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 24 & Sat 25 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 Barry’s Van Tour
Jorgé Satorre
Film screening.
Sherkin Island Community Centre
Sunday, Nov 24th, 2.30 pm to 4 pm
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
The community of Sherkin in association with CARA Community Sponsherip Group presents the HUMDILI Project. A sharing of Afghan food, poetry and song with the community of Sherkin Island. HUMDILI (connect through hearts)
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.
Writing With Water
Bernadette Burns & inni-k
Artist residancy
Sherkin Island
July 2024.
Visual artist Bernadette Burns, musician inni-k and curator Sarah Searson. Writing with Water is an on going project to explore our emotional relationship with the sea.
Comhrac Criadóireachta / Pottery Throwdown
Lisa Wilson, Cionn tSáile, John Sheehy ó Louis Mulcahy Pottery, Baile an Fheirtéaraigh, Simon Kidd, Catherine Ryan, Oileán Chléire, Jim Turner, Cloich na Coillte, Comórtais le haghaidh ‘Saoir & Seansálaithe’
Oileán Chléire
24th & 25th of August
The Cape Clear Island Pottery biennial event happened on the 24th & 25th of August. It was part of the month-long Community Festival of Music, Culture and Language on Cape Clear Island, this year’s event showcased the skill of the potter on the wheel. It was for professionals, learners and the curious. corkpotters.com
The Art of Living
Filmmaker Cormac O’Connor
Film screening
Culture Night 2024
The Art of Living, a documentary celebrating creativity as we age was shown on culture night 2024 at the community centre on Sherkin Island. The documentary features Sherkin islander Bridget Madden.
Music Meeting Heir Island
Heir and Sherkin musicians joined together at The boathouse on Heir Island on Saturday July 20th
West Cork Chamber Music Fringe Festival
The Sonoro Quartet. Sarah Jégou-Sageman, Jeroen De Beer [violins], Séamus Hickey [viola], Léo Guiguen [cello]
Concert
Whiddy Island Schoolhouse
Wednesday 3rd July
Masters of Tradition
Fergus & Ruairí O’Gorman
Concert
Whiddy Island
Sunday 25th August
Fergus & Ruairí O’Gorman (flute and bouzouki), members of the renowned McEvoy/McGorman family played the marquee outside the Bank House pub on Whiddy Island.
Watercolour Workshop
Tetiana Milshyna
Bere Island
Postponed
Festival of Music on Heir Island
EU & Irish Doctors orchestras, The Harte sisters & Paddy O’Brien
Heir & Sherkin Islands
June 4-8th 2024
There was sharing music events and rehearsing each day. There was story telling with Paddy O’Brien and music by The Harte sisters and three more formal concerts to round the week off. FOMOH also visited Sherkin Island for a lunchtime
Lá Teanga na Gaeilge / Irish Language Day
Fastnet Film Festival
Oileán Chléire
Thursday 26th May
Clár Gearrscannáin Gaeilge – Curated Irish Language Short Film Programme.
Open Ear Islander’s Night
Mohammad Syfkha, Flowers at Night & Sherkin Island Musicians
Open Ear
Sherkin Island, Jolly Roger Pub
Thursday 30 May 2024
Lino Cut Printing Workshop
Facilitated by Madeleine Dunne
Bere Island Womens’s Create
27th & 28th April
This was a 2 day demonstration and workshop. The workshop was designed to show participants how to print onto fabric and paper using minimal equipment and in a setting that can be replicated on a kitchen or work table. Participants produced a simple image on Lino block that they may print onto paper and/or fabric as they wish. BIWC will continue these sessions in the autumn.
Dursey Island Festival
Saturday 15 & 16 June
Traditional Irish music (Ecki and gang), Sherkin Island guitar duo Shanti, poetry readings, storytelling, Irish dancing, barbecue, raffle, arm-wrestling, tug of war. Sunday 16th. Guided historical walk with Carina McNally. YouTube
Try it Series
Eoin Marshall
Medicinal herb kitchen workshop
Sherkin Island
April 2024
Learn about the medical uses of the plants to be found across Sherkin Island. This was a lovely opportunity to discover more about the biodiversity of the island, as well as the ways in which people’s knowledge of plants and their properties shaped life in the past.
The Moth Catchers
Jesse Jones, Naomi Nkosi accompanied by Philip Strickland (lepidopterist) and Irene Buckley (composer).
Research Residency
Sherkin island with
June 11,12,13 2024
Inspired by the work of feminist Mexican surrealist Remdios Varo this was a 3-day research residency on Sherkin Island with lead artists Jesse Jones and Naomi Nkosi. Philip set up some humane moth traps on the island to catch moths, so that they could be examined and observed; their habitat, mannerisms, characteristics, movements and very importantly the sounds they make. Irene Buckley designed the score for ‘The Moth Catchers’.
Ukes go Bere
Eva McMullan, Fergal O’Connor & the children from Bere Island National School.
Ukulele festival
Bere Island
June 2024
Ukes Go Bere is weekend festival, included drumming, vocal and ukelele workshops, and a live, free performance.
Try It Series
Nigel Towse
Workshop
Sherkin & Heir Islands
Febuary & April
Nigel Towse teaches residence on Sherkin and Heir Islands the Carrick Bend Knot
Come join us on the West Cork Islands
The Creative Places National Network
April 2024
Creative Places is a National programme and in 2024 Sherkin and Heir Islands facilitated the network in what was a fantastic few days sharing, learning & connecting.
With thanks to SIDS, UILLINN, Kevin McCormack, Craig & Claudia (PizzHeiria), John Desmond from the Island Cottage & Dan at Sherkin NorthShore | Maeve Mulrennan, Ian McDonagh, Peter Prendergast Cork Co Co | Damien McGlynn, Carolann Courtney & Aoife Dunne, Create | Eilish Langton, Athy | Seonaid Murry, Edenderry | Marina Ni Dhubhain, Uibhrathaigh | Jennifer Webster, Macuilliam | Deryn O Callaghan, Enniscorthy | Mary Smyth, Ballaghaderreen | Heather Brett & Kim Doherty, Ballyconnell | Sheila Quinn, Shannon | Deirdre Orme, Edgeworthstown | Sinead Dowling, Bagenalstown, Carlow Arts Office | Louise Osborne, Sligo Arts Office | Jenny Sherwin, Wicklow Arts Office | Sinead Dowling, Baltinglass | Martin O Donoghue, Play Strategist and Kristina Borysova for her drone work.
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.
Catherine Reinhart
Collective mending
North Shore, Sherkin Island
December 2023
The Collective Mending Sessions was a series of socially engaged workshops centered on collaboratively mending a quilt. These workshops resemble a quilting bee where participants learn basic mending and textile care while building community in
a warm, inclusive environment.
Bere Island Arts festival
Festival
Bere Island
September 2023
The inaugural Bere Island Arts Festival. An island festival offering a wide range of events across the islands scenic locations. This festival celebrates the local as well as the national and brings a hugely talented field of creative people mixed with local voice.
Community Scoruíochting & Map of Sherkin’s Heritage Place Names
Mona O’ Driscoll
Community gathering
and map making
Sherkin Island
Research and development stage
Due to the changing environment of farming, fishing and ownership of lands on Sherkin Island, the need to record the names of local roads, and features on Sherkin has become important. This project, led by Mona will go deep into the heart of local identities to constitute a deeper understanding how people past and present make meaning on the island.
Basket Making with Martin O’ Flynn
Bere Island Active Retirement Group
Artists/Makers
Bere Island
October/November 2023
Martin O Flynn, traditional master basket maker facilitated the Bere Island Active Retirement Group in late 2023.
An Sean Duine Og
Graffiti Theatre Company
Performance
Bere Island, Oileán Chléire & Rathmore NS Baltimore
November 2023
Graffiti Theatre Company, play for children ‘An Sean Dhuine Óg’ (The Old Young Man) took place at the school on Bere island and Cape Clear. The play was translated into English, Irish and Ukrainian.
Ukes go Bere
Organised by Dr. Eva McMullan and assisted by Andrew Moran.
Music
Bere Island
June 2023
Ukes Go Bere is weekend festival suitable for complete beginners and accomplished ukulele players. The festival included drumming, vocal and ukelele workshops, brunchelle, KaraUke evenings, and a live, free performance.
Vocal harmonic workshops with Susan McManamon
Harmonic workshops (pilot project)
Sherkin Island
July and August 2023
Two vocal harmonic workshops with Susan McManamon, involving members of the church choir and other musicians and singers from the island.
2022
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)
Radio
In late 2022 the Project Coordinator was interviewed on both Oileáin FM (Sherkin Island) & Bere Island radio