Art-zine celebrating the celtic festival of Samhain, and its influence on the modern festival of Hallowe’en, made collaboratively by the three Oileán AiR artists, Vicky Langan, Brigid O’Dea and Noah Rose, in response to our experience of Oileán Chléire/ Cape Clear Island, during the Oileán AiR residency, September-November 2020.
Over the course of our two-month cónaitheacht ealaíontóirí ar Ghaeltacht Oileán Chléire (artist residency on Cape Clear), increasing governmental restrictions were put in place to control the spread of COVID-19. This meant that we had limited opportunities to get to know muintir an oileáin (the island community) When we found out that the national lockdown would prevent the island’s annual community Hallowe’en celebrations from going ahead, we took a break from our own projects to collaborate on this zine, in order to document & celebrate Samhain on Oileán Chléire ag an am aisteach seo (at this strange time).
Designed & published in seven days, the bilingual, full colour, 30-page zine features the island’s uncanny landscapes, the community in disguise, a hand-drawn map of mysterious Chléire place-names, curses, cures, poetry and more. Each zine comes with four unique postcards, made by us, featuring mallachtaí (curses), beannachtaí (blessings) agus leigheasanna (cures) from Oileán Chléire.
A copy of the zine was delivered to every household on Oileán Chléire (observing Covid-19 safety measures) on the morning of Hallowe’en, Saturday 31st October 2020.
Researched, written and designed by Vicky Langan, Brigid O’Dea, Noah Rose.
Míle buíochas / Many thanks:
Ruairí Ó Donnabháin, Máirtín Ó Méalóid, Séamus Ó Drisceoil, and the community of Oileán Chléire.
Logainmneacha ó Eamonn Lankford agus Conchúr Ó Siocháin.
This work was made as part of the Oileán AiR residency programme. Le tacaíocht ó / proudly supported by:
Engaging Communities Grant – Cork County Council Arts Office, Comharchumann Chleire Teo, Ealaín na Gaeltachta and CREATE.
www.vickylangan.com | www.brigidodea.weebly.com
