Creative Places Men’s Choir

Established in September 2024 as a one-off project, the men’s choir in Templeshannon, Enniscorthy, grew out of a community development initiative focused on the east side of Enniscorthy. The idea was to consolidate men from various existing local choirs that only had a few male members each, resulting in a group of about 20 men. The choir offers a significant social outlet and is a mood-altering pastime that helps with isolation, particularly for older men, and supports mental health issues. Creative Places, through coordinator Darren O’Hanahan, has supported the group, helping with a concert and a post-Christmas CD recording with local sound engineer Ivan Levenson. Additionally, local artist and songwriter Paul O’Reilly worked with the choir to write and compose two original pieces of music, based on men’s stories of love and childhood. The group, which features a 90-year-old member who has “never enjoyed anything like it”, does not hold auditions and is actively seeking new members who enjoy singing to come along and participate in a very relaxed atmosphere

What an afternoon on Gimont Green!

Creative Places Enniscorthy was delighted to help bring the Rí Rá Children’s Festival to life today—an unforgettable burst of colour, creativity, and just the right amount of circus mayhem.

From the moment the first families arrived, the green was buzzing with excitement. Children (and plenty of grown-ups!) dove straight into the fun—balancing acts, playful challenges, and hands-on activities that sparked imagination at every turn. Everywhere you looked, there were smiles, laughter, and that unmistakable feeling of community coming together.

Events like this remind us what’s possible when creativity meets local spirit. It was community at its very best—Enniscorthy families connecting, playing, learning, and making memories in the heart of their own town.

A huge thank-you to everyone who joined in the fun and to all of the brilliant partners and volunteers who helped create such a joyful afternoon. We’re already looking forward to bringing even more moments like this to Enniscorthy.

What a day in Orchard Peace Park!

As part of National Play Day, Creative Places Enniscorthy was delighted to join forces with Enniscorthy Municipal District and FDYS to bring Let’s Play Enniscorthy to life—and what a magical few hours it turned out to be.

The park was transformed into a lively playground filled with laughter, colour, and nonstop activity. Children—and plenty of grown-ups—threw themselves into the fun with sack races, tug of war, and a whole mix of simple, joyful games that brought everyone right back to the pure delight of childhood play. It felt like a complete throwback in the best possible way: uncomplicated, energetic, and full of community spirit.

For us at Creative Places Enniscorthy, days like this are what our work is all about—creating opportunities for people to come together, connect, and experience their town in new and joyful ways. Watching families, neighbours, and friends run, laugh, compete, and cheer each other on was a powerful reminder of how important shared play really is.

Turret Rock Project

This is a Creative Places Enniscorthy research project to find ways of using the Turret Rock as a route and cultural meeting place for everyone

This project is one of 3 different meetings with local groups and artist Mary Doyle on the Turret Rocks. These meetings are designed to allow us to brain storm and research in playful and creative ways. Public spaces are not always inviting, and it’s not always clear as to how they can be used and enjoyed, or even if everyone is welcome to use them

This research aims to use artistic methods to break down these barriers to the access and use of our local public spaces and to help make them available

The Tea On The Green

It was a vibrant and positive day on Gimont green, where a mix of artists, performers, and local groups came together to create an uplifting community event. Creative activities of all kinds were available, from hands-on art and crafts to lively performances and music, offering something for people of all ages to enjoy. The strong community spirit was clear, as more and more residents joined in once they saw others getting involved. Organizers hope that days like this will become more regular, as they bring people together, brighten the area, and help maintain a sense of pride in the neighbourhood. Various local services and agencies were also present, engaging with residents and supporting ongoing efforts to improve the community.

The Night Belongs to Youth

This project was a creative, youth-led celebration brought to life through Creative Places Enniscorthy. It captured a vibrant procession and performance on Vinegar Hill, where young people worked alongside artists, musicians, and performers to fuse music, drumming, dance, ceremonial art, and a strong sense of community.

We transformed the historic hill into a powerful stage for collective creativity. Participants carried symbolic land-art pieces, led drumming rituals, and gathered together to honor youth expression, community spirit, local history, and our shared cultural identity