Thresholds – Betwixt and between.
In a novel collaboration, archaeologist Marion Dowd, landscape writer Maura Gilligan and musician Stephen O’Dowd will present a celebration of local landscape, myth and antiquity. Exploring aspects of the Cúil Irra (Coolera) peninsula and its hinterland, weaving together archaeology and folklore with memoir and poetry.
Throughout time, people have continually re-invented and re-imagined landscapes, and particular places and monuments within them. Archaeology tells us one story, folklore another. Both interpretations are important, one occasionally creates a threshold into the other.
Within landscape, locations associated with trauma are often deliberately forgotten, written out of collective memory. Such forgetting is also revealing.
Marion and Maura will explore aspects of the Cúil Irra peninsula and its hinterland, weaving together archaeology and folklore with memoir and poetry. Completing the soundscape, Stephen will create musical accompaniment, and perform original songs.
The content of Thresholds may hold some revelations.
Dr Marion Dowd is a Lecturer in Archaeology at ATU, and an internationally recognised expert in Irish cave archaeology. She is the author of seven academically acclaimed works, and numerous academic papers. Marion’s published work also explores the intersection between archaeology and folklore. Her latest publication is: An Irish Civil War Dugout: Tormore Cave, County Sligo, Archaeology, History, Memory with archaeologists Robert Mulraney and James Bonsall.
Maura Gilligan is a local writer and community arts facilitator. Her poetry and memoir have been published in several anthologies, and her essays have been broadcast on RTE’s Sunday Miscellany and poetry shows. Her recently published book The Tide is Coming is a multi-faceted artistic collection dedicated to Coney Island in Sligo Bay.
Stephen O’Dowd is of the fourth generation of a renowned musical family with deep roots in Irish traditional music. Local to Strandhill, Stephen's multi-instrumental performances combine Irish traditional heritage with contemporary folk influences, taking listeners on immersive journeys through songs that feel both timeless and fresh. His performances offer a unique blend of storytelling, instrumentation, and deep-rooted musicality.