all over the world signed the visitors book. Passing tourists, academics and students from the Burren School of Art, conference delegates and summer scholars all came to look and left with a glimpse of Ireland past, present and future that they could have found absolutely nowhere else.
And now ….?
Now ... the reins pass from a single artist to the X-PO Community. Action Groups have been set up to work on Funding, Culture, Local History and Education. The ‘Team X-PO’ Management and Co-ordination Group has been set up to continue the work Deirdre started: to continue to build social and artistic networks locally and globally: to adapt the basic shape of the X-PO to its new circumstances.
What that shape will turn out to be is not yet clear. Commitment, participation, interest and circumstance will all play their part. Over the past year valuable friends and partnerships have been made for the X-PO those relationships will carry into the future.
At present the necessary structures are being put in place so that funds and grants can be applied for, exhibitions and events can be organised and the place kept open.
On September 19th there will the first of a weekly Friday Tea and Coffee morning and a chance to preview the new photography and film exhibition: X-PO Retrospective – the beginnings. This exhibition will feature large-scale photographs taken by Deirdre O’Mahony when she first started to work on the project nearly a year ago. There will also be showing a film by Ennistymon filmmaker Fergus Tighe who has documented the X-PO from the early days.
Clubs and gatherings will start on Monday 22nd September and should feature a Singers and Players Club, Set Dancing, Local History and Mapping, Drawing for Portfolio, Health and Beauty, Music.
X-PO would like to thank everyone who has helped, sponsored or aided us in any way. X-PO would especially like to thank those who have participated in the many events over the past year.
Contact XPO on 086 0872983 or Team XPO for availabilities and times.

2008-08-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

2008-08-20T08:59:00.000-07:00

2008-08-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

2008-08-20T08:55:00.000-07:00

2008-08-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

2008-07-21T12:08:00.000-07:00

Image from Surfacing: Viscaux now running at X-PO.

Tues 22nd July at 8 pm

Michael Mc Caughan will talk about his his book, The Price of Our Souls: Gas Shell and Ireland which deals with the controversial Corrib Gas Project in North Mayo, where Shell is building a gas refinery and high pressure pipeline in a landscape of extraordinary natural beauty.

McCaughan has written extensively about local and global economic interests and is based in the Burren with extensive experience in Latin America.

X-PO, Kilnaboy Cross, Kilnaboy, Co Clare. Tel 065 6827940 xpo.kilnaboy@gmail.com

X-PO GOING LOCAL

2008-07-13T04:14:00.000-07:00

The X-PO: GOING LOCAL At a meeting on June 29th at Kilnaboy NS Deirdre O’Mahony explained to the community that after almost a year of hard work renovating, equipping and developing the old Post Office in Kilnaboy as a public art space that her intention is now to step back from the project. Deirdre thanked everyone for the support given to X-PO and said that the project was now there for the community to develop and enjoy as both a community and cultural space. One of the main points raised was the intensive program of events and exhibitions organised and facilitated by Deirdre over the past eight months. All who had been involved in the various exhibitions curated at the X-PO expressed their thanks for the huge amount of work done but many were wary of taking over having seen what was involved. Deirdre pointed out that the X-PO was run in past year as a single artist project; the pace had been dictated by the durational nature of her proposal and also as a way of drawing in and engaging with the community. The numbers visiting and using X-PO have vindicated this approach, however the pace of events can now change and adapt to suit the future plans and needs of the community. Deirdre is at a point of completion with her PhD and will not be able to continue with the X-PO for the immediate future. Jim Maher agreed to make the X-PO available to the community for the further continuation of the project and Deirdre asked if people were willing to take over. The general consensus was that the project should be continued but the fear was that people already on many community committees would face ‘burn-out’ and find themselves jeopardising other projects by taking on more commitments. It was acknowledged that there is a need for new people to step forward and get involved in projects like the X-PO and that all members of the community, whether newcomers or long-standing residents would be welcomed and appreciated, regardless of prior experience. Deirdre envisaged, not a committee, but project teams, to care for the different aspects of the project: Mapping, Local History, Evening Classes, and Local Knowledge Archive have some representation and are planning on continuing their work. An administration team is required to take care of programming and the fundraising. The X-PO evaluator, Jay Koh, reminded the meeting that working as a community group opened up many avenues of funding. The Arts Council has already backed the project and shown great interest but areas such as Heritage, Tourism, Leader, VEC could also be approached. The curation of exhibitions could be in the hands of invited, funded Artists and Interns. Everyone agreed that the status attained by the X-PO with visits from the Arts Council, American Universities, RTE, Kilnaboy NS and the huge interest shown by local residents meant that the project had to be carried forward by the community. The call is out for members of the community to volunteer for the Project Teams being formed.

For Further information call 065 6827940 or email xpo.kilnaboy@gmail.com

Deirdre O'Mahony SURFACING: Viscaux 2004 - 2008

2008-07-13T02:42:00.000-07:00

Kilnaboy Cross,
Kilnaboy, Co Clare
065 6837177
xpo.kilnaboy@gmail.com

DEIRDRE O'MAHONY

Surfacing: Viscaux 2004 - 2008

Launch Sunday 20th July at 12 noon

Exhibition runs from Sunday 20th July to Friday 29th August 2008

Opening Times: Monday to Friday: 2- 5pm, Sundays 2- 5pm.
Evenings: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 7 - 9pm

X-PO is a public art project that seeks to actively engage rural communities by giving time and space to review, recall and renew core community values and priorities.

Funded by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaionn and SuperValue.

Peter Rees: An Udder View

2008-07-13T02:30:00.000-07:00

Peter Rees: John Collins and Michael Collins with Frank O'Grady back from the winterage 2000

Peter Rees The Legion of Mary Corofin 1998

Peter Rees: The Last Cattle Auction in Kilnaboy 2003

PETER REES

AN UDDER VIEW- DOCUMENTING A COMMUNITY
Kilnaboy 1983 -2008

May 20th to June 13th

If Kilnaboy man Peter Rees: full time truck driver, dedicated part time photographer, had a theme tune it would most certainly be Del Reeves classic, 'Looking at the world through a windshield'. For the past 30 years Peter has been photographing the leavings, returnings, christenings, weddings, communions, births, deaths and any and all other significant events in the parish, amassing a vast collection of pictures chronicling the ever changing ways and days of his friends and neighbours. His truck cab vantage point has given him a better than average point of view of the comings and goings in the community and his archiving nature has kept the evidence neat and accessible in a room full of photo albums.

The advent of Deirdre O'Mahony's Kilnaboy X-PO public arts project has allowed Peter the perfect opportunity to present his work in a dedicated exhibition. The X-PO project being all about rural community, its past, present and future. Peter's work is a perfect fit to follow the mappings and tracings, the videos, paintings and museum style exhibitions Deirdre has already curated for the X-PO. In what is surely a unique exposition of the lives, times and history of a rural parish Deirdre and Peter have spent months, evening by evening, trawling through thousands of pictures, selecting images year by year to make up his show.

For most of his truck driving years Peter Rees drove a creamery tanker famous for its 'Udder Cola' livery. His photographic exhibition, 'An Udder View' – your world, his vision.

Phil Gaston

X-PO is a public art project that seeks to actively engage

rural communities by giving space and time to review,

recall and renew core community values and priorities.

2008-05-20T07:15:00.000-07:00

Try the links below for a set of pics of the opening of

Tracings, Narratives and Representations: Kilnaboy 1842- 2008

taken by Colm Byrne and a general location map for the Kilnaboy X-PO.

2008-05-20T06:55:00.000-07:00

Photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/colmbyrne/sets/72157605122284336/show

Annotated Google Map
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=104695412149298014264.00044d7f7e83a3a432b59&ll=52.969513,-9.085983&spn=0.002539,0.007253&z=17

2008-05-20T06:08:00.000-07:00

Tracings, Narratives and Representations: Kilnaboy 1842- 2008

The Rinnamona Research Group
Séan Taylor

The X-PO Mapping Group

A crowded house on Sunday May 18th saw the opening of Tracings Mappings and Representations 1842 - 2008 at the X-PO in Kilnaboy. Half the population of the parish and a good many other interested parties gathered for a densely archived presentation of collective memory, celebration of place and artful investigation of what it means to 'belong'.

Exhibition ran from May 18th -June 13th 2008

2008-05-20T05:38:00.000-07:00

Tracings, Narratives and Representations, Kilnaboy 1842- 2008

2008-05-13T07:15:00.001-07:00

NEW EXHIBITIONS AT X-PO

2008-05-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

Rinnamona Research Group

Séan Taylor

The X-PO Mapping Group.

Opening Sunday May 18th at 3pm.

Exhibition runs from May 18th -June 13th 2008

NEW EXHIBITIONS AT X-PO

2008-05-13T06:57:00.000-07:00

Tracings, Narratives and Representations, Kilnaboy 1842- 2008

Rinnamona Research GroupSéan TaylorThe X-PO Mapping Group. Opening Sunday May 18th at 3pm.Exhibition runs from May 18th -June 13th 2008

Opening Times for this exhibition:Monday to Sat 2.00 – 5.00 pm
Evenings: Mon, Tues, Thurs. and Fri. 7.00 – 9.00 pm.

X-PO is a public art project by Deirdre O'Mahony.
The aim is to revive the kind of incidental social space formerly represented by the rural post office and it will be the subject of a Nationwide feature in the coming weeks.
X-PO is generously supported by The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíonn and SuperValu X-PO, Kilnaboy, Co Clare. Tel 065 6827940 Email: xpo.kilnaboy@gmail.com

2008-04-25T06:30:00.000-07:00

Logo

2008-04-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

X-PO Kilnaboy - Coming Events April 2008

2008-04-25T03:31:00.000-07:00

Sat 26th 2 - 5pm

Evaluation visit

Artist Jay Koh is visiting the X-PO and will be at the X-PO to meet and hear comments

and contributions on the project to date.

SUNDAY 27th

at 2pm

Public Meeting: The future for the X-PO.

at 3.30pm

Exhibition Launch: Farming: A Visual Stuttering Artist: Eileen Healy

Exhibition runs from April 27th to May 10th.

The X-PO is open Monday to Friday 2-5pm.