Where were you on the night of March 21st 2020?
That was the night our Taoiseach (P.M.) announced that Ireland was going into full lockdown. In the face of a death wreaking virus, we were instructed, starting from midnight, to restrict travel to within a 2km radius for exercise and grocery shopping.
Our lives changed dramatically in that moment. I packed my bags that night and moved in with my partner and his children, for how long we didn't know. Little was known at that stage about this new coronavirus.
Overnight, an unusual silence descended on our towns, villages and cities. Photographer Rob O'Connor took to the streets of Cork to capture those moments through his lens. His work sparked an idea for colloborattive project called The Silence.
I am one of the 45 artists invited by Art In Many Forms curator Pat O'Carroll to contribute my reflections on those unusual events. Together with the photography of Rob O'Connor, our art workand poems would tell a story of our collective experience.
"I hope the entire project will be brought to life in 2021, with actors reading the words which have been contributed to a backdrop of images by Rob O'Connor who has inspired The Silence."
Pat O' Carroll
My contribution to The Silence is a poem: 'Stay In' - which you can read below.
Coming together as a nation with a common goal of keeping each other safe required a lot of effort and sacrifice. I'd like to offer sympathies to those who lost loved ones during that time, it was the most difficult experience of all I imagine.
Also, my thanks to those who worked tirelessly, and not without worry, on the front lines throughout the pandemic.
Through my art and writing I share stories and inspiration for transformation, healing and dreams turning to reality. When you visit my gallery you glimpse my journey, my authentic path. It took a ‘Break True’ moment to point me towards developing my artistic talents. It’s never too late to make a new start. I’ve achieved a lot in a relatively short time. My work has been presented in New York as part of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, has been displayed on county Post Office and has been show-cased on National TV. Read more about my art journey here.
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