EXHIBITION LAUNCH - 'EMBERS'

The evening will celebrate the opening of 'Embers', an audio visual exhibition portraying the ways of seven skilled craftspeople of Clare who hold a lifetime of learning and dedicated practice to their creativity. The project is a collaboration by photographer Myriam Riand, Paula Carroll from Cuimhneamh an Chláir and artist Nicola Henley capturing the stories and images of people who’ve lived a lifetime making a life from traditional skills, created with support from the Arts Council.

Photographs by Myriam Riand, interviews & audio editing by Paula Carroll (Cuimhneamh an ChláirCuimhneamh an Chláir/Clare Memories is an independent voluntary charity, which digitally records, archives and shares the oral heritage of Co. Clare, through interviews with the county's older citizens. Directed by Nicola Henley and supported by The Arts Council.

FILM SCREEENING - 'TURNING THE COLLAR'

Turning the Collar - On the Nature of Things, their Repair, Care and Maintenance (43 mins, Directed by Teresa Dillon) is a short documentary that will screen at 6.30pm, about the skills of repairing, restoring and reusing through meeting purveyors of these skills in Westmeath.

Reflecting on the nature of our material relations with objects and our relationship to fixing and mending, 'Turning the Collar' follows artist Teresa Dillon on her journey around the midlands county of Westmeath, Ireland, where she speaks to over 13 repair professionals about their work. Capturing the humour, insights and the joys that each repairer finds in working with their hands, the documentary reflects on the values that underly what we choose to care for and mend and the struggles that skilled trade professions face. Closing points address technological lockdowns, planned obsoletism and the Right to Repair legislation and movement.

CREDITS: Director: Teresa Dillon; Camera: Matt Boyd; Editor: Matt Boyd; Music: Garreth Anton Avrill; Graphic Inserts: Marta Celio; In order of appearance: Meab O’Neill (Meab Enamels, Multyfarnham), David Corrigan, Neil O’Dwyer (O’Dwyers Masonry, Multyfarnham), Olga Corrigan, Declan Browne (Liturgical Book Restorers, Athlone), John Conlon (Thatcher, Glasson), Leo Farrell (The Bike Shop, Mullingar), Paul Dunne (Dunnes Joinery, Kilbeggan), Molly Collins (Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Centre, Dublin), John Joe Quigley (Inner Lakes Marina, Glasson), Giedre Mostova, Mary Garvey (Partners Garment Care, Mullingar), Claire Delabre (Handmade Design Studio, Mullingar), Mary Connell (ICA, Ballina), Kiernan Veale, John Mangan, Peter Burrows, Danny Cole, Pat Begley (Men’s Shed Mullingar) and Steve Sherwood (Sherwood Technologies, Mullingar). Produced by: Repair Acts, Ireland a project initiatied by Teresa Dillon and Alma Clavin, in partnership with University College Dublin and Westmeath County Council. With support from the University of the West of England, School of Art and Design and Digital Culture Research Centre. Funded by: Creative Ireland, Climate Action Programme (2021-22).