Killeenduff Arts Symposium, 2013

A gathering of artists and writers was held in Killeenduff from 29 July to 16 August, 2013, to celebrate the life and work of the sculptor, Fred Conlon, on the occasion of what would have been his 70th Birthday. Conlon died at the height of his powers in 2005, leaving a considerable legacy of public sculpture throughout Ireland but also as far afield as India and Japan.

Conlon loved and derived inspiration from the symposium, or gathering of sculptors in the one place for a specific period of time, to work in close proximity, helping one another and exchanging ideas. He participated in many during his career. We therefore thought the ideal way to celebrate this extraordinary sculptor would be to organise such a symposium in the townland in which he was born, Killeenduff.

Conlon's life-long friend and cousin, the writer Jack Harte, was born next door. A few metres further away was born another cousin, Mary Harte, mother of the McDonagh brothers, filmmakers and playwrights. We therefore decided to extend the symposium to all the arts and celebrate the contribution of Killeenduff to the arts in Ireland.

The symposium was feasible because of the availability of Anu Cottage and Studios, Conlon's birthplace, and the Forge Corner Writers' Retreat, Harte's birthplace. The visiting artists stayed and worked in this location for the three weeks.

This inaugural Symposium was an enormous success as an artistic event. For the three weeks artists visited and worked, or participated in the discussions, as they saw fit. But all felt it was an enriching experience. The list hereunder of the participating artists shows the range of activity. In order to engage the public, especially the local community, we had an Open Day on 4 August, and we had a Literary Evening in Easkey Community Centre on 13 August, at which a local folk poet was invited to present his work for the first time publicly. See the two posters attached. The international aspect and ambition of this Symposium was underscored by the participation of the visiting Bulgarian poet and translator, Valentin Krustev.

Participants:

Jackie McKenna, sculptor
Eileen McDonagh, sculptor
Martha Quinn, sculptor
Billy Moore, sculptor
Valentin Krustev, poet and translator
Jack Harte, writer
Marianne Fahey, actress
Gerry Ryan, actor
John McHugh, sculptor