International Women’s Day

Lá Idirnáisiúnta na mBan

Sunday 8th March 2020

On Sunday 8th March The Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival will celebrate International Women’s Day in the Community Centre.

Our celebration of the day begins at 11.30 with a Coffee Morning in Café Natural. We are delighted to invite Community Centre General Manager Jacinta Lowndes to open the day.
Enjoy tea/coffee and scones while being entertained by
The Ukulele Hussies, Peig McManus reading her short and hilarious story “Pendulous”, “ Por una Cabeza” tango from Scent of a Woman – a violin duet played by Cliona O’Reilly and Eleanor Ronan, Brίd Staples sings “Grandma’s Hands”, “Landscape and Memory – Recalling the Mistresses of Mount Evans” – short extracts from the soon to be published books “Margaret Evans – Poet of Portrane” and Sophie Parnell Evans – Feminism, Politics and Farming in 19th Century Portrane” read by Cliona O’Reilly.
We finish the coffee morning with the singing of “Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think”.

This year we are celebrating Irish Women Painters of the 20th Century – Invisible and almost Unknown.
Sarah Purser, Mainie Jellett, Evie Hone and Mary Swanzy studied non-representational art under André Lhote and Albert Gleizes. In 1923, Jellett brought back her first cubist works to Dublin, and she is recognised as one of the first artists to introduce abstract painting to Ireland. At the same time, Swanzy was creating and exhibiting figurative compositions that incorporated abstract elements associated with cubism and futurism.
Read about their lives, their paintings and on their influence on the Irish art scene.
Here on the Donabate Portrane peninsula we have a large number of extremely talented women artists and they will be exhibiting in the upstairs studios in the Community Centre from 1.30 – 4.00pm.

Mary Derwan and her team from Marks and Spencer return to us this year with their very popular bra fitting service. They are also offering a mastectomy bra fitting service. Some women missed this opportunity last year so the team will be in the Community Centre from 12.00 – 3.00pm.
Our Talks are centred on Women’s Health and Wellbeing.
12.30 – “Healthy Ageing” a presentation by Gaye Godkin – Consultant Nutritionist. Gaye is one of Ireland’s leading public health nutritionists. She received her master’s degree in Public Health Nutrition from UCD. Gaye also works as a clinical nutritionist and offers a one-to-one personalised nutrition service. Gaye is a regular guest on RTE, TV3, Newtalk and RTE Radio 1. She is also a regular features writer for The Irish Independent, writing articles on food, health, pregnancy wellness etc.
1.15 – “Reflexology – Good for the Sole” – Talk and demonstration by Catherine Connolly. Catherine is an experienced Reflexologist/Aromatherapist/Reiki Master Her therapies featured on the RTE1 programme “The Health of the Nation” She is a Clinical Aromatherapist and Reflexologist at Fern Therapies. Catherine is also a Master Complementary Therapist with Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, Harold’s Cross & Blackrock.

2.00 – “Women and Mental Health “ – a presentation by Anna Maria Luddy – What is Mental Health, Gender Pressures, Age Pressures.
Anna Maria is Specialist Co-ordinator in the Centre for Nurse Education,  Tayleur House, St Ita’s Campus and Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown,

2.45 – “A Woman’s Heart” – Gender Differences in Heart Attacks.

Exhibitions – Upstairs in Studio 1 and 2

1.30 – 4.00 –
Exhibition of Irish Women Painters of the 20th Century
Éalaíontóirí Mná na hÉireann

Exhibition of Women Painters of the Peninsula –
Éalaíontóirí Mná na Leithinse

Exhibition of Abstract Portraits in oil pastels by the 6th Class pupils from Scoil Pharaic Cáilίnί

Collaborative Art by Donabate Brownies based on the Leo Tolstoy quote “Women, in your hands lies the salvation of the world.”

And as usual we will have a piece of collaborative craft and you will be invited to add your contribution. The finished piece will be exhibited in the Community Centre

We would like to thank the following for their help and support.

Fingal Co. Co. Community Dept., Marks and Spencer, Jacinta Lowndes and her staff in Donabate Portrane Community Centre.
Linda Sutton – Donabate Portrane Community Centre, Wayne Hand from Café Natural, Alain Rochecouste.
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