Liminal Entwinings - Researching geography and pilgrimage in Ireland

On March 21, 2019 by richard

Littoral Space 1.4 Talking disability and political representation with Evie Nevin

Episode 4 available through:
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/richscriven/littoral-space-15-talking-disability-and-political-representation-with-evie-nevin
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/littoral-space/id1454970013?mt=2
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/54YVTYMsThsUAwGhdSdMLL

Issues of disability, accessibility, and political representation are central to my conversation with Evie Nevin, disability activist and Social Democrats candidate for the Clonakility-Skibbereen area for Cork County Council. Evie helps explain how disabilities are created by society be it through the barriers produced in the layout of towns or in state services and political systems. The solutions lie in a more inclusive disposition to help include all people of different abilities. She also illustrates how essential it is to have public representatives who better reflect society.

You can follow Evie on Facebook or on Twitter: @Evie_Nevin

Littoral Space webpage: liminalentwinings.com/littoral-space-podcast/
Twitter: twitter.com/LittoralSpace
Instagram: www.instagram.com/littoralspaces/

Dr Richard Scriven tweets at: twitter.com/RichardScrivGeo
On March 20, 2019 by richard

Littoral Space: Littoral Space 1.3 TV Series and geographical tropes with Joe (of the Shitegeist Podcast)

Episode 3 available through:
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/richscriven/littoral-space-13-exploring-the-geography-of-tv-series
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/littoral-space/id1454970013?mt=2
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0UymvJheHQthEZkkVF7mec

Joe, of the Shitegeist Podcast, explores the geographical tropes of TV Series with Richard, including The Wire, Treme, Frasier, Stranger Things, and Scandi-dramas. This conversation highlights the role of places in TV series as vital components, distinct characters, and thematic backdrops. This focus shows hoe representations of place, themes, and aesthetics can combine to add a crucial element to the world-building of any programme, Using a geographical focus, Littoral Space uses conversations to examine a range of cultural, social, and environmental topics.

You can find out more about Shitegeist here, http://www.shitegeistpod.com/ and follow them on Twitter: @Shitegeistpod
On March 13, 2019 by richard

Littoral Space 1.2: Exploring Yoga with Emer Harrington

Episode 1.2 available through:
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/richscriven/littoral-space-12-exploring-yoga-with-emer-harrington
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/littoral-space/id1454970013?mt=2
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2TCYIA3Oy3OZ6B1VdJw9mZ

Emer Harrington, Yoga Teacher and Student, sits down with me to talk about yoga, its practice, and its meaning for understanding the body. This conversation explores elements of performing yoga, its inclusive philosophy, and the individual and shared experiences of yoga classes. It provides a context to discuss a practice and leisure activity that is increasingly present.

Emer teaches and did her teacher training with Himalaya Yoga Valley, Cork. In the podcast, she makes reference to Susanna Barkataki, a lady doing amazing work in honouring the source of yoga. Susanna is a source for many other teachers and voices worth following that represent a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds we practicing yoga . It’s a great place to start expanding our idea of what yoga is, where it’s from, how it looks and who practices it.

Emer can be found on Instagram and Facebook. She is always happy for people to message her or check out her recommendations of other people to follow.

Littoral Space webpage: liminalentwinings.com/littoral-space-podcast/
Twitter: twitter.com/LittoralSpace
Instagram: www.instagram.com/littoralspaces/

Dr Richard Scriven tweets at: twitter.com/RichardScrivGeo
On March 6, 2019 by richard

Littoral Space 1.1: Discussing Direct Provision with Rosie Howlett Southgate

Episode 1 available through:
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/richscriven/littoral-space-11-discussing-direct-provision-with-rosie-howlett-southgate
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/podcast/littoral-space/id1454970013?mt=2
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1KAjNL6OKgQ5YfH6RhHeQD

Littoral Space is a podcast that explores social, cultural, and environmental topics using a geographical lens. In this episode I discuss Ireland’s Direct Provision system with Rosie Howlett Southgate. Rosie is a PhD researcher and Teaching assistant in the Department of Geography, UCC, whose work explores the lives of Irish asylum seekers and refugees. We talk about the realities of life in direct provision camps, the impacts it has on the individuals and families in the system, and the actions local communities are talking to help them.

You can find out about Rosie’s research via her twitter @rosiesouthgate

Lissywollen Accommodation Centre, Athlone. From http://www.asylumarchive.com/

Used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Based on a work at www.asylumarchive.com.

To find out more about direct provision and how you can help go to:

Irish Refugee Council

Immigrant Council of Ireland

asylumarchive.com

Doras Luimni (Limerick) dorasluimni.org/direct-provision

Nasc (Cork) nascireland.org/campaigns-for-change/direct-provision/
On July 10, 2018 by richard

New Book chapter on Lough Derg

Scriven, R (2018) ‘”I renounce the World, the Flesh and the Devil”: pilgrimage, transformation, and liminality at St Patrick’s Purgatory, Ireland’ in: Bartolini, N, MacKian, S, Pile, S. (eds.) Spaces of Spirituality. Routledge, Oxon: goo.gl/RYzNkg

My chapter in the new collection Spaces of Spirituality edited by Nadia Bartolini, Sara MacKian, andd Steve Pile. It explores the transformative potential of pilgrimages, through the example of Lough Derg. By undertaking a spiritual, cultural, or emotional journey that removes one from the everyday, participants enter the liminal state of the pilgrim. This temporary embodied identity facilitates transformative encounters in which participants can express feelings, reflect on their lives, and rejuvenate their faith. The Christian lake-island pilgrimage of St Patrick’s Purgatory – where pilgrims spend three days fasting, praying, going barefoot, and keeping a twenty-four hour vigil – offers a unique setting to explore this ideas in the contemporary world.

St Brigid’s Cross

Pilgrims kneeling in prayer by St Brigid’s Cross
On June 13, 2018 by richard

(Re)Sounding Holy Wells

(Re)sounding holy wells is an artistic and cultural heritage project being led by Vicky Langan, independent artist, and Dr Richard Scriven, Department of Geography, UCC, to imaginatively explore holy wells in Cork through workshops, audio recordings, and oral histories. It is being funded by the Creative Ireland County Cork Grant Scheme under the community participation strand of the Creative Ireland Programme 2017-2022. Using a collaborative approach with both primary schools and community heritage groups, the project will examine and highlight the roles of holy wells as cultural amenities and sites of vernacular heritage. Fresh understandings of the wells will be produced through the use of audio by combining field recordings with accounts of the holy wells from young people and community members. Participative workshops and performances will be advertised in local media and online; also, all materials will be available on a forthcoming website.

Vicky Langan is a Cork-based artist whose practice operates across several overlapping fields, chiefly performance, sound, and film. She has gained bursary awards from Cork City Council and the Arts Council of Ireland. She has also been awarded a residency at the Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris.

The project produced this booklet:

A short podcast of a selection of the workshops and field recordings is available here:
On November 22, 2017 by richard

Holy Well workshops
Holy well workshops in Cork:

Tuesday 28th Nov 8pm, Millstreet Parish Centre

Friday 1st Dec 2.30pm, Kinsale Library

Tuesday 5th 3pm, Mitchelstown Library

Workshops exploring holy wells as part of the Cork County Council Creative Ireland supported (Re)sounding holy wells project. Led by:
Vicky Langan, independent artist

Dr Richard Scriven, Dept of Geography, UCC
Please bring any old photos or mementos of holy wells
On September 6, 2017 by richard

Public Seminar: Reflecting on Irish Pilgrimage

‘Reflecting on Irish Pilgrimage‘ is a public seminar I am holding to mark the close of my exhibition in the UCC Library ‘Journeys of Belief and Belonging: Modern Irish Pilgrimage’.

It will include contributions from Shane Lehane, Folklore and Ethnology, UCC, and myself, followed by a general discussion exploring the pilgrimage tradition in Ireland. This event hopes to consider the ongoing role of pilgrimage in the lives of individuals and communities.

It is on at 7.30pm Wednesday 20th Sept, in Nasc, Ferry Lane, off Pope’s Quay (behind St Mary’s Dominican Church).
On August 11, 2017 by richard

Book: Journeys of Belief and Belonging: Modern Irish Pilgrimage

This book, based on the research of Dr Richard Scriven, explores the pilgrimage tradition and how it is manifest in contemporary Ireland. It illustrates how pilgrimage, an activity usually associated with the past, is a vibrant cultural phenomenon that inspires millions of people annually to leave home, go on a journey, and try to connect with the more meaningful aspects of life.

The text uses images taken during Richard’s fieldwork at some of Ireland’s main pilgrimage sites, Lough Derg, Co Dongeal; Croagh Patrick, Co. Mayo; Knock, Co. Mayo; and, a holy wells in Munster. These photographs of pilgrims and rituals offer a window into this living and evolving tradition. Quotations from people interviewed during the research add personal stories revealing how pilgrimage is a rich spiritual and emotional journey for many. It is based on research funded by the Irish Research Council.

Copies are in numerous local and institutional libraries in Ireland, and it is available to order through Amazon.
On August 3, 2017 by richard

(Re)sounding holy wells: Creative Ireland Project

(Re)sounding holy wells was an artistic and cultural heritage project led by Vicky Langan, independent artist, and Dr Richard Scriven, Department of Geography, UCC, to imaginatively explore holy wells in Cork through workshops, audio recordings, and oral histories. It was funded by the Creative Ireland County Cork Grant Scheme under the community participation strand of the Creative Ireland Programme 2017-2022. Using a collaborative approach with both primary schools and community heritage groups, the project examined and highlighted the roles of holy wells as cultural amenities and sites of vernacular heritage. Fresh understandings of the wells were produced through the use of audio by combining field recordings with accounts of the holy wells from young people and community members.

The podcasts produced as part of the project are available here: https://soundcloud.com/richscriven/rhw2?in=richscriven/sets/re-sounding-holy-wells

The project also generated this report booklet: https://cora.ucc.ie/bitstream/handle/10468/9252/Scriven__Langan_ReSounding_Holy_Wells_Booklet.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

Vicky Langan is a Cork-based artist whose practice operates across several overlapping fields, chiefly performance, sound, and film. She has gained bursary awards from Cork City Council and the Arts Council of Ireland. She has also been awarded a residency at the Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris.

Dr Scriven is an Irish Research Council Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellow and a Royal Irish Academy Charlemont Scholar in the Department of Geography, UCC.