Tirchonaill Stone Festival returns with workshops and photo exhibition

Visitors to the Tirchonaill Stone Festival will have the opportunity to try their hand at one of Ireland’s most ancient crafts. 

Taking place in Donegal Town on June 24 and 25, the annual festival is a celebration of dry stone walling and stone carving. It plays a key role in keeping traditional stone crafts alive and introducing more people to these skills.

A spokesperson said: “Workshops are designed to give participants hands-on experience and confidence in working with stone. 

“If you are a beginner or someone who already has skill, this festival brings people together for a practical and friendly weekend where everyone shares their love for stone.

“Led by experts with many years of experience in stone work and in passing on their skills, participants are trained in the basic principles of their chosen craft.”

The dry stone walling workshop will not only help participants to learn this skill. It shows first hand how stone wall building is a community, or ‘meitheal’ experience. Participants will work together to build a 26-metre stone wall from local sandstone. 

“A lot is achieved by many hands, while having a bit of craic too!” said the spokesperson.

“After the weekend you will have enough skill to carry with you onto other projects if you choose.”

The stone carving workshop will offer participants the opportunity to explore their artistic side. Participants will be guided on how to use a chisel and hammer and to hone their skills to cut letters, numbers or try a design such as Celtic knotwork.

“The piece you create over the duration of the workshop is of a size you can take your work home,” the spokesperson said. 

Further information and booking details can be found at www.tirchonaillstonefestival.ie

Anyone who would like information on camping for the event is advised to email  info@tirchonaillstonefestival.ie

Korean Links

Last year a delegation of Korean stonemasons visited Donegal Town as part of  the Irish-Korean Stone Culture Art Exchange. 

Donegal dry stone waller Louise Price played a big part in exploring and developing the links with stone crafters from Jeju-do, a small volcanic island off the Korean peninsula. Over Zoom meetings it grew into a multi-agency effort involving heritage and art professionals in both Korea and Ireland.

They found that there were incredible similarities between the two cultures in terms of their craft, art and outlook on life. 

Louise said: “Jeju-do like Ireland has cultural ancient proverbs regarding their island such as, ‘Wind, stone and woman, but no beggars, thieves or locked gates.’

“The effect of the wind is evident in all areas of life including the Jeju-do people’s use of stone. The examples are the Jeju-do thatch cottages, which are built behind walls of dry stone. Jeju-do teaches us the wisdom of life through parables of the wind.”

Louise and her fellow Tirchonaill Stone Festival organisers are looking forward to welcoming stone masons from Korea to the festival.

Exhibition

A photographic exhibition exploring and celebrating the skills shared between Irish and Korean stone wall builders and stonemasons will take place as part of the festival. 

Running in the Abbey Arts Centre in Ballyshannon from June 22 to July 6, the exhibition is a collaboration featuring work by three photographers.

Jacqui Devenney Reed is a photographer, director and producer from Donegal. 

She says of her work featured in the exhibition: “Come with me and explore the rugged walls along the Cliffs of Ballinskelligs, to the fishnet clad old home on Valentia Island.

“Stand in the shadows of the formidable boulders of dark granite that protect the small farms from the wild Atlantic in Bloody Foreland to the silent passion of Patsy McInaw’s sandstone walls that surround his home in Turrishill, Mountcharles, Donegal.

“It is my hope that my photographs evoke a visual experience close to poetry for the viewer.”

Jacqui’s photographs will feature alongside that of Hwan Jin Jo from Jeju-do Island, Korea, and Cormac Coyne from Inis Óirr in the Aran Islands. 

Photographer Hwan Jin Jo, who also plays a big part in educating people about stone walls on Jeju Island, said: “The stone wall itself is beautiful, but the reason why we take pictures of the walls is to broadcast their importance. Stone walls are a treasure of Jeju Island.”

Cormac Coyne uses photography to show how the way of life is shaped by - and reflected in - the landscape of the islands.

“Living here on the islands has made me acutely aware of the beauty of the nature that surrounds us, from beautiful sunsets, raging seas, to the countless stars that light up the night sky,” he said. 

“But most of all I am aware of a strong sense of community and the rich traditions that hold the people of the islands together. Gentleness and resilience are two characteristics that come to mind when I think about the people here.”

Tirchonaill Stone Festival is supported by Donegal County Council, Drimkeelan Sandstone Quarry and McMonagle Stone.