INSET: ‘Spoon and Bloom’ was produced by visual artist Annie Mar and animator Aaron Ross.

Gleann a’ Phúca comes to an end

A park on the northside of Cork city will be a hive of activity this Saturday as a climate action project comes to an end.

The ‘Gleann a’ Phúca’ Creative Climate Action project will end in Glen River Park with a full day of events showcasing the outcomes from a 12 month programme of artists’ public engagement projects.

The ‘Gleann ‘a Phúca’ project was instigated and led by artist Julie Forrester who lives on the edge of the park.

‘Gleann a’ Phúca’ stemmed from Julie’s pandemic ‘Glen diaries’ and evolved into a multi-disciplinary research project involving the team of artists. The project also aimed to celebrate, protect and improve the water quality of the Glen River. In this phase of the project, three of the original six propositions have been realised. A short film, ‘River’, was also commissioned.

Julie said: “Our grand finale and culminating event celebrates the completion of this phase of ‘Gleann a’ Phúca’. It has been a roller coaster year during which we reached out and sought engagement with the community to share our appreciation of the Glen River Park.

“In a project that began in lockdown with the deep sense of gratitude and care for our extraordinary world, the Glen park, and the river that has shaped it has offered up the context for some extraordinary connections.”

Saturday’s showcase begins at 1.30pm with a discursive picnic, which invites picnickers to reflect on our connection with water and the Glen River.

The picnic is a culminating event for Ordinary Gifts, a community engagement project hosted by artist, Elinor Rivers, who has delivered multiple projects in the park throughout the year.

The day will also see the official launch of the FuaimMná 5pm. A dance performance titled ‘Through the Valley She Runs’ by UCC Creative dance artist in residence in The Glen, Helga Deasy, will take place at 6.15pm.

The premiere screening of a ‘Spoon and Bloom’ animation will take place in the Glen Resource Centre from 7-9pm.

This was produced by visual artist, Annie Mar, and animator, Aaron Ross, with contributions from participants who attended drawing and mapping workshops in the park throughout the year. Elinor Rivers will also deliver her Ordinary Gifts presentation in the centre’s Wellbeing Room.

The event will conclude with a screening of ‘Glen River’, a short film by Dervla Baker, with an original soundscape of field recordings by Neil Quigley.