Event
The West Cork Feel Good Festival is back for 2020, with a mixture of in person and online events running from 3 – 16 October. This annual festival, which coincides with World Mental Health day on 10 October, promotes and celebrates community wellbeing, while linking with many ongoing health and wellbeing resources across West Cork.
The Feel Good Festival is organised by 49 North Street in Skibbereen, The Wellbeing Network in West Cork and Mental Health Engagement Cork Kerry, working in partnership with community groups and organisations. In the current environment, the organisers feel it is more important than ever to offer a showcase of hope and optimism.
‘The festival is about finding ways that we can still join together in community and support each other in these difficult times, within the current public health guidelines.’ – Kevin O’Shanahan, 49 North Street, Nurse Specialist in Mental Health and the Arts
Programme highlights
Idir Eatarthú (Between Worlds)
49 North Street
9-12 October, 11am-6pm
This audiovisual installation combining music, sound, colour, light, visuals and meditation, offers total immersion in a calming setting to provide a much-needed rest for the senses. Idir Eatarthú can be enjoyed individually or in small groups from a single household. The space was developed in collaboration with artists Tomasz Madajzak, Aoise Tutty Jackson and Nikki Fitzpatrick of Myzenpod.com. Idir Eatarthú includes original compositions by Kevin Mc Nally, Kevin O’Shanahan of Gamelan Spréach Geala and guitarist Gerry Leonard, who has worked with David Bowie and Suzanne Vega amongst others. Advance booking essential.
‘LockDown OpenUp’ Webinar presented by The Wellbeing Network
Online
13 October, 7-8pm
A webinar on reclaiming positivity in this challenging year with a panel including author Louise O’Neill, Dr. Pat Bracken, independent Consultant Psychiatrist, and Rory Doody, Area Lead for Mental Health Engagement across Cork and Kerry HSE. The panel will discuss the challenges that the current pandemic presents to our wellbeing and offer practical advice to the audience on what they can do to remain positive, stay connected and look after their own and their family’s health and wellbeing. MC for the webinar is Bantry native, journalist and broadcaster Alison O’Connor.
Tune In
Online screening
Screening link to be announced
Tune In was created as a response to the conditions of lockdown. In the spirit of co-production, filmmakers Aoise Tutty Jackson and Maggie Ryan collaborated with 49 North Street’s musical improvisation group The Happiness Ensemble and Music Alive to create a collective response to the times we are living in.
Songs from Bantry, Beara and Beyond
Ongoing throughout the Festival
Nora Edgeworth, co–founder of Bantry Community Choir, will be collecting local songs from Bantry and around West Cork. These songs will be performed during ‘Open Door’ music groups at 49 North Street during the coming year. To submit suggestions, songs or recordings, please send to songsbantryandbeyond@gmail.com
In person events are in strict adherence with public health guidelines, with limited spaces and pre-booking required.
The full programme can be accessed at www.thewellbeingnetwork.ie/feelgoodfestival
Download the programme here.
