The former dining hall and chapel of the Irish Workhouse Centre was not known as a place of plenty during the institution’s heyday, but on Sunday evening, it offered an abundance of food for the soul.

The occasion was the launch of the exhibitions at Portumna’s Shorelines Arts Festival 2024, when the large attendance was treated a concert featuring music by Beethoven, Mozart and Philip Glass, performed by Galway’s ensemble in residence, ConTempo, all preceded by a poem from Eva Bourke.

Presented by the Galway Music Residency, the ConTempo Countywide Autumn concert received a standing ovation from an appreciative audience, before people moved across the way to the main workhouse building where writer Margaret Hickey, a member of the Shorelines Visual Arts Committee officially opened the exhibitions.

These are taking place across three galleries, with work by seven invited artists in two connected rooms, while the former women’s dormitory has work by local artists.

There’s a strong emphasis on glasswork among the invited artists. Lucinda Robertson has created an array of finely-blown receptacles while Evan Connon offers contemporary versions of stained glass windows.

There are animals and circus figures from Heidi Wickam and largescale oil paintings from Nana Bradley, alongside mosaics from Helen Miles and Alison Mac Cormaic. Among the standout pieces is one from Mac Cormaic – a sleeveless shift dress, made of mosaic tiles and fabrics which adorns a shop model.

Margaret Hickey praised the “contrasting styles” of the invited artists, and the “dynamic mix” from the local artists, and she encouraged guests to linger in front of the pieces, “because the more you look, the more you see”.

Ms Hickey also informed people that a new campaign was underway to have a fire escape and lifts installed at the Victorian workhouse. The lifts would make exhibitions accessible to everyone and benefit artists such as Evan Connon, who had to carry his heavy stained glass pieces up the wooden stairs. She explained that donation boxes were available in the building for those who wanted to help with fundraising.

Downstairs, an ongoing exhibition of bog oak by sculptor Kieran Tuohy, titled Dark Shadows, is accessible to all. These pieces, described by Margaret Hickey as “stunning”, were inspired by Ireland’s Great Famine and the role of workhouses during and also after that troubled time.

Most of the work is for sale and the gallery opens  11am-4pm daily until September 22.

Three exhibitions are being hosted at Portumna Castle. Junk Couture displays wearable fashion which students have made from recyclable materials and found items. Meanwhile, the Exam Collection will showcase the creativity of students ar Portumna Community School.

For Shutter and Pen, photographer Michael Molamphy captured images of small  things and life’s little details.  Members of Portumna Penpushers then selected their image of choice, writing a short poem in response and recording it to create an audio-visual exhibition.

These shows run daily from 10am-5pm until September 30.

Breeda O’Connor of the Shorelines committee informed guests there was much more to come at the festival. Two headline concerts are sold but there’s space at the Tulla Céilí Band gig in the Town Hall this Thursday night.

Likewise with the classical concert from the Esposito String Quartet at Christ Church on Sunday afternoon.

Literary events include authors Evelyn Hourican and Nuala O’Connor in conversation about Emily’s latest book, An Invitation to the Kennedys. That’s on this Friday at 6pm.

On Saturday at 3pm, psychotherapist and author Richard Hogan will speak on Home is Where the Start Is, about the importance of childhood in shaping our lives. At 6pm, Patrick Kavanagh – a Life, with PJ Brady will offer a portrait on the great writer and complex man.

There’s a Film Programme and a Schools Programme as well as many free, outdoor events for families. And Ms O’Connor stressed that the workshops were filling fast, lest people wanted to book them.

Several events are taking place in a new festival venue, the beautiful Dowager House, located across from Portumna Castle and the abbey.

Shorelines 2024 will close on Sunday night, September 15, with Mikel Murfi’s one-man show, I Hear You and Rejoice. It’s in the Town Hall at 8pm.

Details on all events are available at www.shorelines.com.

Pictured: Stained glass artist Evan Connon discusses his work at the Shorelines Visual Arts Exhibition, located in the Irish Workhouse Centre in Portumna until September 22, 11am – 4pm daily. Photos: Kerry Kissane.