Nano Nagle goes online!

20 November 2020
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie

Nano Nagle Place is a former convent, which has high walls and an oasis type garden in the City Centre (Douglas Street, South Parish), now it’s going online

Conscious that people can no longer physically visit, the people at Nano Nagle place, the multi award winning complex in the heart of Cork City, have created an amazing culture and history programme for Autumn/Winter 2020. The three month long programme will go live on Saturday next, November 21st, Presentation Day.

Entrance to the Nano Nagle Place Museum on Douglas Street

An APP has been developed which will enable people to take a virtual tour of the complex. Broadcaster and musician, Evelyn Grant, was commissioned to provide the voice over for the Virtual Tour: “Listening to the historical details, while actually being in the space where Nano lived and worked, really has the feeling of a bit of time travel. What extraordinary times the Penal Times were, and what extraordinary women Nano and her followers were, to achieve what they did. The site itself has a wonderful feeling and the app gives so much detail and insight. There are many, many layers to discover and explore” says Evelyn.

Lady in costume at the museumPhotographer Credit: Clare Keogh

Sunday next, November 22nd, will also see the release of “Nano Nagle Place – A Musical Reflection.” It was recorded last July in the Goldie Chapel and is an uplifting mix of music and poetry. Harpist, Jean Kelly performs a range of music from Hildegaard Von Bingen to Bach. Also included is a beautiful piece called “Watching the Wheat” by the 19th century Welsh composer and harpist, John Thomas, followed by the poem “She Was at the Haymaking” by Cork born Eiléan NíChuileanáin. The poems, read by Evelyn Grant are from Ní Chuileanáin’s anthology “The Mother House.” Several poems in the collection are about Nano Nagle and her work on the site of Nano Nagle Place on the 18th Century Cove Street, now known as Douglas Street. For London based Jean, it was her first performance of 2020 in her native Cork, having completed a 14 day quarantine at her family home, near Douglas Street. “It was a special joy to perform and record this concert, the first ‘blended’ event, which may well become a norm in the future – performed in front of a socially distant group of people in the Goldie Chapel.”

Nano Nagle Place, the multi award winning oasis in Cork City, celebrates Nano Nagle’s vision of empowerment through education and community inclusion. Their response to the current pandemic has been both innovative and creative with this upcoming digital cultural programme featuring international artists, early music, great makers, and also on November 21st, Presentation Day, The Fairy Tale of Nano Nagle will be released on YouTube for a short run online.

Thanks to Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht funding, and The Heritage Council, Nano Nagle Place are delighted to bring this digital performance people.

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