Exhibition Celebrates Creativity on the West Cork Islands

An exhibition that celebrates creativity on the seven islands off the west coast of Cork will open at LHQ Gallery on Saturday the 22nd of March. The ‘Sea and Stone’ exhibition will showcase a selection of works from the past two years of the ‘Creative Places West Cork Islands’ project, presented alongside creative artefacts that are unique to the islands, including painted plaques, knots and ropes, Irish knitting, leatherwork, books, paintings and films.

Creative Places West Cork Islands is an islands initiative funded by the Arts Council and Cork County Council. The project aims to build sustained arts investment and create opportunities for local arts programmes across the seven islands of Cape Clear / Oileán Chléire, Sherkin Island / Inis Arcáin, Heir Island / Inis Uí Drisceoil, Long Island / An tOileán Fada, Whiddy island / Oileán Faoide, Bere island / An tOileán Mór, and Dursey island / Oileán Bao. The exhibition title ‘Sea and Stone’ is borrowed from the islands’ cultural newspaper published as part of the ongoing project.

Mayor of County Cork, Cllr. Joe Carroll said, 

Creative Places has enabled many artistic projects over its three-year period, some of which are presented in ‘Sea and Stone’. As part of a series of workshops, Sherkin islander Nigel Towse taught residents on Sherkin and Heir Islands the Carrick Bend Knot, the results will be presented at the gallery.

Also included is William Bock’s ever-growing Sugán Rope, which went to Sherkin Island in 2023. Islanders came together to craft the rope outdoors using only green wild plants harvested from the landscape.

Stories from the islands are presented in various books and films including ‘My Townland, My Story’ a book that 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.

‘Sea and Stone’ includes other works from the islands which are part of the ongoing cultural practice. Nigel Towse and John Simson have painted plaques which are awarded at the Baltimore Wooden Boat Festival each year since its inception. These are unique artefacts which are being presented together for the first time.

All are welcome to the Exhibition Opening on Saturday the 22nd of March from 2:00pm. The exhibition runs until Friday the 25th of April.

LHQ Gallery at Cork County Council Library Building, Carrigrohane Road, Cork is open to the public from 9:00am to 5:30pm from Monday to Friday, except for Bank Holidays.

Ceiliúrann taispeántas an chruthaitheacht ar Oileáin Iarthar Chorcaí

Osclófar taispeántas ina ndéantar ceiliúradh an chruthaitheacht ar na seacht n-oileán amach ó chósta thiar Chorcaí i nGailearaí LHQ Dé Sathairn an 22 Márta. Cuirfidh an taispeántas 'Sea and Stone' rogha saothar ón dá bhliain seo caite den tionscadal 'Áiteanna Cruthaitheacha Oileáin Iarthar Chorcaí', arna gcur i láthair in éineacht le déantáin chruthaitheacha atá uathúil do na hoileáin, lena n-áirítear plaiceanna péinteáilte, snaidhmeanna agus rópaí, cniotáil Éireannach, obair leathair, leabhair, pictiúir agus scannáin.

Is tionscnamh oileáin é Áiteanna Cruthaitheacha Oileáin Iarthar Chorcaí atá maoinithe ag an gComhairle Ealaíon agus ag Comhairle Contae Chorcaí. Tá sé mar aidhm ag an tionscadal infheistíocht leanúnach sna healaíona a thógáil agus deiseanna a chruthú do chláir ealaíon áitiúla ar fud na seacht n-oileán: Oileán Chléire, Inis Arcáin, Inis Uí Drisceoil, An tOileán Fada, Oileán Faoide, An tOileán Mór, agus Oileán Bao. Glactar teideal an taispeántais 'Sea and Stone' ó nuachtán cultúrtha na n-oileán a foilsíodh mar chuid den togra leanúnach.

Dúirt Méara Chontae Chorcaí, an Comhairleoir Joe Carroll, 

Chuir Áiteanna Cruthaitheacha ar a gcumas go leor tionscadal ealaíne a dhéanamh thar a thréimhse trí bliana, cuid acu atá le feicéail in 'Sea and Stone'. Mar chuid de shraith ceardlanna, mhúin an t-oileánach as Inis Arcáin Nigel Towse cónaitheoirí ar Inis Arcáin agus Oidhre, Snaidhm Chor an Chapstain, agus cuirfear na torthaí i láthair sa ghailearaí.

San áireamh freisin tá Rópa Sugáin, atá ag fás de shíor le William Bock, a chuaigh go hInis Arcáin in 2023. Tháinig oileánaigh le chéile chun an rópa a dhéanamh lasmuigh ag baint úsáide as plandaí fiáine glasa a baineadh ón tírdhreach amháin.

Cuirtear scéalta ó na hoileáin i láthair i leabhair agus i scannáin éagsúla, ina measc 'My Townland, My Story' leabhar a insíonn scéalta uathúla agus tábhachtacha ó Oileáin Iarthar Chorcaí ó dhearcadh na bpáistí. Tá tionchar 'Bhailiúchán na Scol', ar an tionscadal ó ‘Bailiúchán na Scol’, a bhain leas as béaloideas agus traidisiún áitiúil an bhaile siar go dtí 1937.

I measc 'Sea and Stone' tá saothair eile ó na hoileáin atá mar chuid den chleachtas leanúnach cultúrtha. Tá plaiceanna péinteáilte ag Nigel Towse agus John Simson a bhronntar ag Féile Bád Adhmaid Baltimore gach bliain ó bunaíodh é. Is déantáin uathúla iad seo atá á gcur i láthair le chéile den chéad uair.

Tá fáilte roimh chách chuig Oscailt an Taispeántais Dé Sathairn an 22 Márta ó 2:00pm. Beidh an taispeántas ar siúl go dtí Dé hAoine an 25 Aibreán.

Tá Gailearaí LHQ ag Foirgneamh Leabharlainne Chomhairle Contae Chorcaí, Bóthar Charraig Ruacháin, Corcaigh, ar oscailt don phobal ó 9:00am go 5:30pm ó Luan go hAoine, seachas Laethanta Saoire Bainc.