It’s good news for these three Wexford communities…
Plans for the second annual “Night Belongs to Youth” were announced today with a special ceremony on Vinegar Hill, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford.
The event, which pays homage to the historical site and celebrates midsummer, will take place on Saturday, June 7th, featuring a colourful carnival-style procession that will make its way to the summit of the hill. Created by young people from across Wexford, the piece will culminate in an immersive spectacle featuring drumming, ceremonial dance, and song.
The event, which is organised by Creative Places Enniscorthy, gives young people the opportunity to collaborate with professional artists, prop makers, and musicians. Artist Facilitator Mary Doyle shared her excitement at the launch:
“On June 7th, the historic slopes of Vinegar Hill will come alive with an extraordinary pilgrimage to its summit. As dusk falls, this fantastical procession will weave together art, music, and performance, all led by the creativity of Wexford’s young people. This year’s theme is the return of the Gorse Goddess; we can’t wait to welcome her to the hill!.”
The Night Belongs to Youth is billed as a highlight of this year’s Cruinniú na nÓg, the national day of creativity for young people, which will see over 50 free events take place across Wexford and over 1,000 events taking place across the country. Speaking at the launch, Deryn OCallaghan, Director of Creative Places Enniscorthy, remarked:
“The entire event has been led by the youth of Wexford. We are very mindful of the history of the area and the significance of the hill to the town, and we wanted to reflect that. We would like to see this continue into the future as an annual summer gathering centered around the alchemy of ceremony, music, theatre, and youth-led initiatives. This is the rebirth of the kind of ancient festivals that would have taken place in Ireland around Bealtaine and mid-summer.”
As part of the event, artist Mayumi Nakabayashi has been commissioned to create a site-specific land art sculpture.
“The artwork has been created in collaboration with young people from the area,” describes O’Callaghan. “The piece will take the form of a chain or woven rope made from plants, which will create a circle around the top of Vinegar Hill. The chains will be carried by the participants of the event as part of the ceremony, serving as a symbol of connection and communication between humans and nature, as well as between the communities in Enniscorthy.”
The Night Belongs to Youth will take place on Saturday, June 7th. Members of the public can meet at Father Cullen Terrace and join the parade up Vinegar Hill.
For further information on how to get involved, visit creativeplacesenniscorthy.ie/
The Night Belongs to Youth is a Creative Places Enniscorthy (CPE) project, funded by CPE and the Arts Council of Ireland, part of Cruinniú na nÓg, with additional funding from Wexford County Council through the Creative Ireland Programme.
Jason Redmond
From Gorey, Jason is the owner of Wexford Weekly. He is also a post-primary English and History teacher.
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