It’s almost two weeks since the month in Mayo with Na Cailleacha ended, and even though I have written five different versions of this blog piece, none of them seemed just right to put onto the website.
But as of today, I decided to stop messing around and just write it in one go. My name is Anouk Rudin. Originally from Switzerland, I have lived and worked in Dublin for a good year before the lockdown in March, and this month has been my first visit to Mayo. Besides differences in the conception of what a mountain is (really, everything in Ireland is sort of a small hill or a big hill for me, occasionally I even refer to a small mountain, but that’s about it) I was as stunned as everyone else by the beauty around me. Therefore, it didn’t come a surprise to me that several art projects were inspired by the landscape around us, starting from the bog and the Atlantic but also the history of the place that was so clearly visible around us. I’m not one of the artists in this project, nor someone with a whole lot of experience in this area. I came into this project as an assistant to Therry and her documentary, and ended up being a bit of an assistant to everyone. I also set up their Instagram account, which, as a result, involved me in pretty much all the things Na Cailleacha has done over the month. Therefore, as the only “outsider”, Catherine invited me to share my perspective in this blog. I was quite simply just blown away by this group. What struck me most is their endless passion for their work. Without me really noticing it, they dragged me into their world of colour, sounds, shapes and words, that filled me with new insights into the world around me. They are so completely dedicated to their art that it’s hard not to feel a little intimidated at times. Even though they are all completely different, this love for their work is what connects them. Beyond that connection, there was something in the way they interacted with each other that surprised me, but also themselves. Endless support seems about the right way to express it, on a professional level, but also on a personal one. These are women artists over seventy (with the exception of Carole who is slightly younger) and being that, they faced burdens and struggles that, when pointed out, raise a lot of questions of the “Why?” and “Why not?”variety. Sharing experiences with each other and relating to them, allowed them to create bonds that were both unique and powerful. For me as a mere twenty-two-year-old woman, listening to them overcome these challenges, or simply just working with them, has been an inspiration and left me with what I like to call “a big blur of knowledge”. The word “visibility” was a big one that stuck with me throughout this month. I can’t believe that some people dismiss this group because of their age, their gender or their profession. For me, BECAUSE of their age, gender, and profession, and the way they deal with the challenges that come with them, this has been one of the most impactful experiences of my life. There’s something powerful and energetic coming from this collective, that we can all profit from. I encourage everyone to look at Na Cailleacha. They have plenty to say and show, that is worth attention. As for myself, I will keep working with the group and am already excited about what’s coming next. Also, I will try to update their Instagram account as regularly as possible (@NaCailleacha). I’m taking a little bit of a break from that for the moment as I’m currently trying to edit all the footage that I have since Ballinglen, but there will be new material up there soon. This will include information on what future projects lie ahead and how the group is progressing after their month in Mayo. I can only hope that I can share a little bit of the incredible experience I had there. Until then, stay safe everyone. Anouk.
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The dynamic changed a bit in the last few days of our time in Ballinglen. Time changes everything as we are only too aware. First we got to know each other and to trust the group – not often easy, but it worked here from the start and miraculously it has grown, not diminished. But energy levels change as you move from innovation to implementation to resolution, and all of that against the background of a virus spreading all over the country although not apparently in Mayo, and certainly not in Ballycastle. That heightened our sense of privilege and made us almost desperate to make the most of the time we had left there. So we had a very helpful zoom conversation with Suzannah O’Reilly Mullaney of Parallel Editions paralleleditions.ie about our print project and cheered when Gerda finished her drawing on Thursday.
With five public events behind us we took the night off and had an excellent Indian take- away meal – masterminded, ordered and collected by Carole. Then the wind-down began, Sunday and Monday we recorded our collective sound/video piece, finished off whatever could be finished and carefully took-down of Gerda’s drawing. Therry did some last call interviews for the documentary and Anouk put together a series of short interviews with us all offering a twenty two year old’s perspective, which she intends to present in another forum. Some of us went on a ten kilometre walk to check out megalithic tombs, although finding them in blinding rain is not easy even if they pop up in every second field around here; everyone returned to their favourite spots to say goodbye, and we all celebrated Una and her phenomenal staff. We wrapped up our last evening with a discussion about energy both it’s diminishing aspects and the energizing power of ideas and creativity.
We drove home in a storm the next day. Now, with thanks to the Ballinglen Arts Foundation, to Mayo Arts Office and to Sean Walsh at the Ballina Arts Centre, we have to make the work.
her with us for a day or two, but even though we comprise a Covid 19 free bubble, we felt it would be wrong to take her away from her safe environment in Achill to come here. She was interested in the music sessions between Carole and Helen and also in our conversation topics. She spoke about death as matter-of-factly as always, saying that she was curious about the experience, since she has spent a long time thinking about it.
It was really appropriate to talk about loss in North Mayo, a place that so resonates with lazy beds and residues of emigration. Barbara offered an opportunity to think about personal and universal experience through her film Requiem and Patricia showed the collaborative film she made with Therry, ‘Once Upon a Time…’ which in its perfect brevity, re-opened fleeting memories for everyone.
There is a natural rhythm to residencies and collaborations like this. We have been alternately skittish with excitement, moved to serious thought, and entertained by the comedians among us but today, busy though it was, was the day when tiredness caught up with us. We had planned to talk about energy, losing it and sustaining it, but we decided to wait for another day. We have passed the half way mark of our time here in Ballinglen now, and it’s timely to invite some of the other Cailleachs to talk about their experiences too. Today I asked Carole and Helen to write about their experience of the collective of playing/drawing together for the past two weeks. Carole kicked off; “As the youngster in the group I feel privileged to be among such extraordinary women. Remaining passionate and committed to making art, they show us all that, although age may bring its challenges, it also brings depth of practice and hard-won experience. And perhaps a sense of needing to ‘get it all out’ while we can.
Carole described how her note-playing leaves her in a state of complete openness. Helen’s response clearly indicates how she, too, is cleansed by the concentrated focus on the musical notes;-
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