Big congratulations and thanks to Prof Karen Till, Dr Nessa Cronin and Prof Gerry Kearns for inviting me and 3 other Irish-based ecosocial artists to be part of the inaugural Irish Earth Writings Book 2020 – I’m delighted to share that it has won a prestigious award.
Dr Nessa Cronin interviewed me about wee Hollywood Forest – “the little wood that could” – the ecological art practice that deeply informs my teaching at the Haumea Ecoversity.
See the attached post for details and where to get a copy of the book. You can also listen to the conversation between myself and Nessa on the EarthWritings.ie website, in the podcast section here or read at academia.edu
I’m also delighted to share that in the Autumn I will be working with Earth Writings collaborators Monica de Bath and Lucina Russell, among others, on the Carlow Arts Office-led Arts Council of Ireland Invitation to Collaborate award. I’m advising on ecoliteracy training needs for the 3-county creative community wetland engagement programme Gnáthógá Nádúrtha (3 Habits) involving Carlow, Kildare and Meath. More on this to follow:
Earth Writings: Bogs, Fields, Forests, Gardens (2020) received the Geographical Society of Ireland Book of the Year Award at the 53rd annual Conference of Irish Geographers held in Limerick in May 2022. The book, which focuses on community-engaged arts and geography practices in Ireland, was supported by the Maynooth University Department of Geography Research Incentive Fund, Kildare County Council, and Creative Ireland .
Edited by Karen E. Till Professor of Cultural Geography at Maynooth University, the volume was designed by Pure Designs and features writings by artists, curators, and academics: Patrick Bresnihan, Nessa Cronin, Monica de Bath, Cathy Fitzgerald, Gerry Kearns, Pauline O’Connell, Seoidín O’Sullivan, Lucina Russell, and Karen Till.
The award was in the edited collection category and decided by an international awards committee.
The criteria for consideration were that the works: had been published for the first time (in Irish or English) between 1st January 2018 and 31st December 2021; were of clear relevance to a theme related to the geographies of Ireland and/or were authored by a geographer employed in Ireland at the time of publication; and were comprised substantially of previously unpublished work.
Books are available for purchase at the Temple Bar Arts Book store.”or from this site here
Editor Prof. Karen E Till, Maynooth University, Ireland
See also EarthWritings.ie for other works and event
My contribution was an extract from my recorded conversation with Dr Nessa Cronin:
EarthWritings.ie · Forests: Dr Nessa Cronin speaks with eco-social artist and researcher Dr. Cathy Fitzgerald
See the other artists’ talks here
More information about the project email Professor Karen Till at karen.till@mu.ie
