Droichead Arts Centre has announced the recipients of their bursary scheme for 2023 which supports the work and development of artists in the Drogheda region.
“We look forward to working with these artists and we will further support in kind, providing space, mentoring, documentation and assisting in the future development of the projects” said a Droichead spokesperson.
“This is at the heart of who we are and what we do. It is why we exist. We want to enable artists to make work of ambition. We want to create an ecology which nurtures art and artists, and which makes the production and presentation of high-quality work available.”
The 2023 Droichead Bursary Recipients are:
Tadhg Leahy – Musician
Tadhg Leahy is a composer, teacher, instrumentalist and one of the foremost session guitarists in Ireland. Performing and recording for Irish pop, folk and country artists while also performing and recording music under his own name, writing instrumental and vocal music in a variety of genres.
Breifne Holohan – Musician
Breifne Holohan is a musician, composer and producer from Drogheda. A multi-instrumentalist and regular performer of his own work he has collaborated with a variety of visual artists, writers, poets, filmmakers and other musicians.
Nuala Early – Visual Artist
Nuala Early, a sculptor based in Drogheda graduated with a BA Hons Fine Art from Duncan of Jordanstone college of Art and Design Dundee, Scotland in 2010. Nuala creates sculptures in stone and has exhibited in Drogheda, Dublin, Belfast, Cork and in 2018 had a solo show in the Droichead Arts Centre.
Ellen O’Reilly – Writer
Ellen O’Reilly is a musician who turned to stand up after her life went a bit topsy turvy following a cancer diagnosis. Her confidence and her unflinching determination to bring light and humour to the darkest of subject matters can be seen in her comedy and the bursary will help develop a theatre piece based on her experiences.
Carol Rooney – Playwright
Carol Rooney is a Meath based playwright, she works through several theatrical disciplines and originally trained in performance. She has written extensive plays for children and teenagers through her work as a drama facilitator. In recent years, Carol’s writing has dealt with adult themes, ‘Home’ and ‘Weeds’ are her most recent works.
Orla Ní Raghallaigh – Visual Artist
Orla Ní Raghallaigh is a film and theatre designer from Drogheda Co. Louth. This bursary will support Orla in developing a visual art practice that focuses on textile and fibre arts, and their connection to Irish traditional crafts, femininity and storytelling.
Els Borghart – Visual Artist
Els Borghart is a Belgian artist living and working in Drogheda since 2008. Els mainly works in painting, drawing and printmaking and her work is interested in the fragile fluctuating nature of reality and memory and how this influences our changing perception of the world.
Gina Petrea – Visual Artist
Gina is a Romanian artist and arts worker living in Drogheda with a studio based on the Dublin Road. Her main practice consists of organising drawing, painting and 3D modelling workshops for children as well as producing exhibitions and collaborative projects.
Ruarí O’ Coileáin – Visual Artist
Ruarí O’ Coileáin uses art as a way of venting, expressing a love and hate of humanity and its ever changing face. Ruairí pieces have to have an effect. “I try to make you question the status quo. I want my pieces to speak to the subconscious. My medium is life. My art is guerrilla. Reuse, Recycle, Revamp.“
Sharon Lawless – Visual Artist
Sharon Lawless is a visual Artist, majoring in landscape and portrait painting. Born in Dublin, currently living and working in Drogheda, Ireland. Recent winner of Drawing Society of Graphic Fine Art 2022 London.
