Happy International Women’s Day!
Meet Marian McCaughley who is one of our Arts Programme participants.
Marian, a retired School Principal, has always had a strong interest in the arts. However, it’s only in retirement that she has had the time to actively seek out new cultural experiences.
Last year, while looking for something different to do on her birthday, she discovered Age & Opportunity’s Bealtaine Festival and signed up for some of the events. She particularly enjoyed the African Drumming Workshop. After reaching out to our Arts team with positive feedback, Marian was then invited to join a panel discussion to share her views in the Bealtaine Gathering event, “What Do Older People Really Want (in Programming)”.
Marian spoke about the value of multicultural engagement. She reflected on how Irish society has become increasingly diverse, yet how little we know about one another. She believes that arts events offer a meaningful way for older generations to connect across cultures — far beyond the brief interactions that often happen in more functional settings. She would also like to see more use of local amenities for arts events. She believes that an event in a welcoming environment (which includes a cup of tea at the end) would benefit everyone and help us understand each other more.
Marian encourages everyone to get involved in the arts: “I think in a way it’s a treat for yourself — try something different, you know, like choosing something new on a menu.”
Age & Opportunity’s Bealtaine Festival is Ireland’s national festival celebrating the arts and ageing. This month-long festival in May features performances, exhibitions, discussions, workshops and readings by artists working in different art forms all over Ireland.
For more information how to get involved in this year’s festival, visit https://bealtaine.ie/
Details of all Age & Opportunity’s initiatives can be found on our website here: https://ageandopportunity.ie/
