Vibrant spoken word and music event set for Lloyd Town Park
A free, open-air event to celebrate 'creativity and community' through poetry, spoken word and music will be held in Tullamore this weekend.
On Friday at Lloyd Town Park, Offaly County Council will present 'What Makes a Man', an event that features original spoken word pieces created by participants from Tullamore Youth Project, alongside performances by spoken word artist Leon Dunne, rapper Flynn Johnson, and the Youthwork Midlands Choir, who will present songs from Hamilton. The event will take place between 4pm and 5.30pm.
According to an Offaly County Council press release, a structured programme of workshops were held in May and June, where participants developed original spoken word and performance pieces, focusing on 'expression, confidence and connection'.
'The project grew from conversations with teenage boys in Tullamore Youth Project about identity, masculinity and creativity. These conversations evolved into powerful performances that are honest, raw and sometimes funny, creating a space for connection and change', the council statement said.
The project has been developed by Festival in a Van, an arts organisation established during Covid-19 to commission and deliver creative work with communities across Ireland. It has been delivered in collaboration with Tullamore Youth Project, a UBU project managed by Youth Work Ireland Midlands, and Offaly County Council, as part of Men’s Health Week, which runs from June 15 to 21.
Cathaoirleach of Offaly County Council, Cllr. Declan Harvey, commented: “Offaly County Council’s programme for Men’s Health Week offers a varied range of activities for men and boys across the county. We are delighted to host this event, showcasing the achievements of the young men from Youth Work Ireland Midlands in our wonderful town park.”
'What Makes a Man', added the council statement, 'creates a supportive, peer-led space where young men can explore themes of identity, masculinity, belonging and emotional well-being, while developing confidence and their own creative voice'.
A parallel programme is also taking place in Edenderry, facilitated by Dagogo Hart – the writer, performer and co-founder of the WeAreGriot collective. This work will be showcased later in the summer.
The free event will take place in the northern section of Lloyd Town Park, adjacent to the water feature and bandstand, and all are welcome to attend.