Free hop-on-hop-off buses will connect audiences with Culture Night events across Cork City

Getting around Cork City this Culture Night will be easier than ever, as the Culture Buses return on Friday, 18 September, offering a free hop-on-hop-off service to help audiences explore the huge range of cultural events taking place across the city.

Presented by Cork City Council and part of a nationwide event led by The Arts Council, Culture Night invites everyone to come together for an evening of free cultural discovery, creativity and connection. With hundreds of events taking place across Cork City, the Culture Buses provide an easy way for audiences to get out and explore more of what the night has to offer.

And the Culture Night experience starts as soon as you hop on board, with Double Decks, a unique Culture Night music experience, created in collaboration between Cork City Council, Bus Éireann and the Electronic Music Council.

As you travel around Cork City between Culture Night events, a selection of local electronic artists will provide a warm, atmospheric soundtrack to your journey, blending softer electronic sounds, ambient music and familiar tracks to create a unique backdrop to the city as you move through it.

Speaking about Bus Éireann’s support for Culture Night Cork City, Adrian O’Loughlin, Senior Operations Manager, South for Bus Éireann says:

“Bus Éireann is proud to support Culture Night in Cork, helping connect with the city’s vibrant arts and cultural scene.  Through its dedicated Culture Buses, Bus Éireann helps connect communities with cultural venues and events across the city. 

 Bus Éireann also helps bring culture directly into the heart of the community through Cork’s transport network.  We look forward to welcoming and seeing people throughout the evening as they enjoy the many cultural experiences on offer.”

Operating from City Hall across three dedicated routes, the Culture Buses will connect audiences with Culture Night events across the North, East and West of the city.

The three routes are:

Orange Route: City Hall, Eglinton Street to Blackrock Castle and return

Pink Route: City Hall, Terence McSwiney Quay to Collins Barracks and return via Blackpool and Summerhill North

Green Route: City Hall, Anglesea Street to UCC via South Terrace and return via the Mardyke

With a wide range of events accessible along the routes, audiences can hop off and discover everything from astronomy and local heritage to circus, music, art and hands-on activities.

Highlights include:

• MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory: Explore the history of Blackrock Castle and the wonders of space with astronomy presentations, heritage and astronomy exhibits, family-friendly workshops and a live stargazing session with Cork Astronomy Club. A new art exhibition celebrating the history of Blackrock Castle will also be on display. Booking is not required, but presentations have limited capacity and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Circus Factory – A Circus of Selves: Enable Ireland and Circus Factory Cork have come together on A Circus of Selves, a creative project supporting adults with disabilities to explore identity, expression and wellbeing through physical theatre. Visitors can explore a walk-through experience showcasing the participants’ creative process, with costumes and props, documentary footage, story stations and interactive spaces offering an insight into their experiences and the ways they have explored and expressed their identities. The evening will culminate in a joyful catwalk and optional sharing circle, celebrating creativity, self-expression and community.
• Blackpool Heritage Trail: Discover Blackpool’s local history and culture with a programme including a walking tour with local historian Diarmuid O’Donovan, ‘Gaeilge for the Terrified’ with Barr na gCnoc and Ciorcal Cainte, music from Tomás MacCurtain Pipe Band and local schools, set dancing at the céilí, the Sunbeam Pattern project and Especially Cork cartoons by Chris Moody. Visitors can also explore Blackpool and the Northside Through the Years at Cork City and County Archives, with guided tours and exhibitions, and visit the workshop space at Cork Community Artlink.
• University College Cork: Discover UCC in a whole new light with an evening of art, culture, technology, storytelling and hands-on activities across the historic campus. At the Boole Library, visitors can experience a taste of Chinese culture through interactive stations including calligraphy and a tea ceremony; create their own cyanotype print using a historic photographic process; explore 3D printing; take guided tours of the Boole Library art collection; and discover fascinating reproductions from UCC Special Collections and Archives. Families can enjoy children’s storytelling with author JP Quinn, while a short story walk will bring the campus to life through stories and place. As evening falls, visitors can explore the university’s historic surroundings on the Twilight Treasures Tour. The programme also includes Foinn & Filíocht, SoundEye Cabaret, a walking tour of UCC’s LGBT+ history, Rhythms of India from the UCC Indian Alumni Community and a multilingualism celebration, offering a packed evening of discovery for all ages.

The Culture Buses are just one of the ways to make the most of Culture Night Cork City, with audiences encouraged to leave the car at home, hop on board and explore the city’s cultural offering – with a soundtrack along the way.

While all events on Culture Night are FREE, some require booking, please check the website for details. Full programme details at: www.CorkCity.ie/CultureNight and www.CultureNight.ie