It was around 50 years ago that a group of young men set up Mallow Arts Lab, an art group with ambitions to acquire an arts centre for the town. The leading light behind the new arts group was Danny McCarthy from Croke Place, and he was joined by other like-minded people in the endeavour, with Joan Dinan’s pub (now the Priory Coffee Shop) on Main Street their meeting place. Joan Dinan was proprietor of the pub, and she became like a second mother to the group, making them welcome and also enjoying the music sessions which took place in front of the fireplace in the ‘snug’.
Mallow Arts Lab was a small group, but it had a big influence on the local arts scene, bringing famous poets and writers like Paul Durcan, Theo Dorgan and other big names to the town to give readings, while there were also poetry and music evenings in venues like Liberty Hall on Fair Street. As well as all of this the Arts Lab brought out several broadsheet publications, featuring poetry from members, and then there was the publication of four books of poetry, one each by Danny MacCarthy, Kevin Healy, Gerard ‘Swifty’ Sweeney, and Gerard Neville.
The publication of these four books remained a fond memory for everyone in the Arts Lab, and last Saturday the books sprang into prominence again after an anthology titled ‘Mallow Arts Lab Revisited’ was launched at a well-attended gathering in West End Art Studios. The anthology reproduced the four books of poetry in their original format, complete with original cover art, and all four poets were on hand to give readings before an appreciative audience. MC for the evening was Tadhg Curtis, who is chairperson of Mallow Arts Collective, and was also a keen member of Mallow Arts lab in its heyday, and he also introduced several musicians who performed at Arts Lab events 50 years ago, namely Noel Kearney, Pat Doolan, and Hank Wedel who was joined by Sean Long for a rousing rendition of his version of ‘The Rakes of Mallow’.
The event was a great success, reuniting friends from half a century ago, and many the tale was told as friends from all those years ago came together to rekindle memories of sitting in Joan Dinan’s Bar, reading poetry, playing guitar and singing songs. Copies of ‘Mallow Arts Lab Revisited’ are still available, and will be on sale (€10) at a craft fair in West End Art Studios this Saturday.