Hello,
The Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival will take place from Monday 7th April to Sunday 13th April 2025.
The theme for the festival this year is 'Literacies for Life'. The theme of literacy is very timely and celebrates all the literacies that we need to embrace throughout our lives, including digital, financial, health, environmental literacies etc. This year's festival marks a celebration of lifelong learning through a wide variety of creative, enjoyable and informative events. There are many free and fantastic events taking place across Limerick city and county for the duration of the festival.
For more information go to www.limerick.ie/lovelearning or call into Limerick City Library to collect a free booklet containing all you need to know about the festival.
For all the budding, creative geniuses out there among paid up U3A Limerick, here is yet another opportunity to put your artistic talents to work and enjoy the pleasure and satisfaction that comes with unleashing your artistic, creative self.
We are delighted to announce that another card-making course will commence on Tuesday, 11th March, 2025 for six consecutive weeks. The sessions will be from 1.45pm to 3.15pm and will be held in the UL Access Campus, Blue Box, Unit B, LEDP, Roxboro, V94 A2N6.
Blue Box is to the right of the Irish Wheelchair Association’s units. There is ample parking.
Once again, the course will be facilitated by Liz Donlan who has been making cards since 2014 - mainly to sell at craft fairs.
The aim will be for each participant to produce a completed card in each class. The styles of cards will include decoupage, stamping and colouring, cutting dies, making handmade envelopes and, in the penultimate class, producing a 3-D card together with a box to go with it.
The cost of the course will be €20 per person - payable at the first class on 11th March.
Places are limited and, initially, are only open to those who didn’t participate in the first course held last October/November.
All materials and tools will be provided by Liz.
This is a marvelous opportunity to try out a new craft and gain a new set of skills into the bargain!
If the idea of channeling your creative, artistic Muse in 2025 appeals to you, look out for details of this course from our Secretary Joan.
We know that some of our U3A members are very aware of the upcoming Limerick Literary Festival, which is one of THE highlights of Limerick's annual cultural events. But, for those of you hovering at the edges, you might like to have a good read of the following press release, sent to me by our very own Vivienne McKechnie, doyenne of Limerick's literary scene. Happy reading!........
You are cordially invited to join us for the Opening event of the Limerick Literary Festival 2025 on Friday February 21st at 7.30pm at the Belltable, O'Connell Street, Limerick.
We are delighted that ‘An Post Irish Book Awards’ Book of the Year winner Donal Ryan will speak at the festival opening about Heart, Be at Peace, his award winning novel followed with music by Limerick Contralto Sarah Ellen Murphy, accompanied by pianist Irina Dernova. You can RSVP by booking your free ticket HERE on the Lime Tree/Belltable website
The Festival will run in Limerick February 21st, 22nd and 23rd at the Belltable, O’Connell Street.
This will officially open what is to be a full weekend programme featuring novelists, Diarmuid Johnson, Anna Abney, Rose Servitova, Karen Fitzgibbon, Christine Dwyer Hickey and Delphine Minoui. Poets Ciarain O’Driscoll, Lionel Poiraudeau, Jo Slade and Vivienne McKechnie will be reading from a selection of their poetry as part of a special twinning initiative by the Quimper/Limerick twinning committees. This event brings together the works of French and Irish Poets in recognition of the special relationship these twin cities share.
There will also be the ‘Heaney in Translation’ event 8.00pm on Saturday, hosted by Niall MacMonagle, this reading is presented in association with Poetry Ireland and was first produced by Poetry Ireland to mark the publication of The Translations of Seamus Heaney, edited by Marco Sonzogni and published by Faber and Faber. It will feature renowned actor Eleanor Methven as well as musicians Zoe Conway and John Mc Intyre.
The festival will include in its Sunday programme a lecture by Rose Servitova, Rose will delve into how Kate O’Brien’s personal letters, papers and treasured photographs – preserved in the Special Collections at the University of Limerick – enable a deep, intimate and moving relationship with the late author followed by the presentation of the 2025 Kate O’Brien Award for a debut novel or short story collection from a female Irish author, the winner of the Award will be chosen from the shortlist announced Jan 13th. Annual favourite Desert Island Books will feature Myles Breen and Denise Whelan and finally the festival will close on Sunday the 23rd with an interview with the internationally renowned author, economist, journalist and broadcaster David McWilliams.
The festival is generously supported by the Arts Council, Limerick City and County Council, Poetry Ireland, French Embassy in Ireland, O'Mahonys Booksellers and AIRPV.io.
LIMERICK CERAMIC ARTISTS present
THE ART OF WALL CERAMICS
Thurs 28th Nov to Tues 17th Dec 2024
At the Education Wing of the HUNT MUSEUM.
Limerick Ceramic Artists are holding their Annual Exhibition in the Education wing of the Hunt Museum - opening on
Thursday 28th November at 4pm and running until 17th December 2024.
Noreen Ramsay, one of our U3A members, is an exhibitor at this Exhibition and has very kindly offered to give a short talk to fellow members of U3A Limerick on Wednesday 4th December 2024 at 2pm. In her talk, Noreen will describe a variety of ceramic decorative techniques using some of the pieces in the Exhibition as examples. Interested members to meet up in the foyer of the Hunt Museum at 2pm.
We, the Committee of U3A, very much appreciate this kind offer from Noreen and would encourage as many interested members as possible to attend on Wednesday 4th.
It is laudable that Noreen thought of offering fellow U3A members of her time, her experience and know-how of one of the oldest, artisan crafts in the history of mankind. This generosity of spirit and sharing of personal knowledge and experience, embodies what U3A Limerick, in the widest possible context, aspires to achieve in all of our talks, activities and events.
All artistic endeavours, be they with children, young adults, working parents, or retirees, need to be encouraged and supported in a positive way. We are all creative, and it is through our creative process that we find true peace of mind and lasting contentment.
www.limerickceramicartists.com
Join the UL Orchestra and Mary Immaculate College Community Choir as they perform classical, romantic and festive favourites on Sunday 1st December at 7.30 pm in the University Concert Hall Limerick.
The UL Orchestra is delighted to welcome the Mary Immaculate College Community Choir for their first performance together.
Familiar tunes, beautiful harmonies, and wonderful local musicianship will be on display as we settle in to the festive season.
Sponsored by the University of Limerick.
Date: Sunday 1st December 2024
Time: 07:30 PM
Full: €15.00
Concessions available via phone or in-person at the box office. Phone 061 331549
A number of U3A Limerick members were delighted to participate in and support the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association annual charity walk in Limerick yesterday, 19th October, 2024. One of our members, Aileen O’Connell, volunteered to organise the
walk again in Limerick this year and she had a marvellous turnout on a beautiful autumn morning.
Every day the most remarkable people face the toughest of battles and that is why we were walking in support of people living with Motor Neuron Disease. There are more than 450 people affected by this cruel and debilitating disease all across Ireland. The monies raised help the funding of nursing care, extra home care hours and critical equipment to keep people living in their own homes.
Aileen was very pleased with the amount of donations she received - over €1,443.00 - to date!
The walkers all enjoyed the complimentary sandwiches, cakes, tea and coffee they were treated to by the lovely staff of O’Connell’s Bar, Corbally at the completion of the walk.
We are delighted to announce another new initiative for our members!
For all the budding, creative geniuses out there among paid up U3A limerick members, here is yet another opportunity to put your artistic talents to work and enjoy the pleasure and satisfaction that comes with unleashing your artistic, creative self.
With Christmas just around the corner of October, the Committee has decided that
Paper-craft i.e. Card-Making would be a most suitable and satisfying craft to embark on at this time of the year.
This class will be facilitated by one of our very talented members, Liz Donlan, who has been making and selling cards, mainly at Craft Fairs, since 2014.
So here are the details:
Event: 6 week block of Classes in Card-Making
Time: Tuesday 22nd October 2024 from 1.30pm - 3pm.
Venue: UL Access Campus, Unit J, LEDP, Roxboro V94 A2N6
Fee: €10 for full course of 6 weeks (subsidised by U3A)
Liz hopes that each participant will learn how to produce a fully completed card in each of the weekly classes. This, in essence, means that you will have created, at the end of the 6 weeks, 6 unique, individual cards using the various styles and techniques that Liz will be showing you throughout the course. Craft styles will include decoupage, stamping and colouring, cutting dies, making hand-made envelopes and, in the last class, producing a 3-D card and a box to go with it.
All materials and tools will be provided by Liz.
This is a marvellous opportunity to try out a new craft and gain a new set of skills into the bargain!
If the idea of channelling your creative, artistic Muse on a Tuesday appeals to you, please email me at u3alimerick@gmail.com to book your place on this course.
The course is limited to 10 participants, so dither not my fellow U3A members.
Enjoy a “guided tour” of the Book of Kells in St Mary’s Catholic Church, Corbally
- Thursday October 24th at 7.00 pm -
- Free entry. Retiring donations welcome -
A unique opportunity to explore and understand the greatest masterpiece of Ireland’s Golden Age. An interactive experience in which Donnacha MacGabhann shares his expertise (using the Verlag Facsimile - an exact and complete copy of the manuscript)
Donnacha MacGabhann MA PHD, taught art in St. John the Baptist School Hospital before embarking on his in-depth study of the Book of Kells culminating in his Doctorate on the same subject. Join us as Donnacha shares his incredible in-depth knowledge of this national treasure. Delivered in a most accessible and enlightening manner. A delightful experience awaits.
Limerick U3A is launching its inaugural series of dance classes for members starting on Friday 11 October at 11 am.
The classes will take place in the Dance Limerick Studio, No. 1 John's Square, Limerick, V94 E6H2 and will run for six consecutive Fridays 11 October - 15 November 11-12pm. The price is an amazing susidised offer of 20 Euro per U3A member for all six classes!!!
The Dance Limerick Studio is bright, light and warm, has a sprung Junkers wooden floor and is the location for many of Dance Limerick’s classes and workshops as well as home to visiting artists. Only the best for our members!
Molly will be your teacher. She is looking forward to meeting you and the group on the 11th at 11am at the Studio. She will conduct basic classes in dance and has been trained to teach the young at heart over 50s. If everyone can wear comfy clothes and footwear that you can move in that will be brilliant. Also have a think about your favourite songs too!
As there are only 20 places available then book early. But only do so when our Secretary, Joan, sends out an email inviting members to sign-up.
Well, the holidays are over, for most of us, and it is time to get back to the real business of expanding our brain-power, taking the recalcitrant body in hand and reconnecting with friends and acquaintances in U3A Limerick. The hardship and travails of living the good life.
With our best interest at heart, our trusty Events Officer and her hard-working team have devised a schedule of events and talks for the Autumn period that is bound to tickle the majority of errant fancies lurking about.
The calendar of these Events and Talks - September to December 2024 - has been sent by Joan to all members.
It might be an idea to have a quick look through it and earmark those events that hold a special interest for you in your own diary, either digital or paper.
With regard to the return of the sub-groups to their respective activities, the facilitators of these groups will, no doubt, be in touch with all of their members to advise of return dates but for the most part I think they are all recommencing in September apart from the Spanish and French conversation groups which will start back in October.
Mary Shanahan is the coordinator for the Book Clubs and is back keeping us all in order with reminders and suggestions which are a godsend for those amongst us that are a tad scatty and distracted.
Cathie Chappell, who so creatively facilitates the Poetry and Music Appreciation Groups, returns on the 17th Sept. (Poetry) and the 24th September (Music) and she will be back Parlez-Vooing on the 8th October.
The lovely Maire Ni Uaitear will be back in the City Library at 12.15 on Friday 13th for the Comhra as Gaeilge.
Spanish Conversation with the delightful Nuria Burrull will recommence in October.
The Craft/Knitting Group facilitated by the frivolous Ferga will be recommencing on the 18th September at 10am in the usual venue of the City Library.
Needless to say, the ever enthusiastic Walking Group did not take a break for the Summer and continued to be led astray, in various locations around the city, every Wednesday at 10.30am, by the indomitable Denis.
The Gardening Group, under the ever watchful eye of Una Hogan (they're divils for wanderin off) also declined a break throughout the Summer months and will continue to meet up in Busy Bee Garden Centre on 2nd Tuesday of the month.
The Zoom Exercise class will resume towards the end of the month at 10.30am each Monday. Date to be confirmed.
There are plans afoot to introduce some new Sub-Groups and Activities. A further email will issue to you all with details as soon as arrangements are firmly in place. As usual, if any member has a suggestion for new activities that may be of interest to the larger group, please do let us know! All new ideas and suggestions are welcome!
That's it folks! Looking forward to seeing you all soon
Limerick City Gallery of Art (LCGA) is delighted to present ‘Mountains, Fall on Us’ by Austin McQuinn from 26th April to 9th June 2024. This is a significant opportunity to experience a large body of new and recent works, curated by a Helena Tobin, Artistic Director of South Tipperary Arts Centre (STAC).
U3A members are sure to be interested in visiting this exhibition, and most particularly on attending the talk with the artist himself, Austin McQuinn, in conservation with James Lawlor on WEDNESDAY, 29th MAY @ 2pm. This is a very striking exhibition and it would be interesting to hear what the artist has to say about it. Explore the full exhibition before and/or after the conversation.
The Exhibition itself ‘Mountains, Fall on Us’ invokes the poetic object as a means of salvation, alongside micro gestures of iconoclasm. Paintings on discarded military engravings, a tower of Aran sweaters, medals, clay tongues, sequins, bog oak and upholstery fabric are reclaimed and refashioned with a new baroque sensibility. Queered with an optimism and infused with what the artist has called 'a kind of mad hope', McQuinn takes possession of these found images and objects, painting over them with ink in an extravagant and decadent defacement.
His reworking of the discarded prints of popes, earls, and imperial militaria with highly elaborate doodling is not so much as critique or commentary but as a reclamation of these historic power images. The intention is to achieve a personal overcoming of the experience of oppression by these embodiments of imperial authority. At a bacterial level of interrogation and reinterpretation, the singular becomes plural. These new biologies churn with psychedelic energy where, as the artist asserts, “popes become pupae for some new of kind of creation or thinking I want to release."
The biblical title of the exhibition comes from Michael Hartnett’s titular poem and reflects McQuinn’s deeply felt connection to the Limerick poet. Hartnett's proclamation that the ‘the act of poetry is a rebel act’ resonates strongly with McQuinn as fellow artist and outsider. He also draws from the sensibilities of ancients texts, mythologies, Kafka, Kavanagh and contemporary poets such as Sean Hewitt. He feels that the deep action of observation is the artist’s and poet’s primary task and responding with a poetic work is the challenge.
Austin McQuinn’s solo exhibition at LCGA encompasses all of the ground floor galleries in a major presentation of new paintings and sculptural installations. This exhibition is a reclamation and revisiting of important materials he has employed in his long practice, living and working in Ireland. McQuinn is a visual artist and live art performance expert and his studio practice is supported with major awards from the Arts Council and the acquisition of work for public and private collections in Ireland and the United States. His recent book on sound, animality and performance was reissued this year by Penn State University Press.
The Bealtaine Festival are delighted to present a discussion on
‘Don’t coming running to me characterisations of the Irish Mammy figure in Irish Culture’
in the Analog Devices Building, University of Limerick, on Wednesday, 22nd May at 3.00 pm. Entry is free and tea/coffee will be served after the discussion.
EVENT DESCRIPTION:
Immortalised by phrases such as don’t mind me…, Isn’t it well for you? And of course the beloved, have you turned off the immersion?, the Irish Mammy is a perennial figure in the Irish imagination. This discussion will look at the role, characterisation and love/hate relationship with this popular figure…… and sounds like good fun!
Chaired by writer and journalist Henrietta McKervey, the discussion will feature writers Eilis Ni Dhuibhne, Mary O’Donnell and Donal Ryan.
Presented in association with the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Limerick. With thanks to the University of Galway.
The Bealtaine Discussion Series 2024 is devised and presented in association with Dr Michaela Schrage-Frueh (University of Limerick) and Dr Maggie O’Neill (University of Galway).
Aileen, in our Gardening group, organised a fabulous guided visit to Annesgrove Gardens, Co Cork last Thursday, 3rd May 2024. Nine members enjoyed the many delights of this historical, horticultural paradise run by the OPW.
One of the lucky members, Kevin, said of the visit:
“We were welcomed by our guide Elmarie and she gave us a very informative and interesting tour of these beautiful gardens. You need to move very slowly around the gardens, because there is so much fascinating detail with the plants there. For example, she showed us an enormous specimen of the Handkerchief Tree, which is possibly the champion tree in Ireland. She explained about the history of Anne's Grove, the Grove families, the Annesley families, the Big House, the Dower House and the island in the river. We visited a cobbled yard, the centre of which had an unusual stone walled enclosure. Interest was also piqued by a stone-walled oven at the side that had been used to bake bread for their forty employees.
The gardens are thirty acres in size, the upper part, which is Devonian red sandstone, through which the river has carved its way down to underlying carboniferous limestone. An accessible man-made island is backed by limestone cliffs on the opposite bank. The garden has really tremendous, wonderful views all around for you to take your time and drink in. The historial plantings were made by Richard Grove Annesley with plants supplied by the famous plant hunter Frank Kingdon-Ward; recent plantings were advised by Neil Porteus. Total cost of redevelopments over the last eight years by the OPW came to €2,000,000. Annesgrove is a garden you must go and see and one which is worth going back time and time again. As Elmarie, our guide said, the best time to see the garden is every”
Thanks to the members who provided us with photos of some of the delights of Annesgrove.
The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance invite you to share in their afternoon of social dance in Limerick. Social dance is a leisurely social activity that can encompass exercise, enjoyment, responding to music and social inclusion. They will include a range of social dances from Irish, Indian and African traditions amongst others. they welcome participants from community groups. Music will be provided by staff and students from the Irish World Academy. Dances will be shared in a relaxed and inclusive environment. No previous experience required. This is the second of two participatory events to continue the Irish World Academy’s 30 year celebrations.
The event is co-hosted by the Irish World Academy and UL Engage in partnership with the Life Long Learning Festival.
DATE: April 17th
VENUE: Dance Limerick, V94 E6H2
TIME: 1 pm - 3 pm
ADMISSION FREE AND ALL ARE WELCOME
As a result of having a suggestion box at the AGM back in September, we are now exploring the possibility of setting up various craft groups which will be facilitated by some of our very talented members. You are probably thinking, last September, what have they been doing???
Well, one of the barriers to setting up sub-groups is finding suitable venues for particular craft groups. It is a slow process, unfortunately, when we are endeavouring, in as far as it is possible, not to have the sub-groups clashing with each other or with other events being run by U3A.
Some of the suggestions for CRAFTS groups included the following: KNITTING and CROCHET for all of you who have harboured serious hankerings to get your hands on some fluffy wool and lance-like needles to pursue your dreams of making your own socks and to hell with the cheap, shoddy imitations of the real thing available in your local Department Stores.
PAPER CRAFTS to include CARD-MAKING, DECOUPAGE and ORIGAMI (if we can find practitioners). So, if you have always fancied putting your own personal mark on the cards that you send on birthdays, at Christmas time, for events and celebrations or even just to let someone know that you are thinking about them, we are hoping to set up a craft group concerned, initially, with the art of making personalised cards and hopefully, later on, with the crafts of decoupage and origami.
Other crafts suggested were BASKET WEAVING, MACRAME, SEWING/ PATCHWORK and any other crafts that members might like to pursue in a sociable setting.
So to start us off in style, the colourful, creative genius of all things textile, Ferga Grant, has kindly offered to facilitate a Knitting group to explore all things woolly, weird and wonderful on the 3rd. Wednesday of each month for 3/4 months. With her vast experience and her quirky expertise, Ferga will open our eyes to the possibilities available to knitters and stitchers and the madness to be explored in the pursuit of creativity!
This group is open to ALL MEMBERS. The ladies, the gentlemen, the experienced and the not-so experienced, the creatively aspirational and the individuals who are more than happy to sit and create in a zen-like manner, the potential heirlooms of the future.
Keep an eye on the SubGroups tab above for further updates.
Úna Hogan facilitates our very busy U3A gardening group, and together with inputs from the members, is organising a number of interesting talks and outings over the coming months
The first of the outings in 2024 was a trip to Arrowbawn Garden Centre in Nenagh yesterday, 27th February, for a very informative talk from the resident horticulturalist, Ultan Nesbitt. He had cleared part of the shop floor and put chairs out for us and he had a wonderful display of plants, shrubs and products to talk about. All the plants and shrubs were ones that are suitable for planting now - as well as various summer bulbs. He had a very approachable and informative manner and his talk was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. Needless to say, there were several full baskets being checked out at the end!!
Thanks to member Carol Morrissey for organising the visit and to Liz and Mike Donlan for taking the attached photos.
Some of the other trips planned include a visit to Annes Grove Gardens, Castletownroche in May; Petrovska Garden and Clonmel Garden Centre in August next. And we are hopeful that Philip, who is the horticulturist at our regular Busy Bee Garden Centre, will guide us on an outing to the Burren in May.
The ‘cuppa and chat’ after our monthly meetings is proving very popular, but providing disposable cups was proving very wasteful. Our intrepid treasurer, Maura, is not a person to let a problem lie, and she sourced a supply of “2goCups”, complete with lids, for members to purchase at €2 each. The initiative was very well received at our February meeting and members, without their own keep cups, were delighted to purchase them in the spirit of reducing waste. I think our catering group were very pleased as well! Well done Maura…
Lunchtimes with a difference at The Savoy, Limerick, this Spring with Opera Workshop
Feed your soul at lunchtime with operatic flavours, delicious duets and sweet songs in the company of Opera Workshop’s wonderful singers and pianists.
Performers include:
Soprano, Roisin Walsh, Mezzo-soprano Leanne Fitzgerald, Tenor, Dean Power and Baritone Owen Gilhooly Miles with pianists Aoife Moran and Eoin Scanlon.
Expect generous servings of your favourite arias and songs with music by Mozart, Puccini, Strauss and Lehar
Light lunch of soup, sandwiches, tea / coffee included in the ticket.
Soprano, Roisin Walsh, Mezzo-soprano Leanne Fitzgerald, Tenor, Dean Power and Baritone Owen Gilhooly Miles with pianists Aoife Moran and Eoin Scanlon.
Date(s)/Time(s):
February 22, 2024 12:45 pm
March 21, 2024 1:15 pm
Venue:
Savoy Hotel, Limerick City V94EY2P
Ticket Price:
€25
Where to buy tickets:
Online https://operaworkshop.ie/event/opera-delights-at-the-savoy/
We are delighted to add a new subgroup to our offerings for members. On Tuesday last, 6th February 2024, a gathering of 16 members responded to an invitation from Cathie Chappell, our esteemed chairperson and secretary for the formative years of U3A Limerick, to join her for a French language conversation session in the Limerick City Gallery of Art.
The meeting on Tuesday went well so it was agreed to meet again and make it a once-a-month event, on a Tuesday afternoon at 2.30 pm in the Gallery. These will be informal get-togethers for members who have enough French to hold, or understand, a simple conversation.
A lot of the people responding to the invitation were worried that their level of French wouldn't be good enough, but those with more facility were very helpful and encouraging to those with less. So nothing to lose or be afraid of and anyone interested is welcome to come along, give it a try, and see how they get on. Just let Cathie know at c.chappell@hotmail.com that you would like to join her group to speak French in a relaxed, no pressure environment.
Cathie is a multi-lingual, multi-talented, endlessly patient femme formidable and she is offering her time, talent and expertise to budding linguists, who already have a soupcon of the "language of lovers", in an effort to broaden our skills base, rattle the old brain cells and perhaps enhance our love lives. Unfortunately, there will be no consumption of the vin rouge ou vin blanc at the sessions but we can at least discuss the benefits of such beverages en français.
The U3A Committee have plans afoot to offer two additional ‘language’ related subgroups before long! Watch out for news of these from our delightful Secretary Joan.
We hope all our members had an enjoyable Christmas holiday and are feeling fit, well, and ready for the return of the activities in the U3A 2024 calendar.
With over 170 paid up members we are planning another eventful year, starting with the hugely popular ‘Limber with Joan/Relax with Michelle’ returning to your home on Monday 8th January at 10.30 am. Joan will be sending out the Zoom link to all members over the weekend.
The Book Clubs 1, 2 and 3; the Music Appreciation group; the Poetry Appreciation group and the Gardening Group will be resuming soon and the co-ordinators will be informing the participants of exact dates, time and location.
Our Social Walking group are heading to O'Brien's Bridge on Wednesday 10th January for the first outing of the new year.
All of these groups are open to all members of U3A so if you fancy joining any or all of them please let us know and we will pass on your details to the co-ordinator.
In addition the Events Committee have organised a number of talks and outings for the First Quarter of 2024 - see attached calendar of events
The Committee would very much appreciate any suggestions/recommendations from members regarding future interest groups that could be established and also any suggestions for topics for our monthly talks
There will be a really interesting talk/workshop on Ireland’s rare bees presented by Áine Ní Fhlatharta in the Limerick City Library, Barrow House, Michael Street qnext Friday 20th October at 11 am. It’s FREE to attend and all are welcome, so perhaps some of you members would like to attend.
This talk will introduce you to some of Ireland’s beautiful rare bumblebee species and to a project that was carried out during the summer months to track rare bumblebee species in County Clare and County Limerick.
It’ll look at the co-existence between indigenous wild plants and bumblebee species and the vital role that flower-rich habitats such as meadows and semi-natural grasslands play in their survival. It’ll also discuss the impact that Ireland’s modern land use practices is having on our wild and rare bumblebee species and the importance of regenerating traditional land use practices for their future survival.
“Searching for Ireland’s Rare Bumblebee Species; their decline, regeneration and looking to the past for their future survival”
NO BOOKING REQUIRED
Limerick City Gallery of Art (LCGA) is delighted to welcome this touring exhibition of new work by Limerick-born artist, Diana Copperwhite, for this much anticipated exhibition between 27th April - 25th June 2023.
‘Diana Copperwhite makes big bold oil paintings that excite and stir our twenty-first-century perceptions. Her compelling images are both complex and energetic. She is never at a loss for the impulse to paint, though she is coy about revealing her concerns, often throwing the viewer just a few clues and leaving a lot of room for the imagination. She creates an exquisite tension between abstraction and figuration or representation of any kind. She appears to tease out this tension to hold our interest, as we both take in the visual splendour of her paintings and try to fathom what they are about’ 1
In an interview with Aidan Dunne, in the 2023 spring edition of the Irish Arts Review, Copperwhite states that music is an inspiration. “Recently, I’ve found it good to start a painting with composer, Arvo Part, but it’s not so good when it (the painting) gets further on and more complicated. I love Bach. And I’ve noticed, listening to jazz, it’s easier to deal with multiple elements of composition. You can jump from one corner to another quite naturally. You notice things differently with music”
1 Extracted from Reality, Virtual Reality, and Abstraction by Gail Levin
This exhibition, curated by Aoife Ruane, is presented as a national tour enabled by an Arts Council Touring Award.
The exhibition will run at LCGA until 25th June.
Further information please contact artgallery@limerick.ie
Liz and Mike Donlan, two very enthusiastic and experienced gardeners and U3A members, are delighted to invite all members to attend the Opening Weekend of Reiska Plant Nursery on the 29th and 30th April from 10 am to 4 pm each day.
They are based at Reiska, Kilcommon, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, E41 X015.
There will be free tea and coffee for all visitors and there is a €25 voucher to be won on each day. As well as viewing what's on offer at the nursery you will also be free to wander around their garden which, although still a work in progress, they hope members will find interesting. There will also be 4 or 5 craft stalls on each of the 2 days.
Whilst Liz and Mike are specialists in carnivorous plants, small and miniature Hostas and Heuchera - all grown by themselves - they also have a varied selection of plants and shrubs which they have bought in.
This is an ideal opportunity to indulge your senses, galvanise your own good intentions to do something with your patch of ground and be inspired while you wander around the results of Liz and Mike's passionate endeavours.
So, this weekend, take yourself to Tipperary, E41 X015, Reiska Plant Nursery, a sensory treat awaits!
The outing this month for U3A members was a visit to the Rockbarton Garden Centre, Bruff on this dry but slightly chilly morning. On arrival we were treated to tea/coffee and scones in the centre’s Chatty Hen Coffee House served by the owner, Lynda, and her mother-in-law Mary. Mary lives next door to the garden centre and she graciously invited Lynda to take us on a tour of her beautiful oasis of a tranquil garden.
It was so beneficial to see plants and trees in situ in the ground and have Lynda share her immense knowledge of each plant, their growing habits, preferred locations, times & how to prune etc. And she was fulsome in answering the many, many queries we had in relation to all aspects of developing and maintaining a delightful garden.
With all her advice and answers to our many questions, I’m not sure how many of us will ever have, what could be described as a “delightful” garden! But hopefully we will enjoy the time spent in trying and in the knowledge that plants die even in the care of Diarmuid Gavin….. or so Lynda told us!
Walking around Mary’s garden gave us inspiration in choosing plants and shrubs when we retreated to the garden centre.
It was difficult restricting ourselves to what our pockets (and our backs for planting) could endure.
Thanks again to Lynda and Mary for a morning spent in the glorious surrounds of Rockbarton.
Limerick City Library present a free bilingual talk for Seachtain Na Gaeilge by Dr. Padraig Óg Ó Ruairc on Thursday 16th March at 6:30 pm…… “Irish is a Foreign Language - no different to Yiddish” A history of the suppression of the Irish Language.
As part of our Seachtain Na Gaeilge celebration, we are delighted to be able to host Dr. Padraig Óg Ó Ruairc who will deliver a talk in Limerick City Library, Barrow House, Michael Street on Thursday 16th March at 6:30pm.
Padraig earned his PhD in History from the University of Limerick and has published six books, mainly on the Irish Revolutionary Period. His lecture will cover the hidden history of the attempts to both suppress and save the Irish language during the Irish Revolution.
Those interested will need to reserve their spot in advance as places are limited.
You can do so via
Email: citylibrary@limerick.ie
Phone: 061-557510
Our Gardening Group organised and hosted a guided visit to Coolwater Garden, near Fedamore today.
Coolwater, is a wonderful artistically designed garden on half an acre, with a breathtaking Water Garden, numerous alpine troughs crammed with choice specimens and a chimerical West Garden.
Owner and gardener Kevin was on hand to show us the garden and talk about the plantings. The garden has been designed for year round structure and shape and the water garden hosts a superabundance of aquatic wildlife.
Many of our members used their camera as we strolled around as it’s one of the most photogenic smaller gardens on the island. It was a truly impressive trip for our plant loving members and Kevin was an excellent guide.
Many thanks to Ùna and her gardening group for introducing us to this lovely oasis only 12 km from Limerick city
Thirty lucky U3A Limerick members enjoyed an exciting and informative visit to Ireland’s largest river hydroelectric scheme on Friday 24th February. This was a great opportunity to visit and explore one of Ireland’s greatest engineering developments at Ardnacrusha Power Station in Co Clare.
We were welcomed to the Ardnacrusha Experience by Dermot, our guide for the tour. As he led us through the heart of the station he brought to life the living heritage of the Shannon Scheme using a series of animations which celebrate the history and impact of this iconic project. We were also brought out on site to view the impressive headrace canal, locks and tail race.
The Ardnacrusha Experience tells the story of the power of electricity and its transformative impact on Irish life; it offers the opportunity for people to learn not just about the history of the plant dating back to its inception in the 1920s but also of ESB’s brighter future strategy which is leading the secure, affordable transition to a low-carbon energy future for Ireland.
A most invigorating and ‘enlightening’ couple of hours helping us to understand that there is slightly more to keeping the lights on than flicking a switch!
We had the blue skies, if not the temperatures, of foreign lands this morning as we meandered by the banks of the Shannon, past the old Corbally Baths, through the Mill Road Fairy Garden and back to the Corbally Road for the usual end of our walk with tea and bites in Hook and Ladder
Limerick City & County Council are delighted to sponsor this free Sustainable Gardening Course that will cover everything from gardening chemical free, pollinator planting, veg growing, mini pond building, pruning, cuttings and much more.
The course is run by horticulturist and environmentalist Aoife Munn and will take place on Saturday 28th of January from 10 am to 4 pm.
This course is suitable for adults who wants to garden for biodiversity but especially Tidy Towns groups, Green schools coordinators and Allotment Holders.
A full set of notes will be sent to all participants after the course
To get more information or to book your place please click the link below. https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/adare-sustainable-gardening-course-tickets-489617999617
The U3A Gardening group facilitated a Demo of Christmas flower arranging today 29th November in the lovely Busy Bee Garden Centre and cafe, Clondrinagh.
It was just the thing to lift the spirits, dispel the latent grinchiness and was a most pleasant and sociable way to spend a Tuesday morning! The flower arrangement demonstration by two of our U3A members, Marie Kennedy and Celia Hehir, of transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary inspired us all to tap into our own latent creative genius! The completed arrangements were raffled between those attending.
We enjoyed coffee in the cafe and had plenty of time to wander around the garden centre afterwards. Any supplies that we needed for our own Christmas flower arrangements were available and the staff Rachel and Aishling were more than willing to help with any queries.
It was a really pleasant morning enjoyed by our members…..as evidenced by the attached selection of photos.
Twenty lucky members of U3A Limerick were treated to a guided tour of one of the special gems in Limerick city - the fabulous Hunt Museum in Limerick’s Georgian Custom House.
We were split into two groups and our guides initially gave an overview of the lives of John and Gertrude Hunt who travelled across Europe throughout the 1930 collecting objects from antique shops, churches, art museums and other collectors for their antique shop in London. In 1940 they moved to Lough Gur, Co Limerick where John worked as an amateur archaeologist. Some of the prehistoric artifacts found at Lough Gur are in the Hunt Museum today.
While living in Limerick, John and Gertrude continued to grow their collection by buying and selling objects. They also decorated their house in Lough Gur with their antique collection. Medieval statues and tapestries were on display, medieval pottery was used as everyday utensils and famous artworks adorned their walls.
The Hunt Museum was established in the 1990s to house the internationally important collection of approximately 2,000 works of art and antiquities formed by John and Gertrude Hunt during their lifetimes. As antique dealers and advisors to collectors they built a thriving business and also began to acquire pieces that reflected their own interests and curiosity rather than for commercial purposes.
It was a most enjoyable morning for all of us gaining insights into some of the objects and paintings from ancient to modern times on display. The permanent collection is a serious cabinet of curiosities from all over the world and we only had time to interrogate a few of the treasures on display. As we discussed the tour over lunch in the Museum Café it was agreed that we will be back!
On a beautiful crisp sunny morning on 16th November the Social Walking Group enjoyed a lovely walk of the Three Bridges in Limerick City. We met some interesting folk on the way- see photos - and a welcoming cuppa in in Bowes Ryan cafe, Arthur’s Quay Shopping Centre
It's that time of year again. Membership subs for U3A Limerick are now due to be paid for the coming year.
Single membership is €20 for the year and €30 for couples. Membership runs from November 1st to October 31st and fees are by annual subscription. I think the majority of us would agree that we get very good value for our money!
I know that some of you have already paid your subs and should, by now, have received acknowledgement of receipt of same from our treasurer. If you have paid for 2022-2023 and have not received acknowledgement can you please let me know asap at u3alimerick@gmail.com
The 9th November 2022 is, hopefully, the last day for payment of membership subs. Payment can be made at our next monthly talk to be held on the 9th November 2022 in UL Access Campus
Naturally, life gets troublesome sometimes, and if you find it difficult to meet this deadline, please let me know and we can work something out.
In conjunction with our Annual General Meeting on Thursday 29th September, we held a Social Fundraising Coffee event.
We enjoyed coffee, cake and chat with other U3A members…. thanks to those great bakers (and purchasers!) for a fabulous selection of delicious treats.
The recipient of this years Fundraiser is Mid West Simon Community. Simon supports people in this region out of homelessness, and offers a food bank service to individuals and families experiencing food poverty and/or those in danger of homelessness.
There was a great response to this appeal and a cheque, which included a donation from our own U3A funds, for €600.00 was presented to Jackie Leonard, Mid West Simon, by our Chair, Gabrielle Tarpey on the occasion of our monthly talk on the 12th October.
A huge thanks to all involved and to those who donated to this much needed charitable organisation was expressed by Jackie on behalf of Simon.
POSITIVE AGEING WEEK
The Limerick Sports Partnership endeavours to motivate adults over the age of 55 to continue to engage in physical activity through a wide medium of events and programmes.
The Limerick Sports Partnership in conjunction with Age Action offer Limerick people the opportunity to take part in ‘Positive Ageing’ week that showcases a wide variety of activities that are available to adults over the age of 55 across Limerick City and County. Throughout the week, the Limerick Sports Partnership runs a range of different activities including a Health and Wellness Seminar, 5km walks, Go for Life Games, Activator Walking, Aqua Aerobics, Swimming programme and a Scooch tournament.
These activities are open to all fitness levels and abilities.
The first event of the week was a Seminar in the UL Arena on Monday morning and we took a stand there for the event.
We hope all our members had an enjoyable summer and are feeling fit and well, and ready for the return of normal activities in the U3A calendar.
First, the Limber up with Joan/Relax with Michelle returns to your home next Monday 12th September at 11.00 hrs. Cathie will be sending out the Zoom link on Friday as usual.
The Book Clubs 1, 2 and 3 will also be resuming in September. Members of these book clubs have been informed of location, dates and times by Mary Shanahan.
The Music Appreciation Group will resume its monthly meetings on the 13th September 2022. A reminder from the co-ordinator will issue to members of this group closer to the 13th September.
The Poetry Appreciation Group will resume its fortnightly meetings on 20th September 2022. A reminder closer to the time will be issued by Cathie, co-ordinator for the group.
The Walking Group meets every Wednesday morning at 10.30 hrs. As the venue for the walk changes each week for variety's sake, interested members are informed via whatsapp by Denis McMahon on weekly locations.
All of these groups are open to all members of U3A so if you fancy joining any or all of them please let us know and we will pass on your details to the co-ordinators.
The Committee would very much appreciate any suggestions/recommendations from members regarding future interest groups that could be established and also any suggestions for topics for our monthly talks for the coming year. So, if inspiration comes knocking at your door, please share any lightbulb moments you may have!
Just drop an email at u3alimerick@gmail.com.
SAVE THE DATE 29th SEPTEMBER 2022 - 14.00 hrs UL Access Campus
The U3A Limerick Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday 29th September 2022 at 14.00 hrs in the UL Access Campus, Roxboro so please save that date for your diary. More details will be communicated to all members nearer to the date.
Our weekly social walking activities have continued a pace over the summer. It is proving to be a most popular outing with an average of 12 members joining in every Wednesday morning at 10.30 hrs under the guidance of Denis McMahon. Members suggest and agree a route and cafe for the following week. We have all being introduced to beautiful walking paths, within the city confines or a short distance out of town. And most wonderfully these outings are an opportunity to socialise with other members as we explore the walking trails around Limerick, and sit to enjoy the welcome cuppa at the end of our ramble.
Attached are a few pictures of the happy group out and about over the past few months.
If you would like to join this jolly group email Denis at mcmahondenis@gmail.com.
A wee reminder that our AGM will be taking place in September 2022 - date to be confirmed. As with all AGMs, there will be the election of members to the different Committee positions.
If you feel that you would like to be part of the Committee and are able to commit a little bit of time and work, please let us know at u3alimerick@gmail.com or talk to any committee member as soon as possible. As with all voluntary organisations, the smooth and effective running of all events depends on the co-operation and clear, cohesive communication between committee members and all other members.
Joan will be sending out a more comprehensive email with relevant details and information but in the meantime have a little think about what talents, skills and experience you might be willing to bring to your U3A association!!
Due to demand for membership of the Book Club, we have decided to set up a second and possibly a third Book Club. Mary Shanahan has kindly offered to coordinate the establishment of these new groups.
If you are interested in joining one of these Book Clubs please get in touch with Mary either by email at marysshanahan@gmail.com or by text or WhatsApp at 0876837481 by Friday 22nd July if possible.
Our Gardening Group is back in action now that Spring has Sprung.
The leader, Úna Hogan, will facilitate the next meeting on Tuesday 15th March at 10.30 am in the Busy Bee Gardening Centre and Tea Rooms, Clondrinagh Roundabout.
All U3A members welcome…....so just turn up!
Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival
The Limerick Lifelong Learning Festival, now in its 12th year, will take place from Monday 23rd to Sunday 29th May 2022. The festival marks a celebration of lifelong learning and promotes learning in Limerick through a wide variety of creative, enjoyable and informative events.
This year's theme is Learn Something New in 2022. We invite you all to take on this learning challenge. What are you going to learn this year? Whether you are learning to develop new skills or to grow your career, the festival celebrates lifelong learning and can have a real impact on both your professional and personal development.
To see full programme of events see https://www.limerick.ie/LoveLearning
We are delighted to confirm that we have a lovely new venue for our monthly meetings as soon as we get back to in-person meetings:-
University of Limerick Access Campus, Unit J, LEDP, Roxboro Road, Limerick. V94 0D79.
This Campus, which is fully wheelchair accessible, has plenty of free parking spaces, and is located at the back of the LEDP building (previously Krups factory) near Roxboro Roundabout. It is opposite Tesco and shares an entrance with Aldi.
The UL Access Campus is a unique partnership initiative between Education (University of Limerick), the local community (LEDP), and the technology sector (Dell) creating a mini-campus which supports Limerick people in realising their potential through outreach educational opportunities.
“Bringing the University to the Community and the Community to the University”
We are delighted to announce that Bernadette Kiely has kindly offered to lead a Music Appreciation Group.
The group will meet fortnightly on Tuesday afternoons at 2.00 pm in the Limerick City Gallery of Art and the first get together will be on 18th January 2022. All U3A members welcome…
For further information please email u3alimerick@gmail.com.
Denis McMahon will again lead our next outing when we meet on Wednesday next 5th January at 10.30 am outside the gates of St Mary's Cathedral. I wonder where he will take us this time, and what coffee cafe we will end in.
You can contact Denis at mcmahondenis@gmail.com for further details, or to let him know if you would like to join in on this first walk.
While sharing ideas on possible topics and speakers for future talks we agreed that we have at our disposal a wide pool of expertise and experience in our own members, so we would like to encourage anyone who feels that they have an area of interest they would like to tell us about in a talk to come forward and let us know via email u3alimerick@gmail.com or via any member of the committee.
Two suggestions for extra sub-groups have come in:
- firstly a city-centre-based, easy walking group to take place on Wednesday or Friday mornings; and
- secondly a music appreciation group where anyone's love of any type of music would be shared between equals (i.e. no academic or specialist knowlege required).
If you have any interest in either or both of these, please let us know via u3alimerick@gmail.com or any member of the committee
Greetings to everyone on our U3A mailing list! This is to let you know firstly about some big changes to the way we have been doing things up to now, and secondly about some upcoming events.
Firstly, due to the relaxation of the covid restrictions, we are hoping to have live meetings before the year end. Our monthly talks will be be held live and we are very excited about this return to near-normality.
As well as this, and because covid hasn't entirely gone away yet, we are going to tighten up on our membership procedures. We are introducing an annual membership fee of €20 per person or €30 for a couple to cover our insurance and other costs, and we are now asking you, if you wish to continue taking part in our activities, to do the following :
1) reply to that effect to u3alimerick@gmail.com;
2) make the fee payment before the 13th of October. The contact for this is Maura Turner, our treasurer, at maura.turner1@gmail.com. Maura will let you know how you can make the payment. And for anyone who may have difficulty finding €20 in one go, don't worry, you can make alternative arrangements with Maura;
3) indicate by e-mail to u3alimerick@gmail.com whether you will attend a talk, as we will need to know exactly how many people to expect. As before, we will be asking you to contribute €2 towards speakers' costs etc, for live meeting as well as to bring your vaccination certificates and observe the relevant covid-related social guidelines (masks, social distancing).
As you see, gone are the days of free and informal membership of U3A Limerick, unfortunately. The world has changed so much in the last 18 months!
But we are very happy to be back, and ready to kick off our monthly series of talks on Wednesday 13th October at 2.30 pm when one of our members, and a member of Birdwatch Ireland,Tom Tarpey, will be giving an illustrated talk on The Birds of Limerick in The People's Museum, 2 Pery Square. I'm sure you will agree that this aspect of biodiversity is an excellent topic with which to begin our new programme!
In November we will have our local Lyric FM presenter Lorcan Murray telling us about his career and love of music, and in December there will be a pre-Christmas flower-arranging demonstration by another of our members, Helen Cusack. But more details of these to come, and also on our new Facebook page (U3A Limerick ) and new Website (www.u3alimerick.com) - two more exciting developments at U3A Limerick!
One thing hasn't changed however - for all of you who have been waiting for "Limber up with Joan, relax with Michele" to return to Monday mornings, get ready to zoom next Monday, 4th October at 11 o'clock with your weights, mats, blankets etc - yes, in the comfort of your own home! We are staying online for these classes, to facilitate as many of you as wish to continue with them, but after the second class on the 11th October, you will have to be a registered, paid-up member to get the link.
Lastly, our four sub-groups - the book club, the poetry appreciation group, the gardening club and the photography group - will be starting up again soon, so anyone with an interest in any of them should let us know.
Hoping you all had a good summer, and looking forward to meeting some of you in person at last, best wishes on behalf of the committee of U3A Limerick,
Cathie Chappell, Chairperson and Joan Conran, Secretary
Monday 27 September is the start of Positive Ageing Week 2021 which is themed Reconnecting Our Communities by Reframing Ageing to challenge negative stereotypes of ageing and older people.
The portrayal of older people as vulnerable, frail, in need of care and protection that characterised public discourse during COVID-19 reflected negative stereotypes we hold about older people.
‘Positive Ageing Week is an opportunity for communities to reframe how we think, feel and act about older people and ageing. Negative perceptions about older people can creep into our policy making. We know public health measures saved hundreds of lives but advice to people over 70 to cocoon, visiting restrictions in nursing homes and the general lack of engagement with older people about policies that directly affected them left many feeling invisible or diminished. Those practices also undermine people’s rights such as right to family life and autonomy.’ said Paddy Connolly, CEO of Age Action.
Ageism towards older people is one of the most common prejudices in societies around the world, according to the World Health Organisation. With one in five people in Ireland going to be over the age of 65 by 2050 it is necessary that ageist attitudes and policies are challenged and addressed to uphold equality and rights.
Positive Ageing Week is an initiative of Age Action to promote the agency of older people and to celebrate the contribution they make to our families, workplaces, communities and society as a whole. For 19 years individuals, groups, Local Authorities and businesses have been organising events to mark Positive Ageing Week which culminates in the promotion of age equality on 1 October - United Nations International Day of Older Persons.
Over 80 activities are taking place virtually or in person for Positive Ageing Week including the Local Heroes Exhibition in Galway, Older People and the fight against disinformation in DCU, and Advice for over 50s Setting up Your Own Business in Waterford. More information on activities can be found at www.positiveageingweek.com.