Musician and composer Justin Grounds will screen The Town That Has Nurtured My Dreams at Uillinn this Bealtaine!
Starting life as a song-writing project through Arts for Health Partnership Programme, The Town That Has Nurtured My Dreams has become a celebration of Skibbereen, and the stories and creativity of the people who call it home.
The project grew out of the sharing of favourite songs that happens weekly as part of Arts for Health sessions with composer and musician Justin Grounds. Justin shared his experience of the making process,
‘The residents decided it was high time for a new song for the town which celebrates all the fabulous places and wonderful new families who have come back to make it their home. Josie Mackle, a member of the group and keen poet, set about composing a poem about the history of the town, and then the group began their songwriting process by choosing some of their favourite lines from the poem, and mixing them with ideas from their favourite places – such that the song is like taking a tour around the town, from Fields Coffee Shop to West Cork Hotel!’
Visual artist Sharon dipity produced beautiful line drawings with the residents, reflecting the places mentioned. Additionally, Sharon helped with filming and recording performances for the video with Justin. The film is a tribute to the residents’ creativity. Animations, drawings, poetry reading, musical soundscape and singing are all woven together beautifully.
The Town That Has Nurtured My Dreams had its debut screening at last year’s Fastnet Film Festival. Hospital staff and residents travelled to Schull to see their work on the big screen. Now, the film will be shown right in the centre of Skibbereen as part of Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre’s Bealtaine Festival programme!
This event will also feature two other collaborative films made in Skibbereen Community Hospital over the last few years.
The Last Train to Nowhere
The Last Train to Nowhere is a multi-disciplinary collaboration film exploring memory and imagination. Coordinated by Justin, artists Sarah Ruttle, Sharon dipity and writer Elizabeth Murray also facilitated the project. The film draws on poetry, drawings, musical soundscape and film. It was made by participants in the Arts for Health programme in Skibbereen, Schull, and Bantry Community Hospitals. 
The project evolved over several months, with each piece of artistic work inspiring the next stage of the development. Initially Justin and the participants in Skibbereen collected field recordings from the hospital environment. In creating a montage soundscape found it had echoes of a train journey. This led to Elizabeth and the residents of Schull and Skibbereen to create visual poems drawing on their memories of train journeys. The metaphor deepened as the rhythmic experience of looking from train windows, captured on film by Justin and showed to participants, unlocked day dreams and remembrances. Sarah and Sharon then took these poems and used them as inspiration for participants’ line drawings in Schull and Bantry.
Seeing animations of these line drawings led Skibbereen poet, and resident of the community hospital, to compose an original poem. This ties all the beautiful artistic work together.
The River Goes on Forever
The River Goes On Forever was created in 2022 by hospital residents with Justin. Inspired by Josie’s poetry about the River Ilen, the group decided to make a river soundscape. Participants shared stories about the Ilen, and chatted together about where it could be seen from the town. Justin cycled close to the river to record footage, which he then shared on a TV screen in the hospital. Finally, the HSE Staff Choir got involved, recording the musical refrain which ends the piece.
Event Details
The screenings will take place on Wednesday 6 May, 6.30pm, at Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre. Justin will also speak about the process of making the films which form part of his multi-disciplinary practice as a resident Arts for Health artist in the hospital. There will be time for questions and discussion at the end.
Bealtaine Festival is Ireland’s national festival celebrating the arts and creativity as we age. Bealtaine at Uillinn reflects the relationships we have built with artists, older people and our health and education partners across West Cork. The work shared is the result of time, trust and creative conversation. At Uillinn, we believe creativity should be accessible to everyone, and Bealtaine is a powerful reminder of what happens when people are given the space, support and encouragement to make art.
Keep an eye on our social media for more Bealtaine events throughout May!