Ballaghaderreen students set to bring chapter in town’s history to light
Brooke Coleman, Henry Black and Aaron Fox working on 'The Cherry Blossom Tales'.
A new student-led exhibition created by contemplative artist and writer Dr. Anna King, in collaboration with St. Nathy’s College, Ballaghaderreen, will be launched in August.
The launch of ‘The Cherry Blossom Tales: Reimagining the Legacy of Anne Deane’ on August 2nd, as part of the Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival, will include short readings and an opportunity to meet some of the student participants. A visual art exhibition will also remain open to the public that day.
This unique project has been inspired by the life and legacy of Anne Deane, Ballaghaderreen’s influential 19th-century businesswoman, activist, and a key figure in the Ladies’ Land League — Ireland’s first political movement led by women. This powerful chapter in local and national history is brought to life through the creative lens of a new generation.
The exhibition features original paintings, photographs, framed narrative prints, and a process-based video performance developed during a series of workshops with Anna, in which students responded imaginatively to the town's history and to a fictional story set in the garden of Dillon House in 1882.
Bringing the past into the present, the exhibition invites visitors to experience local history through storytelling, art, and the creative exploration of place.
The project was supported by teachers Karen Munnelly and Conor O’Connell of St. Nathy’s College, who helped coordinate student participation and guided the development of creative responses within the school.
'The Cherry Blossom Tales' is supported by the Roscommon County Council's Creative Ireland Programme 2025.
Tickets for ‘The Cherry Blossom Tales: Reimagining the Legacy of Anne Deane’ on August 2nd at 2 p.m. upstairs at Durkin’s Restaurant can be booked online: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ballaghaderreenartsfestival2025.
