Cork City Council Announces August First Fridays Line-Up
First Fridays returns to Cork this Friday, 7 August, with an art talk, eclipse discussion, cathedral readings, a dance party and a market across the city.
Cork City Council has announced the line-up for this month's First Fridays event, taking place this Friday, 7 August. The evening will include an art talk at Nano Nagle Place, a solar eclipse discussion at Blackrock Castle Observatory, readings at St. Fin Barre's Cathedral, a dance party at the Cork Butter Museum and a night market on Cornmarket Street.
As part of the initiative, limited edition cards featuring unique Cork graphics and a QR code to help collect opinions on nighttime in Cork are available at participating venues. The first card, issued in June, featured Blackrock Castle Observatory, while July's card featured all things golden in the city. This month's card features the fountain, the Sir John Benson designed monument erected in 1860 where Tuckey Bridge once stood.
Sculptor Eoin Turner will give a talk at Nano Nagle Place exploring his glass sculptures and the inspiration behind them, including the pieces surrounding Nano Nagle's tomb and the lantern sculpture.
Eoin Turner, Sculptor: "a metaphorical symbol of light and hope in the heart of our city."
The talk takes place on 7 August at 6pm in the Global Hub, Nano Nagle Place, with a €5 donation fee. Tickets can be booked at Nano Nagle Place.
Blackrock Castle Observatory will host a solar eclipse talk by Frances McCarthy, Astronomy and Science Communicator, followed by a special planetarium show with solar eclipse content. The event is free but ticketed due to limited seating, with tickets available via the Observatory website.
St. Fin Barre's Cathedral will host readings by two locally based writers, Judy Kravis and Bláithín Mac Donnell, at 6pm, the first event in the cathedral's August reading series, I'll be your Mirror. Entry is free, with the option of a small donation to the arts programme, and the cathedral will remain open until 9pm.
The Cork Butter Museum will hold a rambling house a bit after Lughnasadh, marking one of the cardinal points in the Celtic calendar when the harvest traditionally begins, featuring singer-songwriter Ger Wolfe and friends. The night will be hosted by Maria Gillen, an award-winning storyteller and set caller, who will curate the night's songs, stories and sets.
Cornmarket Street will host a night market from 5pm to 9pm, while Elizabeth Fort will stay open until 8pm for extended evening viewing.
Full details on all First Fridays events are available at Pure Cork.