The Anglo-Celt 2025 Arts Review- Aoife Shalvey

Aoife Shalvey

Musical theatre director and performer

Best Cavan Arts Event: Shercock Drama Festival is a festival I look forward to every year. The standard of the eight shows each year is unbelievable, with troupes performing from all over the country. My favourite this year had to be ‘A Whistle in the Dark’ by Cornmill Theatre Group. Fantastic theatre right on your doorstep!

One to Watch: The O’Sullivan String Trio of Aela, Siún and Eavan O’Sullivan. They are a violin, viola and cello string trio from Bailieborough. I saw them most recently at Killann Choral Society’s Christmas Concert, as well as at their autumn concert. Their renditions are always hair-raisingly beautiful, and I could sit and listen to them for hours. I have no doubt that they are destined for big things!

Best Book: Set in the west of Ireland, Kala by Colin Walsh tells the story of the vanishing of a girl in 2003, from the point of view of her close-knit group of friends. It is based fifteen years after she disappears, and it is a brilliant read, all about whether it is better to dig up the past, or just let sleeping dogs lie.

Best Music: My top album released this year is The Crux by Djo. The music takes heavy inspiration from artists like The Police and Prince and is just such a fun album. His music has a great retro feel to it, which suits me as my Spotify listening age is apparently 68.

Best Theatre: I saw War Horse in the Bord Gáis back in January. The horse puppets are such a feat of puppetry, as by the end, you’re weeping over these pieces of canvas and wood, fully convinced that they are living and breathing horses.

I was also lucky enough to see Sunset Blvd on Broadway this summer, and that production was just phenomenal and so rich, despite having a completely empty stage apart from the actors.

Best TV: Set in Chicago, The Bear follows chef Carmy as he takes over his late brother’s sandwich shop and plans to re-open it as a high-calibre restaurant. The show is full of incredibly stressful scenes in the kitchens, paired with heartfelt moments of family and friendship amid stress and grief.