Connacht Collage Collective

What to Expect

The Connacht Collage Collective meets monthly at the Linenhall in Castlebar and is open to anyone over 18, regardless of skill or experience. The Linenhall makes the case for the medium neatly: one of the great strengths of collage is that it is easy to pick up and satisfying to explore. Nobody needs to be able to draw, and a pair of scissors and a stack of old magazines is a legitimate starting point.

Sessions run for three hours on a Saturday afternoon and are led by the artist Anthony D Kelly, who shares techniques and exercises to help people develop a collage practice rather than just make one nice thing and go home. The stated aim is to learn, play, create and connect as part of a supportive artistic community, and the group has become one of the more active regular gatherings for visual artists in the west. Places are limited and it costs €5 per meeting, booked through the Linenhall’s Ticketsolve system. After the September session the group meets again on 24 October and 28 November, so it is easy to come back and build on what you started.

Good to Know

• Next session Saturday 26 September 2026, 1.30pm to 4.30pm
• Further meetings on Saturday 24 October and Saturday 28 November 2026
• The Linenhall Arts Centre, Linenhall Street, Castlebar, F23 AN24
• €5 per meeting
• Adults 18 and over, all levels of experience welcome
• Led by Anthony D Kelly
• Numbers are limited, book at thelinenhall.ticketsolve.com or phone 094 902 3733
• Box office hours Tuesday to Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday 11am to 4pm

Getting There

The Linenhall is on Linenhall Street in the centre of Castlebar, a couple of minutes from The Mall and the main square. By road, the N5 runs west from Dublin through Longford and Roscommon, the N84 comes north from Galway, the N60 connects Claremorris and Roscommon, and the N58 arrives from Ballina and Foxford. Irish Rail runs Dublin Heuston to Castlebar services via Manulla Junction, and the station is a short walk or brief taxi ride from the town centre. Bus Eireann links Castlebar with Galway, Sligo, Westport and Ballina. Street parking around Linenhall Street is pay-and-display, with larger car parks a few minutes’ walk away, which is usually easier on a Saturday afternoon.