We arrived on the morning ferry in the sunshine, welcomed by Dara and Aisling to Áras Éanna and our lovely house by the castle. After settling in and getting the lay of the land we decided to spend the rest of the day starting to explore the island, having a well-deserved pint in Tigh Ned and experimenting with balance in the local playground to the amusement of some local teenagers.
We were lucky enough to arrive just in time to be swept into the world of Feile Cúirt Cheoil na mBan – a festival celebrating women in Irish traditional music and dance, organised by the wonderful Emma O’Grady. We visited local houses on Inis Oirr and Inis Meain, to hear trad sessions in the old rambling house style, and attended a ceoilcorm of music in Halla Gobnait. There was a talk on 100 years of women in trad given by Niamh Ní Charra, and a workshop on creating safe space for women in arts & trad, run by the Reclaim project and Mise Fásta. All of this gave us an insight and context into the importance of this cultural event, and the place of trad music in island culture. It was really inspiring to spend the weekend surrounded by incredible musicians and powerful women.
After the whirlwind of music and sessions, we arrived back to Inis Oirr to throw ourselves into the sea, acquire bicycles, and split up to cover new ground on the island. Sadbh collected blackberries which are still in season here, to try and make ink with them, before climbing up to explore the old castle. Gill took the quiet road out to the back of the island and spent some time exploring Plassey’s Wreck and the platforms of rock giving way to views of the Cliffs of Moher.
It’s taken a while to settle into the slower pace of the island, and leave the manic energy of summer chaos and grind culture on the mainland. We’re getting there!
Our time in the studio has been focused on crystallizing our ideas and concepts, and allowing the influence of being on the island to shape and focus them. We’re drawn towards the working cultures and stories of the landscape that are specific to Inis Oirr, and finding a way to explore these through movement. In addition to our duo work, one of our aims during our time here is to develop our personal creative practices. Gill has started The Artist’s Way, and we have both been drawn to taking time to creatively connect with the landscape.
Chomh maith leis sin, táimíd ag deanamh iarracht ár gcuid Gaeilge a úsáid; ag caint le muintir an oileáin, ag foghlaim focail nua, go háirithe focail dhúchasach na noileáin. Seo cúpla de na focail nua atá againn ón tseachtain:
Foclóir
- Puiteacha – blackberries
- Dúch – ink
- Mórthír – mainland
- Isteach chuig na hoileáin / amach chuig an mórthír – going in to the island / out to the mainland
- Garbh – rough
- Bog – soft
- Alla – Swan
- An bhfuil dearg agat – do you have a lighter
- Tá pot orm (tar eis an Feile Cheoil) – i have a hangover
Showing of Work Announcement
We will be showing some of our work, concepts, and explorations in a public sharing on Friday the 25th of October in Áras Éanna. More details to follow. Put it in your calendars agus fáilte roimh chách!