Arts, Culture and Heritage

The cultural similarities of Ireland and Newfoundland offer a unique opportunity for both communities to learn from each other and grow. Since 2001, the INP has supported a large variety of cultural projects, including joint-festivals, film and radio documentaries, poetry books, photo and art exhibitions, musical exchanges and theatrical performances.

A listing of these projects are available below. Filter this list using the menu to the left.

In 2008, the INP is a partner in a the establishment of a permanent museum exhibit on the connections between Ireland and Newfoundland at The Rooms Provincial Museum in St. John’s. There will also be a kiosk placed in the provincial archives.

Category Organisation Project Description Year Newfoundland Partner
Festival Ireland Newfoundland Connections Plan and deliver the Ireland Newfoundland Festival in Southeast Ireland in September 2010. 2010
History The Rooms "Irish Legacy Project" - Establishment of permanent exhibit on the Ireland -Newfoundland historical and contemporary links, at The Rooms in St. John's. Project also includes a kiosk in the provincial archives. 2009 The Rooms
Art Sean McCrum Shorelines Project Shorelines travelling exhibition of sound and visual clips captured in the coastal communities of Valentia Island and the Port-au-Port peninsula. Will exhibit at Siamsa Tire, Tralee in 2009 and The Rooms, St. John's in 2010. 2009 Charlotte Jones
Art Neal Greig, Visual Artist Participate in a 6 weeks artist-in-residency programme at the Reardon House in Tilting, Fogo Island, Newfoundland. 2009 Dan Murphy, Tilting Recreation & Cultural Society
Festival Ireland Newfoundland Connections Coordinate Irish participation in 2009 Ireland Newfoundland Festival on the Avalon Peninsula. 2009 Festival of the Sea Inc.
Festival Wexford arists (storyteller, muscian, photographer, writer) particiation in Feile Tilting 2009. 2009 Town of Tilting
Photography Michael Durand Photographic exhibition of Waterford city and county hung in St. John's City Hall for October 2009. 2009 City of St. John's
General Gaelic Arts Agency Transport the Great Book of Gaelic (An Labhor Mor) to Corner Brook to showcase at the Gaelic Arts Festival, and display at the gallery for the summer months. 2008 Sir Wilfred Grenfell College
Art Andrea Jameson Artist An exhibition of work by Andrea Jameson to be shown at the Five Island Gallery in Tors Cove. 2008 Five Island Gallery
Festival Festival of the Sea Ireland Partcipation by representatives of the Southeast Ireland Newfoundland festival committee in planning meetings for the 2008 & 2009 Festivals. 2008 Festival of the Sea Newfoundland
Theatre Cork Children's Corus Bring Newfoundland Director, Jillian Keiley, to Ireland help the Cork Children's Chorus develop an opera. Performed at the Cork Opera House in November 2007. 2007 Jillian Keiley
History Dunhill Rural Enterprise Ltd. Emigrant Trail Project - Research and development of tourist driving trails that map the emigration from Waterford to Newfoundland. 2007 Sheila Lee
Festival Festival of the Sea Ireland Assistance to local organizations with hosting and organizing the 2007 Festival of the Sea, held in Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny. 2007 Festival of the Sea Newfoundland
Festival Foynes Flying Boat Museum Delegation of Irish performers and museum representatives to attend the Botwood Flying Boat Festival, which celebrates the historical aviation connection between Foynes and Newfoundland. Other collaboration includes radio documentaries and an MOU for economic cooperation between the regions. 2007 Town of Botwood
Theatre Jason Byrne Perform Tom Murphy's "Whistle in the Dark" play inNewfoundland. Conduct theatre workshops with local second-level schools. 2007 The Company Theatre & the LSPU Hall
Literature Liam Rellis Coordinate Irish hosting of the 20th anniversary March Hare Poetry Festival delegation from Newfoundland. Particpate in poetry festival events in Newfoundland (following its tour of Ireland). 2007 March Hare Festival
General Michael Fortune Present at cultural youth conference in Carbonear, Newfoundland. Speak about cultural programmes for youth in Ireland. 2007 Agnes Walsh
Music Mornington Singers Mornington Singers to participate in the Newfoundland Choral Festival. Also performed for Irish Ambassador and NL Premier. 2007 Festival 500
Literature Anne Farrell Participate in St. John's storytelling festival. 2006 St. John's Storytelling Festival
General Benevolent Irish Society Contribution to the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Benevolent Irish Society in Newfoundland. 2006
Art County Wexford Partnership Community tapestry project to include a section illustrating the historical connections between Wexford and Newfoundland. 2006
Festival Festival of the Sea Ireland Grants for Irish performers and community leaders represent Ireland in the second Festival of the Sea, the first in Newfoundland. 2006 Festival of the Sea Newfoundland
Film Kerry Film Festival Identify Newfoundland short films and film develops to participate in the Kerry Film Festival. 2006 Nickel Film Festival
Radio Victoria Enright Prepare a radio documentary on the Festival of the Sea, and the Ireland Newfoundland connection. 2006
Festival Festival of the Sea Inaugural joint "Festival of the Sea" to promote sustainable communities amenities and to promote the cultural, historical and community ties between Ireland and Newfoundland. 2005 Festival of the Sea Newfoundland
Music Garter Lane Arts Centre Teenage Kicks winners participate in Newfoundland youth alternative music festival 2005 Peace-a-cord festival
Art Irish Museum of Modern Art Shipment and installation of Irish art exhibit, Comharsana Beal Dorais, at The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery in St. John's. 2005 The Rooms
Music Irish Traditional Music Archives Publication of two CDs of Newfoundland traditional Irish songs, lilting, instrumental and speech (the works of Aidan O'Hara). 2005 Folklore and Language Archive, Memorial University
Music Ken Cotter "Islands of Song" - Project that brought together contemporary Irish and Newfoundland songwriters. Phase 1 involved a group of Newfoundland. Singers/songwriters travelling to Cork for St. Patrick's festival. Phase 2 involved a group of Irish singer/songwriters travelling to Newfoundland. 2005 Group of Newfoundland Musicians
Literature Ray McGrath Participate in St. John's Storytelling Festival. 2005 St. John's Storytelling Festival
Film Waterford Youth Drama Screening of "Battered Cod" at the St. John's Women's International Film Festival. Conduct research for future film partnerships. 2005 St. John's Women's International Film Festival
Theatre Bere Island Theatre Troupe "The Tinker's Wedding" - A community theatre production that was performed on Bere Island and also in Newfoundland. 2004 Tramore Theatre Troupe
Film Eamon Little Feasibility study for 'The Enigmatic Messrs Little', a film about Philip Francis Little's role in Newfoundland. 2004
Photography Garter Lane Arts Centre Hosting of "Twinning Lines: Ireland Newfoundland" - An exhibition by Newfoundland Photographer Sheilagh O'Leary, that featured black and white portraits of persons in Ireland and Newfoundland who have the same surname. 2004 Sheilagh O'Leary
Music Great Island Fiddlers Performance at the St. John's Folk Festival and various venues in Irish Loop region. Also featured on a local radio show. 2004
Music Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir Tour of Ireland, including a performance at the National Concert Hall attended by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Premier Danny Williams. 2004 Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir
Photography Sean McCrum "Three Limestone Barrens" - A written and visual art exhibition that explored similar limestone regions in Ireland, Newfoundland and Ontario. 2004 Charlotte Jones, Sir Wilfred Grenfell College
General South Kerry Development Partnership and Comhchoiste Ghaeltacht Uibh Rathaigh "Macalla na Mara (Echoes of the Ocean)" - Research common traditions between the Iveragh peninsula and the Irish Loop in Newfoundland. The composition of a book and cd featuring photos, stories, music, poetry and recitations. 2004
History Waterford Museum of Treasures Establishment of permanent Newfoundland exhibit at the Waterford Museum of Treasures 2004
Film Waterford Youth Drama "Battered Cod" - creation of a docu-artistic video collaboration that examines the threatened fishing industry in Newfoundland and Ireland. View it online at www.waterfordyoutharts.com/v-cod1.htm. 2004 Gordon Pittman, My Dog Productions
History Youghal Heritage Fair Allow historian, Dr. John FitzGerald, to speak at the Youghal Heritage Fair and conference titled Youghal Through the Ages 2004 Memorial University
Film Grand Pictures "Atlantic Sound" - development of an 8 part contemporary television comedy series for CBC and RTE (budget of €5.6 million). Awarded a travel grant to meet writers. 2004 Pope Productions
Film Subotica Entertainment "Love and Savagery" - co-production between Morag Productions and Subotica Entertainment (budget of €3.4 Million). 2004 Morag Productions (Barbara Doran)
Theatre Barabbas Barabbas conducted workshops in Newfoundland and worked on creating their own production, "A Love Story for Modern Times". 2003 Artistic Fraud
Theatre Bere Island Theatre Troupe Travel to Newfoundland to perform jointly with the Tramore Theatre troupe "In the Shadow of the Glen", J.M. Synge's one-act play. 2003 Tramore Theatre Troupe
Film COCO Television Productions Limited "Bloomsday Cabaret" - a short film based on the music featured in the work of James Joyce, produced in both Ireland and Newfoundland. 2003 Rock Island Productions
Music Cumann Náisiúnta na gCór, Irish Youth Choir "Voices of the North Atlantic" - project to explore shared vocal traditions of Newfoundland and South-Eastern Ireland. 2003 Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra
Photography Garter Lane Arts Centre Hosting of "First Impressions of Newfoundland" - a photographic exhibition by Ann Harpur and Margaret O'Brien presented at the Garter Lane Arts Centre 2003 St. Michael’s Print Gallery
Music Irish Traditional Music Archives Identify and catalogue material held at Memorial University which is of Irish-Newfoundland origin. 2003 Folklore and Language Archive, Memorial University
General PLANET - The Partnership Network Establishment of a Community Youth Advisory Board Network (CYABN) following a Newfoundland model. 2003 Department of Youth Services and Post Secondary Education
Festival Ray McGrath Feasibility study to investigate the viability of a permanent Sea Week Festival twinning between Wexford/Waterford and Newfoundland. This led to the establishment of the "Festival of the Sea". 2003 Avalon Gateway & Irish Loop Regional Economic Development Boards
Photography Shay Fennelly Produced eight photo articles on Newfoundland events for publications like "Marine News" and "Ireland of the Welcomes". 2003
Film Waterford Youth Drama "Shay Is" and "Indigo"- Project where two youth groups from Waterford and CornerBrook worked together virtual to script and produce two short films. 2003 Pope Productions
Theatre Bere Island Theatre Troupe Establish a theatre troupe at Bere Island based on the model of Newfoundland's Tramore Theatre Troupe. 2002 Tramore Theatre Troupe
Literature Adverbage Ltd. Creation of a book discussing the issue of the influence of Irish culture, especially music, the visual arts , theatre and literature. This ebook is available on the 'Learn More', 'Contemporary Relations' page of this website. 2001
Photography Anne Harpur and Margaret O'Brien Moran "Twinning of Faces and Facades" - Research and investigate the cultural and social and architectural links between Waterford and St. John's. 2001 St. Michael's Printshop
Art Black Church Print Studio "Ireland Newfoundland - A Cultural Exchange" - Develop a print residency and exchange programme, which would significantly enhance awareness of the respective cultural sectors. 2001 St. Michael's Printshop
Film Cork Film Centre "Exploring Landscapes" - A video art exchange project with Newfoundland. 2001
Literature Donal O'Donovan Research into a book about Philip Francis Little (first Prime Minister of Newfoundland), to be titled "The Little Dynasty" - Reserach sources included the Little Papers and various newspapers in St. John's, Boston and Dublin. 2001
Film Esras Films Production of a series of audio-visual resource presentations for heritage and interpretative centres in Ireland and Newfoundland. The 3 films produced are: "They Went in Search of Fish", Keeping the Culture" & "The Irish in Newfoundland". 2001
Theatre Fishamble Theatre Company An Ireland-Newfoundland theatrical co-production staged in Canada and Ireland with a cast and design team drawn from both companies. 2001 Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador
Music Irish Traditional Music Archives Digitisation of sound recordings of Newfoundland-Irish traditional song in the Irish Traditional Music Archive. 2001 Folklore and Language Archive, Memorial University
Radio Lorelei Harris (a) "Imagined Places" - Production of two forty-five minute radio programmes, recorded in Ireland and Newfoundland. (b) Feasibility study for the production of a further daylong radio programme entitled "Facing West and Facing East: A Day in the Life of Ireland and Newfoundland 2001
Art Mullingar Arts Centre Participate in the Artist in Residency at Gros Morne National Park in Western Newfoundland. 2001 Gros Morne National Park
Radio Neil Hegarty and Peter Hegarty "Atlantic Crossings: Cultural Connections Between Ireland and Newfoundland" - Develop a pair of radio documentaries drawn substantially on source material and extracts from contemporary letters, reports and journals. 2001
Music Seamus Creagh "Island to Island" - Compilation of Ireland and Newfoundland’s finest musicians, including Colin Carrigan, Aidan Coffey, Mick Daly, Graham Wells, Billy Sutton, Jason Whelan, and Paddy Mackey. 2001 Musicians in Newfoundland
General Wexford County Enterprise Board Study of the historical and cultural connections between the county of Wexford and Newfoundland. 2001
Film Subotica Entertainment "Random Passage" - four part mini-series portraying Irish emigrants to Newfoundland (based on book by Bernice Morgan). Won 2 Canadian Gemini Awards. 1999 Passage Films (Barbara Doran)