A seat located on a beach on Inis Oírr where the artists found inspiration.
It is said that this was JesseJames’s favourite seat on Inis Oírr. Situated on Trá Caorach and overlooking An Sunda Ó Dheas, the sound between Inis Oírr and the cliffs of Moher, they sat here while they were reflecting on their art.
The ancient ways are going
For the old woman knows words
In Gaelic, her grandchildren don’t,
Their Irish, modern, anglicised,
Hers bound to the earth
Carved by it as the rock underfoot.
The currachs like discarded shells
Of black backed beetles
Lie rotting in the sand.
The well-worn paths once woven
Into the landscape by feet
Are now mudded and gouged by tractor
Tyres no longer bordered
By smooth, soft margins,
Once home to wild garlic and primrose.
The Arctic Tern still finds a shelter
As does the Cuckoo and the Swallow
But the Corncrake left long ago.
Grey rock, grey sand, grey sky
Still the same, not yet scarred
But there’s a change in the wind
For the ancient ways are going,
Blowing away.
Poem: Catherine Conneely. Image: JesseJames
Throughout Feile na gCloch 2017, some sketchers were inextricably drawn to sketching the dry stone walls of Inis Oírr. Sketches by Brenda, Sean and John.
Feile na gCloch 2017, anticipated, imagined by Clara and Susan.
On Sunday morning of Feile na gCloch 2017, the sketchers congregated in Teampall Chaomháin. Sketches from Susan, Stephen, Pat, Lorraine, Josephine, Chris, Clara, Jesse and John.
On the Thursday afternoon of Feile na gCloch, the sketching group explored the coast line down past Tigh Ned’s. Sketches from Stephen, Pat, Jesse, Chris, Brenda and Josephine.
As I stand here noting every detail of the scene I can imagine some islander pausing from spadework on the hilldside above and shaking their head over my wandering and staring about the island….
Tim Robinson – Stones of Aran, Pilgrimage
On the Saturday afternoon of Feile na gCloch, the sketching group captured the international community of stone wallers at work creating a new wall for Inis Oírr in 2017.
On Friday morning, the Feile na gCloch sketchers went on a pilgrimage to the Plassy shipwreck. Sketches from Brenda, Chris, James, Jesse, John, Pat, Sean, Stephen, Susan.
On Friday afternoon of Feile na gCloch, the sketchers explored the area around the beach. Sketches from Brenda, Susan, Chris, James, John, Josephine, Pat and Stephen.
