About the Event:

We’re excited to partner with Brú Theatre to present the innovative VR performance, Ar Ais Arís. A captivating exploration of emigration through a deeply personal lens. Performed in Irish with subtitles, the production ensures accessibility for all audiences while delivering a powerful theatrical experience.

Irish language literature and visual poetry are combined in virtual reality to make this work. Inspired by texts from Máirtín Ó Cadhain, Pádraic Ó Conaire and Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill around the theme of migration. Brú’s team of performers, creators, designers and composers have come together to create three unique 180° films, immersing audiences in a fusion of movement, text, music and Connemara landscape through the use of VR headsets. Lose yourself in this evocative, contemporary take on some of the finest writing in the Irish language.

About Bru Theatre:

Brú Theatre, based in Galway, creates innovative productions blending contemporary theatre with the languages, literature, and landscapes of the West of Ireland. Their work merges virtual reality, drag, physical theatre, new writing, and mask with local traditions, superstitions, and musicality, offering unique experiences both in person and digitally.

Led by Artistic Director James Riordan and Producer Jill Murray, Brú Theatre has produced seven works since 2018. Touring both nationally and internationally, and earning Irish Times Theatre Award nominations. Committed to artist development in the West of Ireland, they run programmes such as Remote Control and Brú School to support regional artists and art forms.

Brú Theatre is supported by the Arts Council, Galway City Council, and Galway County Council.

About St Patrick’s Festival:

As a key partner of St. Patrick’s Festival, we are proud to be part of one of the world’s largest and most celebrated festivals. St. Patrick’s Festival is Ireland’s official celebration of our national holiday, St. Patrick’s Day. Its origins lie in honouring Ireland’s patron saint, St. Patrick. Initially, it was a solemn commemorative feast day dedicated to paying tribute to the saint, but over the years, St. Patrick’s Day has evolved into a vibrant celebration encompassing the richness of Irish culture.

Today, it is a joyful occasion marked by parades, performances, and diverse expressions of Irish heritage; a multicultural international event that is committed to displaying contemporary and traditional arts, culture and heritage of the Irish people and the people who call Ireland home. This March, we invite you to St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin to help us celebrate our part and our place in our global community.