Many hands make light work

On Saturday October 15th, the annual Boat Lift took place at the Ringsend Registered Fishermen & Private Boat Owners Association boatyard.

This event marks the end of another summer on the river and is one of the most important dates of the year for the boat owners, second only to the day in the spring when the boats are lifted back into the water.

The process started at 7.30am in a cascade of rain so everyone was already wet to the bone before the first boat was harnessed.

The owners were out in force, as nervous as cats. Throughout the day each in turn brought his or her vessel alongside the river entrance to the yard, to be gathered in a sling and hoisted above the boats already in situ and the heads of the people below. Then it was lowered to the waiting crew who coaxed it into place with a mixture of skillful rope work, shouting and bated breath.

All the owners could do was lend a hand, or watch the proceedings and pray that their pride and joy would be delivered safely into the cradles beneath, which were pushed into place by the volunteer workforce as each boat came to rest. Most held their nerve admirably, with one or two notable exceptions. There was no need to worry. They were in the capable hands of Arklow crane driver, Eddie Murphy (below) and his son, Ryan, who was there to communicate detailed instructions to the crane from the yard and skilfully guide each boat into place.

The crew on the ground were no slouches either. Familiar faces from all the clubs on the riverside and beyond were there to lend a hand and were led by Eddie Byrne and Mick Curry. Both have been involved in this event many times before and were confident in the work.

In all, there were up to forty people in the yard, most to help, some to offer an opinion or ‘advice’ and some just to enjoy the theater of it all. By 11am the skies cleared and it was bright and sunny, which made the job easier.

The boats, for logistical reasons, cannot be laid side by side in straight rows. They have to be dropped in alongside each other with the narrow bows of some delicately maneuvered into the tight spaces between others, like a giant jigsaw puzzle.

All of this activity was framed in clouds of mist caused by the power washer being used by Mark Byrne to clean the underside of the boats as they arrived in the yard. As each boat swayed overhead the barnacles were scraped from the bottom of her keel by one or two of the crew.

Josephine Brown watched anxiously as her boat, the Molly Bloom, was lowered into place. She said that the experience is “nerve-wracking” for the owners.

Josephine compared the day’s proceedings to a ‘meitheal’ the old Irish tradition where people in rural communities gathered together on a neighbour’s farm to help save the hay or some other crop. Each person would help their neighbour who would in turn reciprocate, all acting as a team to the benefit of everybody.

All and all it was a great way to spend an October Saturday, with enough excitement, drama and big toys to appeal to the inner child in everybody who was present.

Throughout the day all were treated to endless cups of tea, coffee and wonderful freshly made sandwiches generously provided, as always, by Phyllis, Karen and Eddie Byrne.

In the end, everyone was happy with a job well done. The mission was complete by 5.45pm, almost three hours ahead of schedule. After that the volunteers and owners headed off to the Poolbeg Yacht Club for a well-earned drink, satisfied that the boats will rest easy on their cradles for the winter months.

The Hope Row

This year’s Hope Row took place on Saturday, September 10th. Now in its fourth year, the event is hosted annually by Stella Maris Rowing Club to raise money for good causes. Beneficiaries this year are St Vincent’s Oncology Unit in the Mater Hospital and The Royal Hospital, Donnybrook.

It was great day on the river with bright sunshine and very little wind to impede the rowers as they fought to win in their respective categories. Thirty-nine crews from seven of the eastern seaboard clubs took part. Although this was a charity event, competition between the clubs was as fierce as ever as each crew battled to to pass the finish line ahead of their rivals.

The Hope Row differs from club regattas. It is not included in the competition for the East Coast Championships Shield, which was claimed once again this season by Stella Maris for the fourth year in succession. Well done Stella! The crews race over shorter and longer distances and they mix it up a bit when it comes to crews.

There was a huge element of fun involved.  Paddy’s Richie Saunders and Stella’s Mick Curry joined forces to challenge the East Coast currach rowers. To see a Paddy’s man and a Stella man in a boat together is rare but they put aside their rivalries to raise funds for these two great Dublin institutions.

The big races at the event were the Men’s Long Race, which was won by the St Patrick’s Men’s Senior Crew, all descendants of the original Hobblers, and the Ladies and Mixed Long Races, which were both won by crews from St Michael’s Rowing Club, Dún Laoghaire who were the overall winners of The Hope Cup. These races were 13 kilometers, far longer than the distance typically raced in regattas, and taxed the crews to their limits.

One of the most exciting competitions of the day saw Stella Maris fathers Liam and Michael Bannable join their respective daughters, Olivia and Chloe, to compete in the Mixed Race, which they won by some distance.

Any report of the event would be incomplete without acknowledging the fantastic work of Sharon Bolger who took on the mammoth task of feeding the crews, and everybody else who happened by, with her delicious burgers and hotdogs. She played a blinder on the BBQ all day with a smile on her face and a word for everybody. Stella’s David Doyle was in charge of the faultless organisation, ably assisted by the club’s members.

Crews and supporters from all the clubs celebrated well into the night with live music and craic in The Poolbeg Yacht Club. They were joined by those who took part in The Hill & Back 7km run/walk/crawl of Irishtown Nature Park, which was part of the event.

The Hope Row marks the end of the rowing season for another year. Soon the skiffs will be cleaned and stored safely for the winter, the oars will be painted and hung on the walls of the clubhouses and the rowers will find gyms and football clubs to get their winter kicks until the season starts again next May.

Skiff racing and the girls of Stella Maris

It’s skiff racing season and once again these small elegant boats can be seen cutting through the dark waters of the Liffey, powered by teams of dedicated rowers who take to the river daily during the summer months.

Skiffs are based on the small open boats originally used by Hobblers, fearless men who risked all to link up with the ships and schooners making their way into Dublin port laden with cargo. The first boat to reach an incoming vessel and get a hook over the side got the job of guiding her into the Port, tying her up, and untying her when she was ready to cast off again. If they were lucky a team could get up to a week’s work discharging the vessel. It was hard work and tales about the bravery and daring of the men who worked the hobbling boats in dangerous waters are a part of the history and folklore of Ringsend and Irishtown.

During times when employment was hard to come by many local families survived on the Hobblers wages. Hobbling died out during the 1940s, as working conditions in the Port improved and pilot boats and tugs replaced their line of work.

Today, there are two skiff rowing clubs in Ringsend, St. Patrick’s (Paddy’s), which is situated in the shadow of the East Link Bridge, and Stella Maris, which is a stone’s throw away beside Poolbeg Yacht Club.

Skiff racing was very popular when the Hobbling boats operated but almost died out with the job. The rivalry between ‘Paddy’s’ and Stella Maris is largely responsible for keeping the tradition alive. Today there are rowing clubs all along the East Coast from Skerries to Arklow and their teams compete in regattas, hosted by each club, from May until August. Competition between the clubs is fierce.

No longer seen as a macho pursuit, today the sport is popular with men and women, boys and girls. St. Patrick’s and Stella Maris have teams for males and females in Senior, Junior, Novice, Under 18, Under 16, Under 12, Mixed Crew, Juvenile and OAP divisions.

Family participation in the sport is common and both Stella Maris and St. Pat’s have family members who row for teams in different categories or who competed in the past. The older members help run the clubs. Many are former rowers and still go out on the water occasionally, training new crews and acting as cox for the teams in training. They also teach new members traditional skills such as boat maintenance and oar making.

NewsFour spoke to Stella Maris Under 18 Girls’ team, Olivia Bannable (Stroke), Katelyn Behan (2nd Stroke), Chloe Bannable (Bow) and Ciara Bowden (2nd Bow). The girls started rowing together as a team this season and have been very successful in competition. They have been involved with Stella Maris since they were under 12, encouraged to join by parents and family members who are members of the club. They are great friends and love spending time together every day, practicing, competing and especially winning. As a team they are very competitive and the girls look forward to the regattas. Asked if they are ever nervous, they agree that they sometimes are but not, it turns out, about the water or the weather. The only thing that makes them anxious is that they might not win their races.

The girls make the point that women are as interested in rowing as men these days and say that anyone can do it. “You don’t have to be a certain weight or size and your fitness levels will improve if you are rowing every day,” says Olivia. Even when if the weather is bad and it’s hard to get out they look forward to their time on the water and know that they will come back feeling great. Rowing as a team keeps them fit and disciplined and they ooze energy and excitement when they talk about training and competing. “It’s great for fitness because you can’t slack or stop working on the water. You are part of the team and you have to keep going,” says Chloe.

The four girls agree that they hope to continue rowing with the club for as long as they can. Chloe jokes that she can see herself as the “mammy of the club someday,” like some of the older members who have influenced and encouraged them since they became members. NewsFour will have to check on that in many years to come!

The Game of War

At the time of the 1916 Rising many Irishmen had already volunteered to fight a different war.  The Great War in Europe began on July 28th, 1914, and lasted until November 11th, 1918.

It is estimated that some 350,000 Irishmen served in the British forces during World War One. In all over 30,000 Irish died. Despite being adversaries at home, Irish unionists and nationalists found themselves fighting side-by-side on the battlefields of Europe.

Some Irish men joined the British forces to fight a ‘just war’, as they saw it. Others, such as constitutional nationalists, were committed to the war by their leader John Redmond, on the basis that Ireland had won Home Rule and were duty-bound to defend similar countries, like Belgium, from the threat of fascism.

When the Irish Rebels led by James Connolly and Patrick Pearse rose against British rule in Ireland, proclaiming an Irish Republic and seizing the GPO and various other strategic buildings in Dublin, it was to Irish units of the British Army based in Ireland that the authorities first turned to defend the Capital. Many of the volunteers who had signed up to fight against Germany subsequently found themselves fighting their fellow Irishmen, in some cases friends and family members. It is estimated that Irish members of the British forces outnumbered the rebels three to one at the height of the fighting. As many as 41 of the British military deaths during Easter week were Irish born men, with many more injured.

One of the first to be shot was Frank Browning from Rathmines, Dublin. A barrister-at-law, Browning was 47 years old, a rugby player and former Irish international cricketer who had been capped for Ireland 38 times. He was president of the IRFU and is acknowledged as the driving force behind that organisation’s wartime efforts. When war broke out in Europe up to 300 members of the IRFU, like members of sporting clubs across the British Empire, enlisted en bloc. The IRFU volunteers went on to form the Irish Rugby Football Volunteer Corps – D Company, attached to the 7th Royal Dublin Fusiliers. They were also known as the IRFU Pals Battalion.

Of the 300 members of the Lansdowne club, 130 joined up to fight along with 120 ex-members. In total 72 died in the war, the majority in the Battle of Suvla Bay, Gallipoli and in the Dardanelles.

Browning and a number of his comrades, who remained in Dublin, were caught up in the Battle of Mount Street Bridge. They were fired on by the Irish Rebels as they were returning to Dublin from manoeuvres in Wicklow. Browning was fatally injured and died from his injuries a couple of days later.

A plaque commemorating his death and the deaths of the other members of the IRFU Pals Battalion who lost their lives in WW1 is located just outside the Aviva Stadium media centre in Lansdowne Road.

Irish Identity and the Rebellion

One reason the Rebellion of 1916 gained traction, where earlier bids for Irish freedom had failed, is that by the beginning of the 20th century the Irish people had started to develop a sense of national consciousness which had not previously existed.

Centuries of invasion and occupation had decimated the Irish sense of identity. The Irish language was in decline and national self-regard was at an all-time low. The 19th Century in Ireland had brought the Great Famine, and failed rebellions in 1803, 1847 and 1867.

A number of new movements aimed at reviving Irish Nationalism emerged from the middle of 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century, including the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA); Conradh na Gaeilge (the Gaelic League); the Irish Volunteers; Cumann na nGaedheal, which led to the formation of Sinn Fein; and The Irish Literary Renaissance which sought to make the Irish people aware of their historical literary heritage.

The Irish Literary Renaissance, also known as the Celtic Revival, was greatly influenced by the works of Standish O’Grady (1846-1928), an Anglo-Irish aristocrat whose interest in the myths and legends of the native Irish began when he came across the translations of Gaelic scholar Eugene O’Curry. O’Grady was aware that the stories of the ancient heroes of Irish legend were not the true history of Ireland but he also knew that they had value. He believed that these stories would help restore a sense of national pride, and dispel the notion that the Irish were a feckless and artless race who needed to be governed by their superiors in Britain.

Ireland had a ‘race history’ which had been guarded carefully over centuries of invasion and occupation, which was passed from generation to generation by poets, bards and storytellers who played an important part in the lives of the Irish peasants.

O’Grady wrote that ‘a nation’s history is made for it by circumstances, and the irresistible progress of events; but their legends they make for themselves….The legends represent the imagination of the country; they are that kind of history which a nation desires to possess. They betray the ambitions and ideals of the people, and in this respect, have a value far beyond the tale of actual events.’

In 1878 O’Grady published ‘History of Ireland: the Heroic Period.’ This was followed in 1880 by ‘History of Ireland: Cuchulain and his Contemporaries.’  His books were not bestsellers at the time of their publication, perhaps because they were presented as the actual history of country, but he is credited with sparking a renewed interest in the oral history of Ireland.

His work had a profound influence on the likes of W. B. Yeats, George Russell (A.E), Lady Gregory, James Stephens, Douglas Hyde and John Millington Synge, amongst other cultural and literary giants who came after him.  One reason for this is because in the re-telling of these stories he found a way to connect the ancient past of the Celtic people with their desire for an independent future.

W B Yeats acknowledged O’Grady as the ‘father of the Irish literary revival’ and referenced him as an influence many times. Yeats produced many works in the same vein. In his introduction to ‘Irish Fairy and Folk Tales,’ he talks of transcribing the stories told by the seanchaí, the ‘ancient hoarder of tales’ on Holy-eve, on creaking boats, and at wakes.  He sought to unlock the histories that were passed from generation to generation and in doing so to restore a pride in Celtic customs and traditions.

The native Irish people took their storytelling seriously and seanchaí were respected and welcomed wherever they went. Yeats explains, ‘storytellers used to gather together of an evening, and if any had a different version from the others, they would all recite theirs and vote, and the man who had varied would have to abide by the verdict’ – thereby preserving the accuracy of the tale that was passed to the next generation. He observed that the tales they told ‘caught the voice of the people, the very pulse of life, each giving what was most noticed in his day.’

These were folk stories, tales of fairies, ghosts, banshees, mermaids and phantoms, and of families or individuals who were favoured or plagued. They were symbolic stories ‘steeped in the heart,’ tales of ‘birth, love, pain, and death…unchanged for centuries.’ Inherent in the tales are the archetypes that are present in the collective unconscious of every nation and society.

The Irish Literary Revival led to the publication of poetry, prose and drama about the Irish people, by Irish people. A lot of it was written in English, which drew criticism from the likes of D P Moran, a prominent journalist and social commentator at the time who thoroughly disapproved of the Ascendancy class, but English was the predominant language of the people, many of whom could not read or write. In time it led to the foundation of the Abbey Theatre, the first Irish national theatre, and to a pride in the Hiberno-English spoken by the ordinary people, which allows us to communicate what is wonderful about Ireland and its people in our own unique way.

The Young Volunteer

Patrick Joseph Roe was one of the youngest Volunteers attached to The Irish Volunteers C. Company, 3rd Battalion, Dublin Brigade, who participated in the Battle of Mount Street Bridge. He had started a Fenian Group in Inchicore in 1912 with Liam Mellows, who was one of the founding members of the Volunteers. He went on to become a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood in 1913.

The particulars of the “military operations…or services rendered” by Roe during the week of 23 to 29 April 1916, show that he was engaged in “Removal of Arms, First Aid Dressings, Etc from Michael Malone’s home, 37 S C Road to 6 Harcourt Street – Test mobilisation – General preparation for the Rising – Communications” and “on the run.” He was also one of the four Volunteers who helped secure and defend 25 Northumberland Road during Easter Week, 1916, one of the bloodiest engagements of the Rebellion.

He was lucky to make it that far. When his Battalion arrived at Mount Street Bridge he was assigned with another young Volunteer, Michael Byrne, under the command of James Grace, to cover the gates of Beggars Bush Barracks at the junction of Haddington Road and Northumberland Road. While they were there two men approached them, one elderly and one young. The elderly man tried to induce Roe to let him look at his rifle. Grace, with his bayonet fixed, ordered the man to stand back. He persisted and advanced towards Roe, trying to take the rifle from his hands. Grace put his bayonet to the man’s throat and told him to stand back. The elderly man attempted to produce a weapon but was prevented from doing so by Grace.

Grace later discovered that the man, whose name was O’Connell, was a member of a pro-British territorial organisation, the G.R.s, who had instructions to rush and disarm Irish Volunteers when alone or in small numbers. Grace let him go but regretted it later and regarded it as a dereliction of duty.

Later that day Roe helped secure and defend 25 Northumberland Road. The Volunteers inside endured heavy sniper fire from Monday afternoon and throughout Tuesday.  At about 12 o’clock on Tuesday night Lieutenant Malone called Grace aside and told him they could “not hope to win owing to the confusion caused by the G.H.Q. countermanding order and also the overwhelming odds against them”. The expected German aid had failed to arrive. They were already exhausted and they had been involved in ongoing gun battles with the enemy since they took over the outpost.

Therefore, he decided that the two young volunteers, Roe and Byrne, should be sent away because he believed they were only sixteen or seventeen. This is disputed. Patrick was in fact twenty at the time. They were reluctant to go, rightly suspecting that the “dispatches” they were told to take to Malone’s house were an excuse to get them away from danger. Despite their protests Malone “gently but firmly” ordered them to take letters to his house on the South Circular Road and to wait there for further orders. Grace recalls in testimony given to the Bureau of Military History (1913-1921) that at “about 2.30 am they crept out through the skylight and over the roofs, gloomy enough, because they had been told that under no circumstances were they to come back to No. 25.” They made their way to Malone’s house on the South Circular Road to “await orders”.

Of course those orders never came.  At least not from Lieutenant Michael Malone, who “fell at his post” during the Battle of Mount Street Bridge.

Patrick Roe evaded arrest after the Easter Rising but was arrested and imprisoned during November, 1917, for illegal drilling. He was released after about 14 days following a hunger strike.

Undeterred, he continued in active service for the ‘cause,’ serving with the IRA between 1920 and 1923 during the War of Independence, Truce Period and the Civil War.

The Battle of Mount Street Bridge

On Easter Monday, April 24th, 1916, as Pádraig Pearse, Commander of the Irish Volunteers, prepared to read the Proclamation of the Irish Republic from the steps of the GPO, battalions of Irish Volunteers were occupying strategic positions throughout the city in order to defend the newly declared Republic.

One of these battalions, under the command of Eamon de Valera, occupied the Boland’s area, including the Mills and the Bakery, situated close to Mount Street Bridge, a key crossing point into Dublin from Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire).

De Valera and 2nd Lieutenant Michael Malone had reconnoitered the area sometime earlier to choose outposts for a mission designed to prevent British reinforcements, disembarking at Kingstown, from reaching the City Centre.

The Irish Volunteers C. Company, 3rd Battalion, Dublin Brigade, trained and paraded at Camden Row. Early on Easter Monday morning the Company was mobilised to Earlsford Terrace, where they were issued with Manser ammunition by Dick Carroll, the Company Quartermaster.

At about 11am the men, under the command of Captain Simon Donnelly, marched to Mount Street Bridge, where they met with Lieutenant Michael Malone. He instructed James Grace, Commander of No. 4 Section, to take two young Volunteers, Paddy Roe and Michael Byrne, to the junction of Haddington Road and Northumberland Road to cover the gates of Beggars Bush Barracks.

Section Commander George Reynolds, Jimmy Doyle, Richard Murphy and Willie Ronan were sent to take over Clanwilliam House. Joe Clarke, Joe Christian and Joseph Doyle were sent to take over the Mission Hall, Northumberland Road, and Section Commander Dinny Donoghue and four or five Volunteers were told to occupy the Schoolhouse opposite the Mission Hall.

When the garrisons of Clanwilliam House, Mission Hall and the Schoolhouse were installed, Malone, Grace, Roe and Byrne took possession of 25 Northumberland Road and prepared the building for a state of siege, erecting barricades from the furniture and ensuring food and water supplies for a couple of days. The Cussens, who owned 25 Northumberland Road, were sympathetic to the cause and had already vacated the house.

Almost immediately, the Volunteers in 25 Northumberland Road were involved in clashes with a Company of G.Ws, (part of a local Home Guard unit) marching towards their garrison at Beggars Bush. Four of the G.W.s were killed and more were injured. Unknown to Malone and Grace, the G.W.s were unable to return fire as their rifles were unloaded.

According to Grace’s witness statement, recorded later by the Bureau of Military History (1913-1921), from that point on the Volunteers were subjected to persistent sniping. They gave as good as they got. One sniper in the house opposite 25 Northumberland Road was “particularly troublesome.” Grace attracted fire from him from an upstairs window, losing his cap to a bullet in the process, giving Malone, who was a crack shot, the opportunity to take him down, which he duly did.

At some point, the men occupying the Schoolhouse were instructed to return to the Boland’s area, leaving the seventeen men to defend the remaining outposts.

Late Tuesday night Malone resolved to send Roe and Byrne on “despatch work” (sic).  In fact, he had decided that they were both too young – he believed that they were sixteen or seventeen, according to Grace’s testimony – to face what was to come, a fight they could not win. The boys were reluctant to go but nevertheless obeyed orders, escaping through a skylight to make their way to Malone’s house in South Circular Road to “await orders.”

Exhausted from lack of sleep and in spite of the overwhelming odds against them, including the failure of expected German aid to arrive and the confusion caused by countermanding orders from G.H.Q., Malone and Grace were determined to hold their positions.

At about 1pm on Wednesday, April 26th, word came that the English troops had landed at Kingstown and were on their way. The young recruits of the Sherwood Foresters, who were advancing towards the city, were so inexperienced that many had to be shown on the pier at Kingstown how to fire and reload their weapons.

As they reached the junction of Northumberland Road and Haddington Road, Malone and Grace opened fire, as did the Volunteers based in Clanwilliam House and the Mission Hall. They were supported by sniper fire from Boland’s Bakery and from the nearby railway tracks. Three of the Volunteers positioned at Clanwilliam House lost their lives in the ensuing battle. The surviving four escaped through the rear of the building and evading capture.

The men based at Mission Hall ran out of ammunition and attempted to escape via Percy Lane, at the back of the building, where they were apprehended by British troops.

Lieutenant Malone was shot dead by British soldiers when they stormed 25 Northumberland Road. Grace survived by hiding behind a stove in the basement but he was later captured and sent to prison.

The British troops suffered heavy casualties, in part due to the decision taken by their commander, General Lowe, that Mount Street Bridge had to be taken “at all costs”. Throughout the day his men, led by officers, charged into the path of the fire, even though there were alternative routes into the city. The resulting carnage saw four British officers dead and 216 other ranks of the Sherwood Foresters killed or badly wounded.  Four civilians were also killed in the crossfire.

The brave Volunteers of C. Company, 3rd Battalion, Dublin Brigade, held off the advancing British troops for over nine hours.

The Battle of Mount Street Bridge has been compared to The Battle of Thermopylae, where a group of 300 Spartans battled against an army of over 10,000 Persian invaders and held them at bay until they were betrayed by one of their own. To this day, it is used it as an example of Guerrilla war tactics in officer training courses.

Intriguing Ingrid

As Irish films scored a record nine Oscar nominations this year, it may have gone unnoticed that one Irish-made film has been making waves on the critically acclaimed international Screendance scene.

The Night Star Dance Company production ‘Table Manners/Stopping at Red Lights’ – a short film adapted from an original contemporary dance piece choreographed by Ingrid Nachstern – is quietly winning acclaim at Screendance and film festivals around the world.

Among other tributes, it received a Best Shorts Award in San Diego, California, Best Editing Award from the Modica Film Festival in Sicily, and an Award of Recognition from the Accolade Global Film Competition in La Jolla, California, which recognises exceptional achievement for craft and creativity in film, television and videography.

‘Table Manners/Stopping at Red Lights’ was first staged as a live performance in Project Cube, Dublin, during April 2013.  The idea for the original piece was sparked by News reports of a man who went on a killing spree through villages in the North of England, murdering random people on the way.  As he made his deadly journey he stopped at red lights, like any normal person would do. The dichotomy between the killer’s lethal acts and his social conditioning intrigued Ingrid. The dance explores the contradictions between private/ public behavior and touches on issues such as over-consumption, abuse of resources and over-reliance on medication.  It is, like all of Ingrid’s work, designed to make members of the audience re-examine their worldview.

The film version features an outstanding cast of Lucia Kickham, Michael Cooney and Ingrid, who also directed, with Michael Gallen on sound.  It was shot in Clonskeagh, Dublin, with film-maker Luca Truffarelli, who has collaborated successfully with several choreographers and dance companies in the past.

Ingrid started studying Classical Ballet, at the age of three, with teacher Muriel Kitt in Dublin. She recalls that she “didn’t like it much” because she was very shy and found public performance overwhelming.  She took the Royal Academy of Dance examinations up to the age of 17, before taking an extended break.

After graduating from Trinity College Dublin, with a B.A. in Modern Language, Ingrid  worked as a translator in Toronto, London and Oxford. During her time in Canada she started dancing again, taking classes with Richard Sugarman in Toronto and later with Joanna Banks in Dublin. She also undertook the three year teacher training course at the Royal Academy of Dance (London).

She established her successful ballet school in Sandymount, Dublin, in 1997, where she has passed on her passion for dance to the many pupils who have studied with her.  As much as she loves her work as a dance teacher, Ingrid likes to push herself as far as possible out of her comfort zone.  In 2003, eager for a new challenge, she established the Night Star Dance Company.  The company’s debut performance took place in Project Cube the same year, with ‘Bow-Tie Like ‘Chioni’, a piece inspired by the death of her father.  She has since created fourteen original works for Night Star, which have been performed in Ireland and at arts and dance events around the world.

Ingrid returned to public performance as a dancer in 2011, when she was invited to present her solo work ‘Who Am I?’ in the famous Dance Theater Workshop (DTW) New York, as part of Culture Ireland’s Imagine Ireland series.  During a ten-minute Q&A session after the performance she found, to her surprise, that the audience “got it” – they truly understood what she wanted to convey.  It was an important moment for her because it gave her the confidence to see herself as a performer and choreographer, and as an artist with something interesting to say.

Since then she has danced all over the world and worked with many celebrated dancers and choreographers, including such luminaries as Michelle Boulé, Sari Nordman and Steve Paxton.

Ingrid is genuinely surprised at her recent success. She says that she is more motivated now, at sixty-two, than she was when she was younger and “never says no to any opportunity.”  At an age when most professional dancers have made a career transition in the opposite direction she continues to push the boundaries and accept new challenges. Nowadays, she relishes public performances and believes that “dance for its own sake is just navel gazing – you have to dance for an audience, not for yourself.”  Screendance offers another space to stage performances and gain access to receptive audiences.

Readers can expect to hear more about Ingrid’s accomplishments as she enters this new phase of her career.  She has recently completed a second short film with her “perfect film partner” Luca.  Freedom – to go! “a commentary on present day America in verse” and it is already winning awards.  Yesterday, Saturday 20th, February, 2016, it received an Award of Merit (Experimental) and an Award of Recognition (Film Short) in the The Indie Fest Global Film Awards,in California.  A third short film is in the works.

Art of Heart’s Desire: a profile of the artist Steven Mannion Farrell

Steven Mannion Farrell is one of the fastest rising stars of Irish art world. He has already enjoyed considerable commercial success and his artworks are starting to appear in some of the most enviable private collections in the world. It’s easy to see why. His paintings and drawings are, quite simply, breathtaking.

 

It’s impossible to define his style. Steven describes it as “abstract” and “minimal”, but it’s changed over the years and continues to change with each collection. His paintings are bright and colourful, not dark. Although his style and technique may have changed, as he has grown as an artist, his gaze is uniquely and identifiable his.

His artistic heroes include Paul Henry, Picasso and German artist, Gerhard Richter, one of the pioneers of the New European Painting that emerged after WWII. His favourite painting The Taking of Christ, by Caravaggio, dates from an earlier time and he loves this work because “there are so many layers to it.” One of his first influences was Irish artist, Jim Fitzpatrick. He still loves Fitzpatrick’s work and has the pleasure of living with an original by the artist, a portrait of one of his sisters-in-law.

Although Steven is already an accomplished artist, he continues to take classes, when he has the time, because they “motivate” him. “There’s never a point when it’s too late to learn something new,” he says, “the need to grow as an artist is always important to me.” He likes to push forward and experiment with different themes, which does not always thrill the galleries and agents that he works with. Their need to categorise his work is thwarted by his “to strike a balance between commercial success and artistic expression.”

Research plays an important part in his artistic process, as it both informs and inspires him. When he is preparing for a collection he immerses himself fully in the subject of his work. For example, when he was preparing for the Land of Heart’s Desire exhibition, which is based on the life and works of WB Yeats, he spent a lot of time in Sligo, observing the land and skies that influenced the poet, visiting his haunts, reading his poems and stories and studying his life. He could also be found at the William Butler Yeats permanent exhibition at the National Library of Ireland, reading and researching.

The results are extraordinary. The paintings capture the poet and his places in an almost mystical way. If you are already a lover of Yeats, Steven’s paintings will add a new dimension to your understanding of his work.  If you know nothing about him they will open a door to his world.

In person, Steven is as far away from the stereotypical image of angst ridden artist as you can get.  He exudes good health and happiness and he laughs all the time.  He does not find artistic life lonely – he likes getting stuck into the work. He maintains a good work/life balance and is happily married to Eamon Farrell, who is a director at the National College of the Performing Arts.  They have a great home and social life and live with three dogs who spend their days in the studio with him.  He does not work regular hours but he makes sure that he is in his studio, which is based at their home in Sandymount, every day.  The work flows from there.

Steven likes to get involved with projects, other than his art.  His passion for Yeats led to a position on the board of the Yeats 150 festival.  He enjoyed that role, “taking Yeats out of the academic and into the real world.” He believes that the arts have a crucial role to play in society as they “add to the culture.” He says, “In Ireland we’re doing well but still have a way to go. Yes, it is the duty of society to fund the arts, but “not at the expense of other priorities such as homelessness.” He regrets that there is no history of art patronage here but is hopeful that will change.  He knows that he is lucky; he had lots of support for his need to create when he was growing up.  His mum, who he clearly adores, made sure that he always had the art supplies and the encouragement that he needed to develop his craft.

Steven attributes some element of his success to luck.  His first significant sale happened when his work was seen and purchased by a couple, with a passion for art, at Art Ireland 2007.  Selling that work and seeing it hang on the walls of its new home made him feel like a professional artist, for the first time.  His work and success have gathered momentum since.

That is why he is very excited to be part of the Ringsend Arts Festival.  He explains “It is incredibly important for local artists to show their work to the world. That’s really important.  If it sells even one artist, it is worth it.”

 

Is fánach an áit ina bhfaighfeá gliomach

“Is fánach an áit ina bhfaighfeá gliomach” (You never know where you will find a lobster) quoted boating specialist and author, Críostóir Mac Cárthaigh, as he helped celebrate the launch of a very special boat.

The launch was held on Friday, September 11th, at the Ringsend Registered Fishermen & Private Boat Owners Association boatyard, Pigeon House Road.  It was attended by forty or more boating and rowing enthusiasts, including members of the Ringsend Boat Owners Association, as well as members of the Stella Maris and St Patrick’s rowing clubs.  Those who braved an absolute deluge of rain to be there were well rewarded with a memorable evening.

The boat in question is a currach, one of a handful on the Liffey.  The man who built it, Edwin Tuthill, is a carpenter by trade and comes from landlocked Clane, Co Kildare.  Edwin fell in love with the elegant shape of this iconic boat when he first saw currachs on visits to the West of Ireland.  Notwithstanding the fact that he had never been on one, didn’t row, and didn’t live near a body of water, the craftsmanship appealed to the carpenter in him and he wanted to build a currach of his own.

So he set off to Spiddal, armed with only a measuring tape and a notebook.  He had no contacts there. He took measurements from the currachs which were, as is the tradition, moored upside down on the beach. He returned to Kildare with his figures, drew up a plan, and “with a rush of blood to the head” started to build.  He made great headway for about six weeks and “half-finished” the boat.  Then he hit a brick wall, builders block, so to speak.  He covered it with tarpaulin, stored it at the bottom of his garden and more or less forgot about it. Over the years he would occasionally look at it from his kitchen window and resolve to dismantle it, but he never did.

Ten years later, his friend, Ciarán Healy, introduced him to David Kelly, a Dubliner with a huge interest in currachs, cultivated on his many visits to Inishmaan.  David is a familiar sight on the Liffey.  He takes his own currachs out on the river three hundred and sixty-five days a year.

Edwin’s first trip on the water, crewing on David’s boat, re-ignited his enthusiasm for the project. It didn’t take long for him to get the hang of the rowing and he’s “flying at it now.”

When Eddie Byrne, secretary of the local boat owners club, heard about Edwin’s boat he offered the use of the boatyard to complete it.  With his support and with help from David and other members of the Liffeyside boating community, work on the currach was complete.

Eddie B and his wife Phyllis said that they would host the launch and provide “tea and sandwiches”, which turned out to be a feast, fit for a wedding.  The wine and beer flowed.  After all, the boat had to be blessed.  As Páraic Ó Flátharta, an Inis Mór native, who lent his expertise to the project, explained,“In the west nobody would sit into a currach until it’s been blessed.”

The blessing was performed by boating enthusiast Father Derek Harris.  Despite the foul weather, the majority of the assembly left the warmth of the boathouse to witness the proceedings.  Edwin stood by, as nervous as a bridegroom, slightly overwhelmed by the occasion.

All eyes were on the currach as she glistened under the boatyard lights in the rain, which was now coming down in buckets.  The skiff rowers from the Dublin rowing clubs smiled admiringly.  They all love the currach; its classic shape, its buoyancy, its agility on the water and the boating tradition it represents. Everyone agreed that “Ed made a beautiful boat.”

It’s hard to find a positive water-based story in Ireland these days but the blessing of Edwin’s curragh is certainly good news.  An evening filled with stories and music, the launch was about camaraderie, generosity and the celebration of achievement.  Lobsters do turn up in the strangest of places.