Exhibition by Bantry Day Care Centre with artist Michael Greenlaw as part of Bealtaine Festival!
Bantry Library 1- 31 May
Artist Michael Greenlaw worked with 40 participants from Bantry Day Care Centre as part of the Arts for Health Partnership Programme to create an artwork inspired by Lá Buidhe Bealtaine – the bright or yellow day of May.
Conversations during the art sessions brought about recollections of what used to happen at this time of the year including a story of bringing sycamore branches into the house or putting greenery through letterboxes – all symbols of bringing in the summer.
About Bealtaine
In the Irish language Bealtaine means the month of May – the time when cattle were put out to pasture. The start of Summer when days are getting longer, the furze is in bloom and many other bright yellow wildflowers are making an appearance. In days gone by – doors, windows, byres and even the cattle themselves would have been decorated with the bright floral signs of the Summer to come. Some people would wash their faces in the early morning dews on 1st May in the hope that they would appear more beautiful. In some parts of Ireland bunches of flowers might have been left on the doorstep to be found as you opened the door on the morning of the 1st of May.
‘We have the front door – which is itself symbolic of the month of May, the doorway into Summer – surrounded by individually made pieces – some incorporating real wild flowers including: dandelions; daisies; furze; buttercups and bluebells, some of the pieces are knitted and crocheted from wool which has been dyed yellow from boiling furze; there are some paper pieces which incorporate furze ink and dandelion ink – again both made by boiling the plants. For extra good-luck a horse shoe is added above the door.’ – Micheal Greenlaw
Thanks to Bantry Day Care Centre staff: Christine, Joan, Adele, Chloe and Anne.