Dragon of Shandon Samhain Festival A PROJECT BY Cork Community Art Link
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We're delighted to launch our full programme for the Dragon of Shandon 2021!
Each year, Cork’s Northside lights up with a celebration of the living and the dead, with an assortment of creatures from the underworld roaming the streets, making their way into the city centre, amassing huge crowds of onlookers. We won’t be hosting the parade as normal this year, but our motley crew of skeletons are working hard to bring you something out of this world on the Shandon trail for Halloween 2021, building on the success of our installations from last year - see below! 
It’s nearly that time of year!
The Dragon of Shandon has taken place on Halloween annually since 2006 - the most spectacular street parade in Cork, a celebration and a creative partnership between artists and communities. In the meantime, get involved! We’re collecting “Samhain Stories”, ghost stories to be made into an audio piece to be heard on the streets of Cork on the night. Send a max 3 minute voice note to us on WhatsApp 0873435494, by Facebook Messenger or to [email protected] before 10th October. All ages and languages are very welcome! 
Dragon of Shandon 2020
The Dragon of Shandon 2020, something different…
This year we will not be celebrating Samhain together in our streets as we typically would. The Dragon of Shandon won’t take to the streets with her cortege of ghouls, banshees, púcas and other mischievous characters to claim once more the streets of Cork for all, as the ultimate stage in town. Instead we shall leave the Lady Dragon of Shandon to sleep and dream. We are truly sorry to have to postpone the tradition this year. We are especially sad to not have the opportunity to engage with the participants who would have usually come through our doors, and are equally sad to not be able to share the experience with the public of Cork and beyond who have greeted us with such enthusiasm for many years. But we are Cork Community Art Link, an art organisation unlike most others. We have been built through resilience, solidarity, adaptability and with daring ambitions. We cannot simply do nothing. So, we have been working away within the health regulations and adapting periodically to changes in our project. We have been a skeleton crew working on this project, but we will still try to bring something special to the city of Cork this Samhain. We are proud this year to be collaborating with Meitheal Mara, another unique community driven organisation, hoping that we will be able to complete this unique project in these restrictive and challenging times. So, here we are still trying to share a little bit of our Dragon lady magic with the people of Cork. Check out our website and social networks to see how we progress and how you can still be part of the Dragon of Shandon this year. In the meantime we encourage all of you to still celebrate the “time between times” in a safe manner, be creative in your homes and share whatever you do online with us. You can also visit Berwick Lane in Blackpool and see what we have achieved with our Rebel Streets project in the last few months with a mural celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Lido building and some cool pieces created by various individuals on the theme of resilience. For all the groups and individuals with whom we work, who already in normal times have difficulty in accessing and participating in their local culture, even in making art or just having a place to come to, be part of something, and who this year are struggling to access the most basic resources and services. This year work is dedicated to all of you. 
The Dragon of Shandon will take place at 7pm on 31st October 2019 on the streets of Cork.
Growing bigger and better as it reaches its 13th year, the Dragon of Shandon Parade is the highlight of CCAL’s annual arts calendar, the result of a 3 month outreach and community engagement programme with local artists, over 20 groups and support services working in partnership with local artists to create a cultural hub and provide a friendly and carnival atmosphere within the entire city on Halloween night. Poster Design by Diane O'Reilly 
Spectators gathering for The Dragon of Shandon Parade 2016 - Photo by Dragan Tomas
Check the ARCHIVES section of the website for photos and videos!
The Dragon of Shandon parade is made possible only thanks to many participants, volunteers and friends, as well as to the many sponsors who come on board with financial and in kind support. 
Would you like to get involved in the Dragon of Shandon festival?
If you want to support the project by participating in our workshops; construction, costume, or painting, drop us a line at [email protected] Join us and be part of an incredible parade for Samhain! Each year up to 100 individuals take part in our voluntary participation programme learning skills in prop making, mask and costumes, project development and event management. Some volunteer a couple of hours on the day of the event. Others have a longer term engagement spanning several months. Many return on an annual basis from Ireland, Europe and beyond and leave each year equipped with new skills, learning and friends gained during the course of the project. Go Raibh Mile maith agaibh! This event is facilitated by Cork Community Art Link. |
If you would like to donate to Cork Community Art Link to help us run the Dragon of Shandon every year, please email us on [email protected], or give us a ring on 021 455 3747.
Reg Charity No. CHY20769 
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Cork Community Art LinkCharity No. CHY20769
Address: The Lido, 71 Watercourse Road Blackpool T23 DV24 Cork City, Ireland Telephone: 00353 (0)21 455 3747 Email: [email protected] CCAL Website |
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