Eigse

Nokia6230i

Not calling it by their other/new name; just like Snickers isn't Marathon, it's Eigse.....

Could only locate two threads; 2008 & 2014s so hope it's okay to start a new one?

At the bottom of College St. & end of Dublin St. where Statham Motors used be is a black board (or chalk board) with "Before I die I want to...." and you get to fill in the blanks yourself.

Have seen "kiss a Christian Brother", "Kiss Mr. Doyle", "Foot Turf", "Cut Turf" and "Crack open a can with the boys" along with "Find my Daughter" and "Find my Father".

There's chalk on site (yellow, purple, pink, blue and white I think) too.

It's a novel idea although they could've widened it across the way to where the gate is/was which is testament to its popularity as it's proving relatively popular among different age groups.

Elsewhere I see various poles have been wool bombed or at very least fabric bombed.

Can't help thinking they've missed a trick here; run a competition so people can claim ownership of a pole or poles and call it, wait for it....Pimp my Pole!

It would encourage those artistic enough to get involved, claim ownership of the Arts Festival which, to me, in its 38th year is a pile of poo and dying off fast.

Even the Festival of Writing and Ideas has separated away; former festival director Hugo Jellett is involved there so that's quite telling in itself.

byhookorbycrook

Éigse used to be far more broad based and accessible to everyone. We used to bring the children down to the exhibits and there were even exhibits by the children themselves.It's become a bit too "arty-farty" I think. Maybe I'm just a philistine though.

bytheglass

I am really disappointed by this years efforts.
Entering the town from Wexford Rd there isn't a single sign advertising the event.
It should be on the Energia link for things to do this weekend and no sign;
https://www.energia.ie/blog/domestic/2017/june/june-2017/clever-map-of-cheap-and-free-stuff-to-do-in-ireland
How do the organizers expect a good turnout if the general public (and locals) don't know about it?
I haven't seen any flyers around either....
You have to presume they are broke and don't understand the value of marketing. They shouldn't be surprised by a lack of footfall this year.

iano.p

Yeah the whole thing isn't as good as it once was. I like the way they use St pats but bar a few light polls been wrapped on dublin st it's hard to see anything else going on.. The buzz on the town years ago when this was on was great now I think they are catering to a more upmarket crowed.

Owryan

Thought there was a great atmosphere in the college grounds last night and the main event was brilliant, what I saw of it.

However, the large crowd meant it was hard to get a good view of it especially for children. It's a pity that a lot of families left because they couldn't get a good view of it. Hard to know how to address this unless they install a raised platform or something.

Some of the prices being charged at the food stalls were eye watering although having O'Hara's on tap numbed the pain about.

I thought last year's set up had much more activities for kids and my three thought the same.

For all the publicity the festival appears to go un noticed in the town. In previous years they have closed lower Tullow st and Dublin st for it or used the town park. They seem to be moving towards a performance based festival but only using one location rather than trying to spread them out.

maccored

ive the complete opposite view than many put forward here. i think the arts festival is way more open and interesting that it was, say, in the early - mid 90s. It needs to open up a bit more with an actual honest to goodness music festival with more than a scattering of bands playing at it (thankfully a few carlow musicians got together to put the fringe festival together this year and at least had some kind of music scene going on), but outside of that its no longer all about bad pottery and being part of the 'art clique' (ie retired old women making pottery and bad art). Keep it up I say

byhookorbycrook

Maccored, I think your statement about local musicians having to get together is part of the issue. We have some incredible musicians in Carlow, why should they have to be a "fringe." And as to bad pottery, so what, who decided what is "good" and "bad" anyhow, if it's local and someone likes it, then why not include it?

Nokia6230i

Unsure how many security companies we have in the town/county (Dolmen & CSS're the two come to mind) but there's a list of individual licence holders on the PSA website also.

Yet Eigse've chosen to use a company from Co. Wexford.........

Was speaking to a few of the stall holders today r/g pricing.

Got figures of €300 & €500 based on whether simply selling sweets or say, producing & selling hot food like chips & pizza etc.

maccored

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Maccored, I think your statement about local musicians having to get together is part of the issue. We have some incredible musicians in Carlow, why should they have to be a "fringe." And as to bad pottery, so what, who decided what is "good" and "bad" anyhow, if it's local and someone likes it, then why not include it?

i totally agree as far as the musicians are concerned. bad pottery though - that will affect the universe that stuff.

Ivefoundgod

As touched upon by other posters, the festival is now aimed at a very cliquey crowd and doesn't involve local acts except for a select few. I know for example that kids from a dance school in the town were used in one of the shows but yet the school got no mention, only the choreographer who created the show, completely ignoring the people who spent years teaching those kids to get to that level. Its just bad form. As well as that the acts and musicians they get are getting worse every year IMO.

They need to start involving Carlow people, both in the organising of it and the selection of acts. There should be any amount of local acts in it, even if not in the Visual but in smaller venues around the Town yet there is almost nothing. Hard to support it in its current form for me anyway as it leaves a bad taste in the mouth.