Guilds get into top gear for Bealtaine celebrations

ICA guilds across Ireland have an abundance of creative talent which finds expression in anything from decoupage to drama, book clubs to beaded jewellery making, creative writing to crochet.

So getting involved in Bealtaine — Ireland’s unique May festival that celebrates creativity as we age — is a natural for ICA ladies. Last year’s Bealtaine produced over 3,000 events nationwide and about 125,000 people participated in the festival. Bealtaine 2012, coordinated by Age & Opportunity, poses two questions: What kind of old do you want to be? What kind of world do you want to grow older in? If you haven’t yet got involved but would like to, there’s still time, with events running over the next few weeks.

* Ink — an exhibition of photos of older people with tattoos, taken by Aidan Kelly. The show celebrates diverse ways of ageing and challenges assumptions about tattoos and older people. The exhibition is at the Old Markethouse Arts Centre, Dungarvan from May 17 to Jun 27, with a workshop on May 23. At the workshop the artist will invite older people with tattoos to visit his temporary studio. They’ll get the opportunity to tell the story of their tattoo and have the tattoo photographed for possible inclusion in the next phase of the exhibition.