Storyteller in Residence

Exploring themes and rhythms through oral storytelling and composition across the 7 West Cork Islands.

Ocean & Environment

Applicants should explore questions related to the West Cork Islands under the theme Ocean & Environment. Deadline Oct 31st

Sweet Home Sweet

Jane Hayes.
Exhibition & workshops
Bere Island Community Centre
Fri 25 & Sat 26 Oct.

A exhibition of work created with and for very young children and families. Come on in… Take your coat and shoes off if you like. Take your time, relax, stop, look, and listen. Why not lie down, sit, or have a little walk around? Chat or be quiet, whatever you feel like.

Leatherwork for Islanders

Stephen Carter
Leatherwork Workshop
Bere Island Community Centre
From October 8th to April 2025

This project will provide the invaluable skill sharing of leather work to Islanders. With these new skills in leatherwork, it is hoped that leatherwork will continue to be passed down through the generations for years to come.

Flower Boxes 

Bere Island Men’s shed group
Community flower boxes & planters
Bere Island
Summer 2024

Men’s Shed is a committed membership of some 20 people. In the summer of 2024 with the help of Creative Places, the men along with participants from the active retirement group, the tourism and environmental group and the local Primary school and after-school club were set the task of building beautiful plant boxes for the island. The project was truly intergenerational. 🙂

My Townland, My Story

Children from the West Cork Islands 
Book Launch 
St Michael’s National School, Bere Island
September 19th

‘My Townland, My Story’ is a project led by Bere Islander Mary Sullivan. This book project tells the unique and important stories of the West Cork Islands from the perspective of its children. The project takes influence from the “The Schools’ Collection”, which harnessed the folklore and local tradition of “home” dating back to 1937.

Cruinniú Ceoil / Music Meeting

Sherkin Island. Teach Tábhairne an Jolly Roger / Jolly Roger Pub
Domhnach/ Sunday 09.06. 24 – 4pm to 8pm

Oileán Chléire / Cape Clear 

Kevin Mc Cann, Danny Stewart, Mairtín Ó Méalóid, Brennus Voarino, Séamus Ó Drisceoi, Kevin Kearney

Inis Arcáin / Sherkin Island

John Simpson, Bridgid Madden, Simon Crockett, Neisha Azzopardi, Daniel O’ Conner, Nigel Towse 

Juggling for everyone

Try It Series with Daniel Q
Sherkin Island, Crows Gabble
July 2nd
With thanks to Sherkin library

Mary Sullivan

Artist book: Softback
Dimensions: 220 x 165
Pages: 48 
Design: Stuart Coughlan edit+
Photography:  Jed Niezgoda, Mickael Do Couto & Mary Sullivan
Print: Print Dynamics, Dublin
Texts: Sarah Kelleher & Cristín Leach
First Edition: 200 copies
For sale: Uillinn, West Cork Arts Centre, Skibbereen

Bobstock

Bobstock the revival
Music Festival 
Cape Clear / Oileán Chléire
Sat July 6th

Bobstock was always a landmark weekend for the island. In 2024 Bob was revived and incorporated the talents of local islanders and visiting musicians.

Harmony in Blue

Facilitated by Susan McManamon
Singing in Harmony
Sherkin Island
June, July August

Musician and Choir Director Susan McManamon facilitated four workshops, in July and August 2024. The group focused on unaccompanied singing in harmony. For some taking part, this is their first time singing, others have previous experience with choirs but for everyone involved, this is their first time singing together. On Saturday, August 31st, the singers shared the songs they’ve explored together in harmony. Harmony in Blue were joined by the singing group ‘The Ferns’. 

“Youreyesfourteen”

Fergus Murphy
Solo exhibition
Town Hall Art Centre, Cavan, Co Cavan
26th September – 9th October 2024

FxMurphy presents a new body of work at Townhall Arts Centre in September 2024. The work is a response to the efficacy of colonialism, a construct that still seems to pervade and inform our world despite a presumed demise.

Quilting workshop

Harriet Andrews
Bere Island Womens’s Create
January 2024

Crochet Workshop

Catherine Sullivan
Bere Island Womens’s Create
March & April 2024

Introduction to crochet with an emphasis on the various stitches, pattern reading and creation.

Jon Sousa & Adam Agee

Concerts
Oileán Chléire 11th, 12th
Sherkin Northshor 13th

Hula Hoops & Juggling

Kate Mitchell
Children aged 6 +
Bere Island
Sat June 22nd

Dursey Island Artist Residency

Annemarie Ní Churreáin
Dursey Island
January & February 2024

Annemarie is from the Donegal Gaeltacht and was our inaugural Dursey Island artist in residency. This was a pilot project. 

Fireside Sessions

Facilitated by Shanti, Guitar Duo, Neisha & Simon.
Concerts & gatherings
Sherkin & Oileán Chléire
Winter 2024

To help us through the colder more isolated months, musicians Simon Crockett and Neisha Azzopardi have been developing the fireside sessions. Hosted by Dan from Northshore these sessions and been a great success with musicians from the island joining for instrumental jam sessions each night. 

Laureate na nÓg

Whole Wide World Tour
Sherkin Island
April 2024

Laureate na nÓg the Children’s Book Festival took place in April and was facilitated on Sherkin island with invited families from Oileán Chléire. A great day was had in the spring sunshine. With thanks to Sherkin Island Development Society for hosting the group. 

The Crow’s Old Gold

Carina McNally
A one-man Play
A rock near Dursey Island called The Crow
In collaboration with playwright Éadaoin O’ Donoghue

The Crow’s Old Gold is based on West Cork mythology and folklore. Centering on Goibhniú, the Dé Danann blacksmithing God, the play is set on a rock near Dursey Island called The Crow where he is reputed to have had his magical forge. 

The Barry’s Van Tour 

Jorgé Satorre
Film screening.
Sherkin Island Community Centre
Date to be confirmed.

Part of TULCA the Festival of Visual Arts | Galway, curator Michele Horrigan and artist/historian Sean Lynch will present Jorgé Satorre’s The Barry’s Van Tour. More information on the film. 

HUMDILI Project

Facilitated by SallyAnn Lenehan
Sherkin Northshore
Sat Oct 5th

‘Humdili’ occurred on Sherkin Island over two days in October. The connection happened through collaboratively made Haiku poetry and the sharing of poetry and songs in Pashto, Persian, English, and Irish. There was also a cookery demonstration by the Afghani women and, later that day, an Afghan feast that was shared with the islanders. In association with CARA Community Sponsherip Group. HUMDILI (connect through hearts)

“It felt like a big family made up of people from Ireland and Afghanistan”

 “A wonderful experience to be part of… a mixture of people from Afghanistan, Ireland, Ukraine and Sherkin: a multi-sensory, multi-cultural, multi-memory-maker!”

Podcasting Skills

Facilitated by Toma McCullim
Bere Island Active Retirement Group
October 24th

Toma works with community groups to explore their stories through podcasting and sound art skills.

Material library/material mapping

Simon Kidd
Residency & Workshop
Oileán Chléire
Ongoing through 2025

Simon is a Northern Irish artist who is now based on Oileán Chléire. His current project is to create objects, sculptures, vessels, artefacts and pots which begin with the island and accentuate the stories and feelings of “place”.

Image: Carraig an tSáile, live cast rockface, press moulded stoneware, wood salt gas fired with local stones, wild clay, and local ash, 64x44x12cm, 2023

Bere Island International Poetry Prize

Facilitated by Pauline Hanley
Bere Island
May to September
Bere Island Arts Festival

Shortlist (in alphabetical order) Faye Boland, Michael Dooley, Fiona Hanley

Ceitheal Chléire Trá Pháídín Lúnasa 

Trá Pháidín
Residency
Oileán Chléire
26th to 29th of August

Trá Pháidín is an 8-piece band that works mainly on creating contemporary Irish language music drawing from influences like folk structures, jazz, improvisation, experimental music and of course, absurdism. This will be a 4-day residency in which collectively they will build a dry-stone wall near the Cape harbour along with local stonemasons. This “meitheal” will focus on the social and practical engagement with the Irish language and is open to the public to join in.

Collective Mending & Repurposing Sessions 

Facilitated by Marianne O’ Drisceoil
Colaiste Pobail Chleire, Oileán Chléire
Sept & Oct 

Skill sharing and revamping the old on Oileán Chléire

Bere Island Arts Festival 

19th – 22nd September 2024

This year’s Bere Island Arts Festival featured an impressive list of artists, writers, musicians, singers, poets, dancers, and filmmakers. 2024’s festival was even bigger and better than last year. There are some exciting new events such as a poetry & movement workshop, a ‘pop up Gaeltacht’, and the 7 Islands Art Exhibition as well as some highlight events from last year such as The Long Table Lunch, Dancing at The Crossroads, and The Choir Project which was expanded to include islanders from Sherkin Island and Oileán Chléire. bereislandartsfestival.ie

Eoin Warner 

West Cork Literary Festival
In conversation with Tim O’ Leary
Whiddy Island Schoolhouse
Saturday 13 July 2024

Naturalist, wildlife documentary presenter and Bantry native Eoin Warner had a public interview with Whiddy’s Tim O’ Leary about his work and the wildlife and landscapes of Ireland’s islands. westcorkmusic.ie/events/2024/eoin-warner

Le Chéile

Sherkin community exhibition
June/July 2024

The exhibition ran from the 28th of June to the 11th of July with opening reception and dancing at the crossroads on Sunday 30 of June. “Le Chéile” wasa showcase of craft, art, photography and stories of boats from Sherkin Island. A truly island-wide opportunity, that was open to all islanders to take part.

Main image: Autumn Deer, Jordyn Lynch

Nature & Place Writing with John Connell

West Cork Literary Festival
Writing Workshop
Whiddy Island
15th July 2024

Bestselling author and farmer John Connell was on Whiddy for a 3 day writing workshop on nature and place. Starting with the work of Henry David Thoreau and his seminal book Walden he investigated how nature and place writing has been with us in its modern form for over a century.

Hidden Stories

Róisín Ní Chonaill, Tomasz Madajczak & Inma Pavon
Residency
Oileán Chléire
Ongoing in 2024

Cape Clear dance project with Inma Pavon, Róisín Ní Chonaill and Tomasz Madajczak. The project involves movement and film reinterpretation of traditional stories emerging from the land, nature, and historical remains of Cape Clear Island.  Photo: Inma Pavon, Cape Clear Island. 

Workshop | local wild plants & flowers

Sonia Caldwell / Kilcoe Studios
Oileán Chléire & Bere island
May Chléire & June Bere Island. 

In early summer Sonia ran workshops for Oileán Chléire & Bere islands. The first was to explore the local wild plants and flowers on the islands in an outdoor walk and then to develop these into drawings that can be transferred to linen for embroidery & tapestry.

Sherkin Island Bloomsday

Ken Cotter & John Simpson
Workshop
Sherkin Island, The Jolly Roger
June 15 & 16

Two days to celebrate Ulysses and to enjoy performances of Ulysses-related musical and artistic activities in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. 

Ulysses is full of humour, history, allegory and literary chicanery. However, it is the music of Ulysses that can often be overlooked by readers. By listening to these songs together and discussing how their themes interweave with the themes of the novel, many additional layers of Joyce’s genius will be revealed. Ken & John were joined on Sherkin Islands for a Bloomsday weekend to celebrate the music of one of the most famous novels in English literature. 

News & Updates
from 2023

Samuel Beckett Cascando 

Aedín Cosgrove of Pan Pan Theatre
Féile 2023: Outdoor Theatre
Oileán Chléire 

Summer 2023 

Presentation of the internationally acclaimed work of a local artist Aedin Cosgrove of Pan Pan Theatre.

Kirstie Affleck 

Artist/Maker
Oileán Chléire 

Ongoing 

Farmer maker and Islander Kirstie Affleck is working on a new body of work with her self shedding sheep, developing her practice,
of traditional wool spinning, knitting and multi-stranded colourwork to produce pictures and stand-alone art pieces.

Simon Kidd 

Residency
Oileán Chléire 

Ongoing

His work creates artefacts of place, dealing with the island’s physical materiality, creating very pleasing casts (silicone moulds) of rock faces, before translating them into ceramic objects.

From the Inside Out and the Outside In

Mary Sullivan
Exhibition & Book 
Uillinn, West Cork Arts Centre

November December 2023

This exhibition of new works by the artist shone a light on both the resilience and fragility of island life and island communities. 

A Green Rope for Sherkin 

William Bock
Rope making, film and
community development
Sherkin Island

Ongoing

A Green Rope for Sherkin revolves around an ever-growing Sugán Rope. The rope is crafted outdoors by many hands using only green wild plants sensitively harvested from the landscape. The process is guided by our hands, the natural material and conversations that arise from working together.

The Festival of Music on Heir Island 

Artistic Director Dave Tomson
Chamber and orchestral music
Heir & Sherkin Islands

Summer 2023

FOMOH brought over 25 musicians, mostly drawn from European and Irish doctors orchestras, who met for a week of chamber and small orchestral music. Residents of the island enjoyed daily concert and the all island Ceili. In 2023 the orchestra travelled to Sherkin and performed a concert in the Community Centre.

Hedge School 

Tom Keeley
Féile 2023: Photographic exhibition, art installation & performance
Oileán Chléire

Summer 2023

This multi-media performance explored the interconnected nature of island living, and what this can teach us about living together across borders today and in the future.

Community Exhibition

Multiple Artists
Curated by Ruairí Ó Donnabháin
Féile 2023: Exhibition & walking trail
Oileán Chléire

Duncan Harper, Pierce Hickey, Róisín Ó Chonáill, Kirstie Affleck, Doris and Ferdia O Liadáin, Simon Kidd, Catherine Ryan, Ruairí Ó Donnabháin, William Bock & Helle Helsner and Danny Stewart. 

Community exhibition Oileán
Chléire. An exhibition of local
artists as part of OILEÁN the annual Irish language focused arts festival on Oileán Chléire. 

The Museum of Birds and Beasts 

Tess Leak and Sharon Whooley
Participatory arts project
All Islands

2024/25

The artists will work with islanders to develop a Museum of Birds and Beasts, exploring folklore and artefacts. Working with farmers, ferry drivers, islanders connected to fishing, bird enthusiasts etc to collect stories of bird, animal, and marine lore.

Norman King 

Book and Exhibition
Sherkin Island

Ongoing

Never before published reflections on island life through poetry and songs by islander Norman King. A selection of work that gives voice to his unique personal lived experiences with wit and humour and some are pure flights of fancy and imagination, others connect with the natural environment and evoke a pure sense of joy with illustration by John Simpson.

Expanded Island

The Guesthouse artists & the community of Oileán Chléire, Josephina Mellado, Kanako Haru, Hiroki Doi, Irene Murphy, Mick O’Shea, Jamie Ashforth, Evan Aiken, Andy Ingamells, Tomasz Madajczak, Claudia Barton, Roy Wroth, Aideen Quirk, Siobhan Ni Dhuinnin, Anne Marie Deacy, Richard Clare, Billy Kemp, Lisa Cliff. Róisín O’ Connell.

Artist Residency
Oileán Chléire

November 2023

The Guesthouse Cork City
artists went to Oileán Chléire and opened up a dialogue through a multidisciplinary approach through readings, food and art making. Thanks to islander and artist Róisín Ó Chonáill who helped make it happen.

Looking For The Light Within

Multiple Artists
Oileán Chléire 

April 2023 

Weekly workshops initiated by Tomasz Madajczak connected the community of Oileán Chléire through creativity sea journeys, weekly workshops, conversations, walks and artistic explorations to develop the possibility of place making in a contemporary context.

Community Exhibition & Dancing at the Crossroads

Community exhibition
Sherkin Island

Summer 2023

The annual community exhibition brought together over 30 artists in the annual showcase of island life and artistic endeavour.

Creative Places WCI is now live.

We currently have two funding strands, Islander Artist / Maker & Expression of Interest

Island Visits

In early 2023 the Project Coordinator spent longer periods of time on each island in a series of clinic-style meetings. This was an open invitation to any islander to meet the project coordinator to talk about art, culture, making and opportunities. (insert photo is of Kirstie Affleck, Cape Clear Sheep)