Now in its second year, the Festival Eve Lantern Parade will light up Millenium Park and Lismore Castle Gardens with a promenade of over 100 lanterns made by local families. Launching the festival on May 3, Solas na Bealtaine is an interdisciplinary, multi-partner collaborative arts project culminating in light and AV spectacle throughout the gardens and on the walls of the castle. 

The 2024 project leans into the folklore of Bealtaine customs to serve as inspiration for new literature, as Gaeilge, created by the students of Scoil Náisiúnta Baile Mhic Airt supported by writing workshops hosted by our Artist in Residence, Sadhbh Devlin. Literature created through this whole school project (66 pupils) will be audio recorded by the students to generate a soundscape for the Lantern Parade finale. Artwork from each story will be animated by creative technology Digital, Visual & Sound Artist Joey Maguire, to generate a digital arts installation for the Carlisle Tower at Lismore Castle. Four artist-led community Lantern making workshops with maker Caoimhe Dunn will allow for 100 willow lanterns to be made for the procession. Each lantern will be decorated with stories from the school workshops. Our procession begins in Lismore’s Millennium Park and travels to the front lawn of Lismore Castle through the maze of gardens, guided by community volunteers, Lismore Men’s Shed and accompanied by an ensemble of carnival drummers.

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.