Lovely Lads & Lasses - are ye listening?
The Irish Burning Man community in partnership with the Charleville Castle Heritage Trust is ecstatically happy to announce that tickets for Smokin' Craic! 2011 are now on sale!!
WHAT: Official Irish Burning Man Decompression 2011
WHERE: Charleville Castle, Tullamore, Co. Offaly
WHEN: Saturday, November 19, 7pm - 9am Sunday morning - all night! (gate closes at 10pm, no admittance after that time)
COST: €25
Go here now to get your tickets!
ADVANCE PURCHASE ONLY! ATTENDANCE NUMBERS ARE LIMITED! NO TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE GATE (please read that again!).
For insurance reasons, there is a maximum number of participants allowed on site so ticket sales WILL cease when we reach that limit. Just like Burning Man this year, Irish Decompression could sell out. We're just sayin'...don't come to us with a tear in your Guinness because you put off getting tickets until the last minute only to find there are none available.
THIS EVENT MAY SELL OUT. PLAN ACCORDINGLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT!
This is a BYOB event.
NOTE: No one under 18 years old will be admitted.
This year's event - as last - is a special collaboration with and part fundraiser for the Charleville Castle Heritage Trust in order to help preserve and restore the beautiful neo-Gothic historic Irish masterpiece that is Charleville Castle. The Irish Burning Man community is working hand in hand with the Castle crew to co-create a night to be remembered by all.
This is a non-profit event. All proceeds equally benefit the Charleville Castle Heritage Trust and the Irish Burner community.
All attendees are required to carefully read the Event Guide (which you will receive electronically before the event) and to behave within the respectful boundaries agreed with Charleville Castle for this event.
But wait - what the hell even IS a Decompression? See the bottom of this post if this question applies to you!
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IRISH DECOMPRESSION NEEDS *YOU* TO VOLUNTEER!!!
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Caillini agus Buachailli, WE WANT YOU!!
As you now know, the eagerly awaited Irish Decompression, Smokin’ Craic! 2011 has opened its digital doors for ticket sales. Now we’re opening our digital arms(?!) hoping to digitally embrace as many of you as possible to help us create this special event.
If the past 4 years of energy, creativity and generosity of the general burner community are anything to go by, then we are all in for a real treat. Having the sublime Charleville Castle once again as our home for the night gives us the most fabulous playground possible, let alone a stunning backdrop for all the art and interactive fun YOU are all going to bring (you are, right?).
No event of this size though, can happen on it’s own, it takes a community to help the dream come alive. Here’s where YOU come in, yes YOU, Sunshine! We are looking for whatever it is that you are particularly good at. Of course, we need artists of all styles, we need music makers of all genres, singers, dancers, tassel twirlers, majorettes and minorettes. We need builders, movers and shakers, interactive dream-makers. We need Greeters and Fluffers, Décor folk, and Fire folk (both performers and good old fashioned fire builders and minders).
Ever notice that the word Participate contains the word ART? Huh, how cool is that?! Remember that even if you’re not exactly Michelangelo or Picasso, Mozart or Tchaikovsky, David Guetta or Pete Tong, you can still be a Rock Star Artist by pARTicipating in helping make the magic come alive.
If you know what your particular skill sets are, then please email us with your details and let’s start chatting. If you’re only sure of one thing and that is that you want to be a part of the magic, rather than just a “ticket holding person watching everyone else having a good time”, then email us and we can offer you a list of areas in which we know we need help (such as Setup Crew, Greeters, Fluffers, Decor Teamsters, Costume Appreciators, General Volunteers, Tear-down, Leave No Trace Crew, etc.
Together we can have waaay more fun than on our own, right? So Come On Down, hit the keyboard and get in touch. Looking forward to working with old friends and new, in a Most Unusual and Spectacular place.
Email: ireland@burningman.com
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IRISH DECOMPRESSION NEEDS YOUR ART!!!
Charleville Castle has to be the most beautiful backdrop imaginable for Decompression but we want YOU take it one step further and CREATE a space that is truly inspirational....
Decompression is a blank canvas for Artists, Creators and enthusiasts with the imagination and energy to get things done and see dreams come to fruition. Fantastic interactive visions were realised on the playa this year, many by folks from our own community – this year we invite YOU to stir up, shake down and light a fire under your collective asses and BRING some of the creativity back home. The 19 of November will be a day for your incredible, absurd and bizarre brainwaves to come to life.
Touching, climbing, entering, spinning, engaging and exploring are encouraged... the reverence of the gallery space is not what we are looking for here. However, respect for people’s dreams and hard work is expected.
Visual Artistry to include, but is limited only by your imagination; sculpture, projections, VJs, mutations, workshops, creation spaces, light displays……
...We want to see your vision! We welcome all participants to create or be part of the creative process – Don’t be a spectator! Everyone is a participant and co-creator!
Whether you would like to give birth to your own brainchild or help breathe life into someone else’s WE want to HEAR from you!!
What can we offer?
• Indoor space with high ceilings, several rooms and some black-light zones.
• Stairways, banisters and cubby-holes
• Outdoor grounds & tall trees
• Plenty of helping hands
Email: ireland@burningman.com
Or fill out the form here and tell us more about your ideas.
Looking for inspiration? Browse here.
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IRISH DECOMPRESSION NEEDS YOUR PERFORMANCE AND LIVE MUSIC!!!
Calling all bands, noise makers and freaky ass-shakers!!
If you want to perform at "That Thing In The Castle" then please get in touch. This is an excellent opportunity to share your love with a large audience of like minded souls and be part of something bigger than us all.
Email: ireland@burningman.com
Or fill out the form here and tell us more about your ideas.
Be sure to share a link to a sample of your work and your provide your contact details.
Remember, a decompression without live, audience-enthralling performance is like a turnup without frisbees...
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IRISH DECOMPRESSION NEEDS YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS!!!
If you have the transport and resources to bring any of the following items to the event, we'll love you forever! We've got our structures, stages, rigging, lasers, generators, and all that other big heavy tech that goes into making an exceptional event, but we need more of the
following smaller items:
Cushions, decorations, christmas lights, ropelights, camp chairs, stools, sofas, inflatable furniture/mattresses, plastic party cups etc, garden heaters, old blankets/duvets, wood (2x4s), artwork, disco balls, shiny things, blinkey things, in fact anything that reminds you of Burning Man, or anything that would add to the comfort of the place!!!
Alternatively, if you have larger stuff to contribute but cant transport it, get onto us and let us know, cos we may be able to arrange pickup with our fleet of trucks!!
Email: Ireland@burningman.com
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GOT QUESTIONS? WE'VE GOT ANSWERS
Where is Tullamore?
Here's a map and directions.
How do I get there?
Tullamore is in the centre of the country, equally (and easily) accessibly from everywhere! Both Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann have regularly scheduled stops to and from all areas of the country. There are also private coaches available from Kearns.
Just 50 minutes from Heuston! 1 Mile to the castle by cab from the bus/train station, easy. A lovely 20 minute stroll otherwise.
Or, perhaps you want to Rideshare?
Can you offer a needy Burner a lift to or from Decompression? Need a lift yourself? Post here to hook up.
Your Decompression Survival Guide is here.
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WHAT IS A DECOMPRESSION?
ABOUT DECOMPRESSIONS GENERALLY
Several of our community members have asked us to clarify what Decompression actually is. Here is an attempt to address those questions:
A Decompression is a community event where burners, burners to be, and general fun loving people gather to produce and enjoy a small reflection of Burning Man itself, to entertain, amuse, and hilarify ourselves as we enter the winter months. It is a reunion for those of us who have been to Burning Man this year or previous years and who are experiencing the "post-burn blues". Burning man rocks so very very hard that we feel the need to give ourselves a shot of the same energy'n'good-times that we enjoyed in the desert, and we find the best way to do that is to gather and build our own event in the spirit and image of the things we like the most about the burn. Decompressions also serve to welcome newcomers to Burner culture and are a great place to meet others and learn about "That Thing In The Desert" from the people who have been there.
Mixing artshow, costume party, cabaret, and music, and building it all into one giant celebration, decompressions are a self generated and non-commercial melting pot of high wierdness energy and desert style nonsensery, featuring fire spinners, bands, vaudeville, lights, sounds, djs, artworks, projections, and to be honest, pretty much anything else that people turn up with... while music and dancing lie at the heart of any decompression, its the attention & diversity that goes into the atmosphere/environment & entertainment that makes it a truly bizarre experience...
ABOUT SMOKIN' CRAIC!
What can you expect at Irish Decompression?
There will be amazing community-created interactive art, a variety of types of live music, DJs, dancing, five open fires, a large bonfire outside, The Miss Smokin' Craic! Pagenat of Inner Beauty, and many other special and wonderful activities taking place all night long - all in a setting beyond compare. Gothic architecture, open fireplaces blazing. Charleville Castle is a place to live and celebrate a piece of Irish history and Burning Man.
Let your creative soul express itself in this unique non-judgmental environment. A little bit of the playa, on the Aul' Sod.
It's extra special because it's a part fundraiser for the Castle itself. The Charleville Castle Heritage Trust is maintaining and restoring this historic building for generations to come and the Irish Burners are happy to support this great cause.
Foreigners! Thats right, we're expecting a ton of people from all over, including the UK, Switzerland, Italy, France, the USA, and Sligo... so be nice and don't flaunt your poetic history too much.
Costumes! The Bureau de Change (a.k.a. Costume Camp) will be onsite to help fill your costume wearing needs should you arrive underdressed and feel the urge to express you inner whatever... costumes not obligatory of course, but creative self-expression is highly encouraged. Smokin' Craic! will be a costume friendly zone, so don't be afraid to get wierd: and if you have any spare/old costume gear at home, please feel welcome to bring it and donate it to the Bureau de Change as well. They'll kiss your taint in appreciation...
The Miss Smokin' Craic! Pageant of Inner Beauty was a huge hit in previous years and will be back for its third year. This hilarious madness is a chance for anyone (of any gender) to reveal their inner beauty and share it with the community. One lucky person will be chosen by a panel of community judges to represent Ireland at the Miss Black Rock City pageant on the playa in 2012. Who will be Miss Smokin' Craic! 2011? It could be you!
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Once again, tickets are on sale now - get 'em before they're all gone!
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Thanks for taking the time to read this Big Irish Decompression Post, and looking forward to meeting you all on the night!!
The Craic! will be Smokin' November 19th, so come on down (with your pre-purchased tickets, and clutching your prebought booze of course) to Charlevile Castle! See you there!
Much Love,
Your Irish Decompression Crew
