“TALLAGHT FEAST” PROJECT SHORTLISTED FOR A LIVING DUBLIN AWARD          

Tallaght Feast, a project led by Tallaght Community Arts, has been short listed for an Irish Times Living Dublin Award 2008 (Community Development category). Tallaght Feast is an after-school community project with St. Anne’s Primary School in Fettercairn, West Tallaght, where over one year, the schoolchildren seed, plant and grow the ingredients for a celebratory public feast for 300 people, which takes place on the plot of their garden.

Speaking about the nomination, John Fitzpatrick, Principal of St Anne’s Primary School said “We are delighted to be involved in the TALLAGHT FEAST project as it works on so many levels for us. Firstly, it brings the community into the school in the form of the various artists working with the children. It brings the children out of the classroom to show and display their endeavours to parents and the wider community. From an educational perspective it ticks all the boxes, being cross-curricular and focused on education through discovery. However the most rewarding aspect is the fun element. Great learning is being achieved yet the enjoyment level is so high it appears to be effortless. We hope the project will grow and develop and be an inspiration to both the school and the wider community.”

Tony Fegan, Director of Tallaght Community Arts added, “We are thrilled that the TALLAGHT FEAST project that we are creating with the children has been short listed for this award. It is a wonderful project that puts children at the heart of their community, enabling them to actively participate in the creation of an organic garden and the growing of a feast over the coming year. We are particularly fortunate to be working with the children and teachers of St Anne’s: their commitment at this early stage of the project has demonstrated a huge willingness to go on an exciting journey, which we believe will have a huge environmental impact on the local community, as well as placing the arts at the heart of active learning.”

The winners of this year’s Living Dublin Awards will be announced at a ceremony in the Westin Hotel, Dublin on Thursday December 18. We wish them the best of luck!

For more information on the Tallaght Feast project, see www.tallaght-arts.ie.
For media information contact Ruth Clancy – 01. 4621501 / ruth@tallaght-arts.ie.