Kilkenny's Cartoon Saloon films bring Irish culture to Slovakia

An Irish cultural organisation that introduced more than 2,000 children across Slovakia to St Brigid's traditions and staged John B Keane's Moll is now bringing four Irish films to Bratislava.

Founded in 2025 by Malahide native Shane Bissett, Cultúr Slovensko, a Slovak civic association, has spent the past year sharing Irish culture with audiences in Slovakia through theatre, education, language activities and community celebrations.

Its latest initiative, Stories from Ireland, opens at Bratislava's Kino Lumière on Saturday, November 7, with Song of the Sea, followed by Michael Collins on Thursday, November 12. Two further screenings, Wolfwalkers on Saturday, December 5 and The Guard on Thursday, December 10, complete the four-film programme celebrating Ireland's mythology, history, animation and distinctive humour.

The programme takes place during Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union and follows Taoiseach Micheál Martin's visit to Bratislava in September 2026, the first visit by an Irish Taoiseach to Slovakia in more than two decades.

Bringing St Brigid to Slovak classrooms

Cultúr Slovensko was established with the support and grant funding of the Embassy of Ireland in Bratislava, with the aim of promoting Irish culture and strengthening connections between Ireland and Slovakia.

One of its most successful initiatives came on St Brigid's Day, 1 February 2026, when more than 2,000 children across Slovakia participated in activities exploring the story and traditions of one of Ireland's patron saints.

Children learned about St Brigid and made traditional St Brigid's crosses, bringing an aspect of Irish heritage into Slovak classrooms through a practical and creative activity. St Brigid's Day, which became an Irish public holiday in 2023, celebrates a figure associated with Irish history, folklore and the arrival of spring.

Irish theatre, language and community

The organisation staged John B Keane's celebrated comedy Moll at Teatro Colorato in Bratislava, with performances in November 2025 and March 2026. The production was directed and performed by members of the Irish and international communities in Slovakia, bringing an Irish theatrical work to local audiences.

For the European Day of Languages at Trnava University, Cultúr Slovensko introduced students to the Irish language through interactive bingo and Irish proverb games. Students received handmade crochet shamrocks created by a child living in Slovakia, adding a personal touch to the celebration of Ireland's language and cultural traditions.

The organisation also hosted a St Patrick's Day celebration featuring Avalon Academy of Irish Dance, whose young Slovak dancers gave a performance for the Irish community and friends of Ireland.

Cultúr Slovensko organises a monthly Friends of Ireland gathering, providing an informal opportunity for members of the Irish diaspora and wider international community to meet over dinner, exchange experiences and discuss different aspects of life in Slovakia.

Four films, four very different sides of Ireland

The film programme opens on Saturday, November 7, with Song of the Sea (2014), the Oscar-nominated animated film from Kilkenny-based Cartoon Saloon. Directed by Tomm Moore, the film draws on ancient Irish selkie legends to tell the story of two siblings embarking on a magical journey through a world inspired by Irish mythology.

On Thursday, November 12, audiences will see Michael Collins (1996), Neil Jordan's historical drama starring Liam Neeson, Julia Roberts and Alan Rickman. The film explores Ireland's struggle for independence and the political divisions that followed, offering audiences a perspective on one of the defining periods of modern Irish history.

The programme continues on Saturday, December 5, with Wolfwalkers (2020), another Oscar-nominated Cartoon Saloon production. Set in 17th-Century Kilkenny, the film draws on Irish folklore to tell a story of friendship, nature and freedom. Bissett hopes to welcome an Irish wolfhound from Bratislava-based Cubadel Irish Wolfhound Kennel to the Wolfwalkers screening, giving children and families an opportunity to meet a breed historically used to hunt wolves in Ireland.

The series concludes on Thursday, December 10, with The Guard (2011), directed by John Michael McDonagh and starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle. Set in Connemara, the film combines crime drama with dark comedy and a very Irish sense of humour.

All four films are scheduled to be screened in English with Slovak or Czech subtitles, making the programme accessible to local audiences as well as Irish and international residents of Slovakia.

Sharing Stories from Ireland

For Cultúr Slovensko's founder, the film programme is the next chapter in an effort to bring Irish culture to new audiences in Slovakia.

“When more than 2,000 children across Slovakia were making their own St Brigid's crosses, I really felt we were making a difference because, for most of them, it was their first time learning about Irish culture,” said Shane Bissett.

“I was particularly proud to see children from Slovak families performing with Avalon Academy of Irish Dance at our St Patrick's Day event. Many of them had never even been to Ireland, yet there they were embracing a part of our culture.

“Film is the next step. These four films show very different sides of Ireland, from Cartoon Saloon's beautiful animation to Michael Collins and Brendan Gleeson in The Guard. Being from Malahide myself, it's nice to have that connection with Brendan, who also has ties to the area. I really hope people leave the cinema wanting to find out more about Ireland.”