All posts tagged Video

  • February 11, 2013

    St Gobnait’s, Ballyvourney: 11th Feb 2013

    St Gobnait, who is venerated at different sites in the south of Ireland, has her feast day on 11th February. St Gobnait’s house and holy well in Ballyvourney, Cork, is one of the main sites of devotion associated with the saint. On the feast day or pattern day, people come to do the rounds and visit the well. The site located just outside the village is very well maintained an attracts visitors throughout the year.

    Pilgrims praying in the rain at the statue of St Gobnait

    Pilgrims praying in the rain at the statue of St Gobnait

    The grave of St Gobnait which is a focus of devotional activity. It is a station on the rounds and people frequently leave votive offerings here.

    The grave of St Gobnait which is a focus of devotional activity. It is a station on the rounds and people frequently leave votive offerings here.

    Looking down on the pilgrimage site from beside the statue. On of the wells is in the foreground, with the grave in the middle ground to the right and the old church, which is also part of the rounds, is in the background.

    Looking down on the pilgrimage site from beside the statue. One of the wells is in the foreground, with the grave in the middle ground to the right and the old church, which is also part of the rounds, is in the background.

    St Gobnait's Well which is adjacent to the graveyard; it is the final station on the rounds

    St Gobnait’s Well which is adjacent to the graveyard; it is the final station on the rounds

    Audio Recording: 

    A recording at St Gobnait’s Holy Well Ballyvourney Cork on 11th Feb 2013, the feast day of the saint. The recording captures the lifting a cup form above the well, taking up some water, drinking some, returning the water, the ambient sound in the well structure and returning the cup.

    Video showing the holy well: 

    Locating the Site: 

     

    Further reading: 

    Checkout Pilgrimage in Medieval Ireland‘s comprehensive blogpost on St Gobnait’s.

    2 Comments / Holy Well /

  • December 17, 2012

    Using Video in Research

    As part of my methodology, I am making video recordings of pilgrimage practices and events. These videos will be used alongside other records, such as my own notes and photos, to described and understand the activities I am researching. Similar to my previous comments on the use of audio recordings, I feel that video can capture a real sense of what is happening in a place, especially since my work includes a focus on the actual movements and corporealities of these performances.

    My readings on qualitative research methods and the use of video, within the social sciences and the discipline of geography, have revealed several prominent themes that emerge around video as a research technique. Following a common trope in academic writing, any purposeful discussion of video mentions that the topic has been given little proper scholarly attention. However, it is still possible to identify a number of key points within the discourses, which I have briefly summarised.

    The good

    • It allows for comprehensive documentation of an event, place or scene which can be edited and enhanced, and can be returned to time and time again for analysis
    • It combines focused visual and audio elements, giving a greater sense of events and place
    • It can be used to convey complexities than text or even photography may find difficult, if not impossible, to represent
    • When used in conjunction with other more established research methods, it can increase our potential to understand places, people and activities
    • It is highly suited to the study of action, movements and momentary encounters/events
    • Recording devices and editing software are becoming increasingly available, user-friendly and affordable

    The not as good

    • Despite its multimedia nature, the criticisms surrounding visual methods – such as the power dynamics, objectification, the masculine gaze – are in some relevant to the use of video
    • Recorders are technological objects which have the capacity to not function at key moments and can be fragile and awkward to carry around
    • There are certain ethical issues raised by the making of video recordings in public spaces, and even more in private spaces
    • There maybe issues around copyright, difficulties over distribution and control, and a reluctance in the academy and publishing companies to integrate video in scholarly publications

    Suggested reading:

    Crang, M. and Cook, I. 2007. Doing Ethnographies. London: Sage.

    Garrett, B.L., 2011. Videographic geographies: Using digital video for geographic research. Progress in Human Geography, 35(4), pp.521–541.

    Luff, P. & Heath, C., 2012. Some “technical challenges” of video analysis: social actions, objects, material realities and the problems of perspective. Qualitative Research, 12(3), pp.255–279.

    Pink, S., 2007. Walking with video. Visual Studies, 22(3), pp.240–252.

    Spinney, J., 2011. A Chance to Catch a Breath: Using Mobile Video Ethnography in Cycling Research. Mobilities, 6(2), pp.161–182.

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  • December 4, 2012

    St Brigid’s Well: Water

    This is a short video clip of St Brigid’s Well, Liscannor, Co. Clare. The well is housed in a small grotto. A short passageway leads to the well, which is un-roofed allowing natural light in from above. The water flows out from the hillside and gathers in the well font. The video captures the steady gentle movement of the water, with its calming tones. A large range of statues, holy pictures and votive offerings, including rosaries, flowers (both fake and real) and small personal objects can be seen around the well. These objects cover spaces and shelves on the walls, and are jammed into any available gaps.

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