The 10th annual festival of the arts organisation, Samhlaíocht, is underway in Kerry.
The artistic director, Mr Maurice Galway, and his team have put together 75 events in 24 venues for the 11-day celebration which runs until April 3rd. Besides 160 artists, 600 children will be involved in the programme at centres in Tralee, Dingle, Listowel, Finuge, Castlemaine and Killarney.
Samhlaíocht, the festival chairman, Mr Paul Hanrahan, said was an expression of the commitment to cultivate an awareness of, and provide the infrastructure for, community arts in action.
"Looking ahead at the decade to come, my hope is that the relevant authorities and the community at large will recognise the value of developing arts in the community, not as an embellishment or an afterthought, but as a vital part of the advancement of community life. In this, we in Samhlaíocht are ready, willing and ideally placed to play our part," he added.
Dr Barney O'Reilly, founder of the festival and chief executive officer of Kerry Educational Services, opens the festival officially at the Siamsa Tíre Theatre in Tralee next Saturday. The opening will be preceded by 22 community groups parading in the town to reflect the theme of this year's event, masks.
Street carnival, circus acts, rock concerts, film, literature and a special programme for the younger participants, makes the event an all-embracing carnival, proving that the arts are thriving in Kerry.
Also on Saturday, Mr Steve McDonogh of Brandon Press will host a workshop offering insight into publishing. He will be joined later by Alison O'Connor, of The Irish Times, and film-maker Bob Quinn for a panel discussion on literature, publishing, film and the media.
On Easter Monday, a debate on the role of pop culture in the modern world will take place at the beautifully-restored Georgian House in Day Place, Tralee.