In 2024 I was awarded the CREATE Artist in the Community Scheme Reseach funding, to engage in a short period of research to explore ideas for a participatory song project on the Island of Cape Clear.

The premise of this project, is to compose a suite of songs that celebrate and memorialize various unique aspects of the island, from the islands unique landscape , to it's community, and more than human species, Specific celebratory moments, historical moments, and moments of humour and loss. And that the community will be involved in both informing the texts and lyrics of the songs, and will participate in a performance.

Traditionally a communities local poet or singer, might pen or coin folk songs that distinctly mirrored a place back unto itself, a person who knew the place and people well. The challenge with proposing and undertaking this project is one of time. It takes time to develop relationships, to understand the nuance of a place and it's people. Quite often the funding paradigms that exist don't allow for the nessecary timespans that are required for such a body work to mature and refine.  And so in this spirit I've decided to take my time with this project. 

I am currently ( slowly) working on a composition, informed by my visits to the island, my walks while there, the conversations I have with the island community and my exploration of it's museum, and Eamon Lankford Archives and the islands connection to the Fastnet Lighthouse. 

Communication between myself and the Islanders is taking the form of letters, emails and inperson conversations.