The Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival became a victim of COVID19 when the decision was made to postpone the 2020 Festival. The committee had the sad job of contacting the performers who had been engaged for the Festival. It was done with a heavy heart as we knew that these artistes were now facing into a time of uncertainty and unpredictability.One of the aims of the Bleeding Pig Festival is to promote local amateur and professional performers. We have followed up on four of our regular, local and professional performers to see how COVID has affected them.Donabate resident, Laura Shields, is a mezzo soprano. This summer she was due to tour Northern Italy and Germany but these tours were cancelled.The Christmas season now is looking increasingly uncertain.Laura teaches music to local children from home but this had to discontinue as both Laura’s parents are frontline nurses.Recently Laura travelled to Belfast to film, sing and record for the upcoming BBC Proms. Laura faces an uncertain future in her chosen career however it grateful to currently be kept busy studying her Masters of Primary Education and is grateful for the COVID payment but worries about when it will be withdrawn. She is “lucky” as she lives at home. Uilleann Piper Éamonn Galldubh has toured and recorded with many artists including Clannad, Riverdance, and more.He would usually be difficult to catch at this time of the year. This year it is scéal eile. Venues are closed, concerts cancelled and the tourists haven’t come. Government support for the Arts has been haphazard. He was due to tour the UK but that has now been cancelled. Éamonn is a tutor with the local Comhaltas Group Comhaltas Leithinis Donabate Portrane. David Scott is an opera singer from Donabate and is a singing teacher in Clongowes Wood College. In March he went from a busy schedule of juggling rehearsals, performances and singing lessons to considering online courses in coding or web design. His opera Carmen was cancelled, his weddings were all postponed and his usual busy Christmas period is in doubt. The latest restrictions have also put his expected return to teaching in jeopardy. In eight years as a self-employed musician, this is the most difficult period he has encountered. Robert Shaw is a well known local artist. Robert’s paintings are held in corporate and private collections including Dr. Edgar Mitchell, Ryan Tubridy, and others. Robert describes himself as having been in lockdown for the last twenty years! He works in his studio in Donabate and en”” plein air” on the peninsula. He is one of the artists who exhibits on Merrion Square but this was closed until recently. During the lockdown someone suggested that he might do some zoom art sessions for children. These proved so popular that he is considering doing zoom art sessions for children and adults in the community. You can visit him on his website robertshaw.ie