The glow of an Autumn sun welcomed the 4^th Shorelines Arts Festival to the town of Portumna.  With several windows decorated for the Festival and silhouettes designed by Brian Murray displayed on St Brendan's St, the town was full of anticipation. At the official opening of the Festival, Mr. Michael D Higgins, President of the Labour Party, stressed the importance of communities coming together and creating together.  From the colourful Art Exhibition in the refurbished VEC, he emphasised the necessity for a community to have a platform like this VEC building as a gathering place for artists. MC Mark Conroy, outlined the development of the Festival from the idea of a one day event to this year's bumper Festival. Chairperson of Portumna Arts Group, Noelle Lynskey, welcomed the inclusion of the Voluntary Groups with the variety, colour and originality of the canvasses produced. A presentation of a Maple Poetry Book and an Acorn, crafted by Brian Murray, was made to Mr. Higgins, as music was provided by Mary Smith and Anne Mc Ghee and a rousing blast of songs from a new East Galway vocal group, Keynotes.

Friday morning, the busy hands of knitters, bakers, jewellers and craftspeople shared their work at the Country Markets where tea and coffee, scones and cakes were served.  Cake Icing was demonstrated by Brenda Ryan. Another busy lady, Ruth Smith, during the previous days, facilitated drama workshops in the local schools, preschools and crèches. Friday night, in the intimate setting of Portumna's Christchurch, she directed and arranged The Shoreline Set. Together with her fellow vocalists, Ruth Mc Gill and Alma Kelliher, joined by a band of top class musicians, the packed audience were enthralled with the musicality of the night. Local guest appearances from Timmy Walsh, Treenie Hogan, Laura Browne, Steve Killeen, Joe Casey, Frank Downey, Andrew Smith and Muirne Hurley-Goode had the place enraptured with delight.  This was one mega homecoming event for Ruth, merging her own talents with her friends in Portumna.

The streets of Portumna woke up on Saturday to the drumbeat of Craiceann, stilt walking on the pedestrian crossing and children skipping with delight at Cúl Games. Susan Royston co-ordinated events with pavement art, story telling with Tegtales, cookie making with Brenda Ryan and novelty street games with Damien & Veronica of Cúl Sports, all overseen by Portumna's Bachelor, Patsy Fogarty. Winners of the "Sweet Jar Number Competition" were Síofra Ward-O'Meara and Kian Claffey.

In Dysons, Ruth Conroy hosted the Book Club Brunch where up to 20 books were recommended by the gathering in a series of presentations from readers who travelled from Loughrea, Birr, Ennis, Borrisokane and Galway. A light-hearted literary quiz was won by the team "The Well Fed" and banter and food in the morning sunshine ensured all enjoyed the event.

Shorelines Solo Recitals took place throughout the weekend with children as young as 6 playing the pieces they are learning at local music classes. Proud parents, teachers and grandparents gathered in the VEC to hear the budding talents emerge. Joined by vocalists, Pascal Kennedy, Aoibhinn Goode, Nicola Walshe, Marian Lynch and Micheal Lambe, these events were gems for the audiences.

Children's creativity was also encouraged at a Puppet Making workshop and their imaginations aroused at Story Bear Puppet Show. Paula Short of Loughrea Youth Theatre facilitated 3 hours of dance, drama and song with a group of energetic children.

An Gáirdin was a very productive site on Saturday with Woodcarving in the outdoors and a Poetry Workshop with James Harpur indoors.

Presentation of Awards in the Barbara Kennedy Writing Awards was made by Margaret Hickey at Portumna Library, where a selction of the entries were on display. Children from 12 schools in the area were invited to participate and certificates were awarded to all entrants and trophies were presented to the shortlisted students and winners. Margaret commended the students for the variety of topics, the imaginative work and careful presentation of each entry. A prize for the Overall School was awarded to Eyrecourt Primary School. Overall winner in the "Anything Under The Sun" Writing Competition went to Sean Molloy, Tynagh NS. He is a keen reader and loves to write and he was awarded the Barbara Kennedy Perpetual Cup by Barbara's father, Tom Dempsey. The following were the winners in the poetry category: 1^st:  Mia Rose Dunne, Woodford NS; 2^nd Grainne Donoghue, Abbey NS , Saoirse Starr, Killimor NS; 3^rd David Kennedy, Eyrecourt NS, Saoirse O'Toole, Portumna NS. For prose, 1^st Sean Lewis, Portumna NS, 2^nd Matuesz Bukowski, Killimor NS, 3^rd Grace Campbell, Kiltormer NS. A number of shortlisted students were also awarded special prizes.

"Unearthed" an exhibition by Portumna Community School was held on Saturday afternoon- a mixed media exhibition facilitated by Hayley Aldous.

Saturday evening another new venue, Portumna Workhouse, was the setting for a Dramatic Recital "Aran Islands" by Tegolin Knowland & Sean Coyne. The Workhouse also housed an exhibition "The Whispers of Wood & Silence of Stone"- writings and drawings reflecting the story of the Workhouse.

An event on Sunday to a packed Workhouse brought the Silence and Whispers to life as people were ushered in the door by the Matron and Paupers, with readings from Portumna Pen Pushers, music from Ger Fahy, a newly composed song from Joe Casey and a dramatic trilogy of vignettes with Ruth Smith.

The inaugural Lines Learned by Heart award in memory of Nicholas Treacy & sponsored by the Maple Poetry Group was hotly contested in Horan's Bar. Recitations flowed sweetly from almost 20 participants and the top award went to Sean Hearne with Teresa Hodgins and Lena Hogan as the runners-up. Sheila Dillon and Alan Mc Monagle enjoyed judging the competition and the attentive audience were highly entertained.

Tunes & Sessions took place in Portumna's Day Care Centre and Portumna's Retirement Village with Mary Smith, Ruth Smith and Anne Marie Hough entertaining with songs, tunes and poems.

Castle Shorelines included the combination of two musicians Muirne Hurley Goode on harp and Darren dBurca on guitar and their vocal twinning on water themed songs. The flow of prose and poetry from James Harpur & Alan McMonagle closed the literary phase of the Festival with style, humour and refinement at Portumna Castle.

Awards were aplenty during Shorelines. On Sunday night, 3 J's from Baffle, Loughrea had the enviable task of choosing the winner in the Pub Limerick competition. The award of the L trophy was presented to Sean D Gordon for his Limerick from Martin's Bar. Local music star, Mike Denver, was also presented with the Shorelines Artist of the Year 2011 award, presented by Portumna Arts Group in recognition of Mike's contribution to the music scene, nationally and internationally. He was presented with a unique wooden disc in a frame specially designed and created by Brian Murray.

Three paintings donated by Tommy Madden, Eileen Smith and Mary Rourke were raffled over the weekend and winners were Kathleen Lynch, Paul Barker & Julie Tuohy.

Two wonderful concerts took place in the acoustic setting of St Brigid's Church. Declan O'Rourke sang his heart out for two hours to a delighted audience.  With the support of cello and violin the church reverberated with the rich depths of his voice and the resonance of his words. On Sunday, the haunting arrangements and sweet voices of Galway's Cois Claddaigh choir, now 30 years in existence washed the audience with harmony and rhythms, conducted in style by Brendan O'Connor.

Noelle Lynskey, Mark Conroy, Dolores O'Shea, Joan Gordon, Susan Royston and Eileen Smith extend their gratitude to the sponsors, the audience, the volunteers, the participants, the venues and the artists who all, in the true sense of a community, came together despite fire and recession, to celebrate the creativity in our lives at Shorelines Arts Festival 2011.