Can you lend a wedding outfit for a west Donegal exhibition?

An Gailearaí are planning a new exhibition - An Bhainis - The Wedding - which will take place in west Donegal next month, and they’re looking for your help.

The exhibition will open on Culture Night, Friday, September 20, at An Gailearaí, Gaoth Dobhair, for six weeks, but beforehand, event organisers are asking could you help them. Organisers are putting out a public call-out to borrow wedding outfits from people, for which they would be greatly appreciative.

Drop-offs will be at An Gailearaí Gaoth Dobhair F92PT38 Tuesday, September 3, and Thursday 5 from 11am to 5pm and on Wednesday 4 from 1pm – 8pm. In addition, there will also be a drop-off at the Inter-Cultural Platform Centre, St Oliver Plunkett Road, Letterkenny F92D684 on Friday, September 5, between 12pm and 4pm. For further details please contact An Gailearaí at 0874883771 or Donegal Intercultural Platform at 0749116075.

An Gailearaí premises in Falcarragh from 1999 to 2011

It all began 25 years ago for An Gailearaí. In 1999 embedded within the Gaeltacht they originally operated out of a venue above the bank at the crossroads in Falcarragh. Ealaín na Gaeltachta came on board immediately with funding for the project and this support continues today.

With great support from the local community and beyond, An Gailearaí ran an annual exhibition programme that promoted local, regional and national professional artists whose practice sought to reflect a Gaeltacht sensibility. Over 60 exhibitions were exhibited there covering a broad range of disciplines with fabulous audience attendances often spilling out onto the street.

In 2011, with the support of Donegal County Council, they then made the move to a bespoke permanent home in Gaoth Dobhair in the new Aislann Centre. Working alongside the new library, An Gailearaí has continued to represent artists nationally and grow its audience. The project has been blessed with some wonderful staff over the years that including a Curator, Project Manager, Accounts Manager and Events Assistant with an opening for a Gallery Technician, if anyone is interested they are encouraged to make contact.

Now at 25 years old and with almost 130 exhibitions and community engagement projects under its belt, An Gailearaí plans to have a few celebratory events as it is set to embark on the next quarter century of operation.
In 2003 An Gailearaí called upon the locals to lend the gallery their wedding dresses so that the curator could develop an installation exhibition entitled ‘An Bhainis’ or ‘The Wedding’.

An Gailearaí staff, Shirley Green Boyle Accounts Manager, Anna McLaughlin Project Manager, Ann Marie Bellew Events Assistant, Úna Campbell Curator

This show was a huge success and the participation and footfall were amazing. The exhibition was launch by fashion designer and Ardara native Ciarán Sweeney and included a champagne reception for the contributors.

To mark their 25th anniversary, An Gailearaí will once again mount a similar installation exhibition but, as with the advancing of time, this installation will differ in that it will reflect the cultural changes within our communities and so they wish to include our newer community members from afar, same sex weddings and the whole gambit. So, if you have a wonderful wedding outfit that you think would enhance the show do think of lending it to An Gailearaí as the more varied is all the better.