Opera. Movies. Book Readings. Live Music. Photographic Exhibition. Irish-Language Events. Discussion. Street Food.

There's a feast of culture at Maynooth University’s annual Arts and Minds festival. Concession tickets available for Students/Unwaged/Senior Citizens/MU Alumni. Full programme listing here.

The festival begins on Thursday, 9th with a concert version of Vivaldi's opera, L'Olimpiade courtesy of Irish National Opera. Our collaboration with Maynooth Film For All continues on Friday 10th with a screening of the award-winning movie, Ballywalter starring Maynooth graduate, Seána Kerslake and TV presenter, Patrick Kielty. Also on Friday, An Fhéile Bheag kicks off with REIC, a slam poetry and performance evening directed by Ciara Ní É in Maynooth village.

Our Saturday programme is sure to tickle cultural tastebuds. Queer Religion, an award-winning photographic exhibition which spotlights and celebrates prominent queer leaders in religion will be on display from 10am in the TSI Building, and in the afternoon, a panel discussion event with the photographer, Frances Marshall and a compelling panel of guests, will chat about the multifaceted nature of queerphobia. This event will be chaired by Karen Dempsey, founder and Director of Entheos Ireland.

Between the dazzling lineup of poets, and novelists in The Literary Lounge, a Dramatic Monologue by theatre maker, actor and Arts and Minds Writer-in-Residence, Donal O'Kelly, and a screening of the classic 1922 silent movie, Foolish Wives, accompanied by live music from silent movie maestro, Stephen Horne, your cultural appetite is sure to be fulfilled!

If you're hungry for more, or just plain hungry, we're partnering this year with Irish Village Markets, the Street Food Specialists, so hungry culture vultures can avail of quality, diverse street food from 12-6pm on Saturday, beside the TSI Building (#30 on campus map). So why not bring a picnic blanket, cop a squat, and enjoy this uniquely Maynooth and family-friendly festival.

Closing our biggest festival to date with a musical bang, At the Aula presents ON THE ROAD AGAIN an evening of songs and stories with Tom Dunne of Something Happens, Fiachna Ó Braonáin of Hothouse Flowers, and multi-instrumentalist Alan Connor. Also performing in the Aula at this magical Maynooth evening is the wonderful Irish alternative folk duo, Lemoncello.