Breathe, 2017
FOCAIL NA MBAN
Focail na mBan: Women’s Words is a book by Manchán Magan, a gathering of Irish words for vaginas, vulvas, clitorises, and periods with Illustrations from 29 artists. It Is meant as a catalyst for those willing to seek out further terms and Insights from older lore-keepers in the Gaeltacht. In no way is it a comprehensive collection of such words, but rather a humble first step; a gesture of encouragement for others who may wish to dive deeper into this rich realm of linguistic insight.
The artists who responded to the words are: Sandra Adams, Emily Robyn Archer, Chloe Austin, Aideen Barry, Aurélie Beatley, Emma Brennan, Eabha Cleary, Rachel-Marie Cleary, Amanda Coogan, Serena Viola Corson, Dorothy Cross, Arisleyda Dilone, Millie Egan, Bebhinn Eilish, Rachel Fallon, Ursula Foley, Sharon Greene, Lisa Harris, Joya Hatchett, Hammond Journeaux, Toma McCullim, Yvonne McGuinness, Eimear McGuire, Dee Mulrooney, Emily Ann Ní Dhriscoll De Marco, Kiki na Art/Ciarna Pham, Aisling Rogerson, Maria Simonds-Gooding and Carmel Winters. The book also features articles by poet Annemarie Ní Churreáin and writer Tadhg Mac Eoghain, and some poetry by Dairena Ní Chinneide.
The launch of the book coincided with a weekend of performances and discussions by Chloe Austin, Emma Brennan and Alice Maher, Breege Fahy, Arisleyda Dilone, Blaithín de Burca, Ellen K Cahill and, Em Atropa. These artists and creatives responded to the literal title of Focail na mBan.
Order Focail na mBan: Women's Words book here.
Bóta, 2023
Gearradh Duilleach, 2023
Náire mnà, 2023
Exhibition shot, Fumbally Stables, 2023
Exhibition shot, Fumbally Stables, 2023
On Friday 21st November, Alice Maher, Emma Brennan and I performed as part of the launch of Focail na mBan: Women's Words. The performance was a collaborative, moving, spoken word/singing piece that incorporated Gaeilge. We each wrote a response to Focail na mBan and responded to each other as we moved around the space and in between the audience.
Collaborative performance, Emma Brennan, Alice Maher and Chloe Austin, Fumbally Stables, 2023
The text piece I created in response to Focail na mBan combined fragments from Women's News Magazine, specifically the Women's Words poetry sections present in each issue. Following my project Living but a Day: Women's Words, I wanted to focus on this coincidental connection between the two projects that celebrates women's words. These poetic fragments used for Living but a Day project were united as one poem that I repetitively spoke, flowing in between the voices of Emma and Alice.
