Our Place Our Stories

Over 2019, our 6 artist partners worked with one or two key community groups. Mulhuddart Men’s Shed & Menitation (Shaun Dunne), Mulhuddart Boxing Academy (Megan Kennedy & Jessica Kennedy of Junk Ensemble), Daughters of Charity, Blakestown (Jody O’Neill), Foróige (Colm Keegan), Umunwanyi Olaedo (Igbo Union Women Wing) and D15 Women (FeliSpeaks), Hartstown Community College and Coláiste Pobail Setanta (Dylan Coburn Gray). Because of the young demographic of Dublin 15 and Draíocht's subsequent commitment to this age group, three groups were made up of young people (14yrs +). The key community groups represent different communities of place or interest. A variety of performing art forms (spoken word, theatre, dance) have been the focus of the workshop process exploring what stories each group felt they needed and wanted to tell and began the process of individual and collective artistic empowerment to shape those stories in dramatic form, poetic word and physical body.

Our Place, Our Stories culminated on Culture Night, 20th September 2019. With the emphasis for participants on articulation rather than performance, each outcome was recorded on film and was shown in Draíocht’s foyer as well as at a special screening in our Studio Space. This was followed at 7.30pm by a live performance by our 6 artists, who were commissioned as part of the project to create a new 10 minute piece in response to the experience of working with their group(s).

Supported as part of the Creative Ireland Programme’s National Creativity Fund, with additional funding being provided by Fingal County Council, OUR PLACE, OUR STORIES is a project which facilitates a collaboration between 6 leading artists and 6 key communities of interest in Dublin 15, under the artistic directorship of Veronica Coburn (Home Theatre Ireland; Hallelujah!, Draíocht’s Community Clown Choir).

"I had the pleasure of working with these two groups of women that reflect monumental parts of who I am as a Irish-Nigerian living in Ireland. They gave me the chance to see women in several onion layers through the power of listening and the gift of art; for that I am eternally grateful. I felt really really humble and blessed to be able to soak in older minds. There’s something so beautiful about people who have lived further and longer than you, just pouring into you. That has been amazing. I hope I was able to impact them as much as they did, me." FeliSpeaks

Mulhuddart Men’s Shed worked with Shaun Dunne

Foróige Dublin 15 worked with Colm Keegan

Adam:

Tommo:

Nicolas:

Umunwanyi Olaedo (Igbo Union Women Wing) worked with FeliSpeaks

D15 Women worked with FeliSpeaks

Jean:

Maureen:

Marian:

Niamh:

Simona:

Daughters of Charity, Adult Day Services, Blakestown worked with Jody O’Neill

Junk Ensemble - Mandatory 8-Count

Filmed and Edited by Arcade Film, we are delighted to share our #OurPlaceOurStories project videos with you, made by our 6 artists in response to working with their local groups in Dublin 15.

Written and performed by Megan Kennedy & Jessica Kennedy of Junk Ensemble in response to their work with 5 Girls from Mulhuddart Boxing Academy. Commissioned by Draíocht, with support from Creative Ireland's National Creativity Fund, and funding from Fingal County Council.
Filmed and Edited by Arcade Film.
Music composition: Denis Clohessy

Colm Keegan – Volcano - A Blanchardstown Kishotenketsu

Written and performed by Colm Keegan in response to his work with Foróige. Commissioned by Draíocht, with support from Creative Ireland's National Creativity Fund, and funding from Fingal County Council.
Filmed and Edited by Arcade Film.

Dylan Coburn Gray - If I Were A Dog

Written and performed by Dylan Coburn Gray in response to his work with students from Coláiste Pobail Setanta and Hartstown Community School.
Commissioned by Draíocht, with support from Creative Ireland's National Creativity Fund, and funding from Fingal County Council.
Filmed and Edited by Arcade Film.

FeliSpeaks - The Powder Room

Written and performed by FeliSpeaks in response to her work with Umunwanyi Olaedo - Igbo Union Women Wing and D15 Women. Commissioned by Draíocht, with support from Creative Ireland's National Creativity Fund, and funding from Fingal County Council.
Filmed and Edited by Arcade Film.

Jody O'Neill - Saying the words

Written and performed by Jody O'Neill in response to her work with members of the Daughters of Charity community, Blakestown Road. Commissioned by Draíocht, with support from Creative Ireland's National Creativity Fund, and funding from Fingal County Council.
Filmed and Edited by Arcade Film.

Shaun Dunne - Menitation

Written and performed by Shaun Dunne, featuring Pat Farrell, in response to Shaun's work with Pat Farrell and with the Mulhuddart Men's Shed. Commissioned by Draíocht, with support from Creative Ireland's National Creativity Fund, and funding from Fingal County Council.

Filmed and Edited by Arcade Film.

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