Home Truths by Alan Dunne in collaboration with the Croft Nursing and Hollybrook Lodge Care Centres

A Graphic Short by Alan Dunne.

Made in collaboration with residents of The Croft Nursing Home and Hollybrook Lodge Care Centre.

Home Truths is a graphic short story based on ongoing conversations and engagement with residents at The Croft and Hollybrook Lodge nursing homes in Inchicore in Dublin 8, created by illustrator and author Alan Dunne.

Connecting with us from the care homes during level 5 lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic in September to November 2020, the residents reflect on their life experiences as they face into the winter months, with poignant stories brimming with humour, tragedy, and hope. Their stories came to life projected on the facade of City Hall in the heart of the city in December 2020.

Made as part of Dublin City Council Culture Company’s creative engagement programme for Winter Lights, a Dublin City Council event.

All artwork and narrative © Alan Dunne, 2021.

Memoir excerpts © respective contributors, 2021.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information and storage retrieval system, without prior written consent from the publisher.

This is a first edition.

Published by Dublin City Council Culture Company ISBN: 978-0-9957446-9-1 Printed in Ireland by Plus Print, Dublin.

A Graphic Short by Alan Dunne.

Made in collaboration with residents of The Croft Nursing Home and Hollybrook Lodge Care Centre.

ALAN DUNNE Artist

LEISA GRAY Creative Engagement Coordinator, Dublin City Council Culture Company

When the phones and tablets are turned off for the day and neither visitors nor trips outside are allowed, a resident’s connection with the outside world is focused on the wildlife in the garden.

Christy shares his thoughts:

In what has been an unsettling and isolating and year for many, we are finding new ways to connect with each other. The residents of The Croft and Hollybrook Lodge are no different. Their life experiences show that they have the strength to endure the many struggles of life while appreciating the joys along the way.

They continue to do so as they face into the winter months of COVID-19

A message pops up on the screen about our chat time limit.

We would like to thank everyone from The Croft Nursing Home and Hollybrook Lodge Care Centre who connected and collaborated with us on this creative engagement project.

From The Croft: Margaret, Donal, Christy, Patricia, Jimmy, Patrick, Valentine, Betty, Theresa, Leo, Rachel, Fred, Marie and their activity coordinator Fiona McAuley.

From Hollybrook Lodge: Ann, Joseph, James, Breda, Esther, Veronica, Adrienne, Christopher, Marion, Maura, Catherine, Carmel, Maura, Bridget and their activity coordinator Ciarán Murray.

For Dublin City Council Culture Company: artist Alan Dunne, engagement lead Leisa Gray and project manager Bernie Divilly.

In January 2021, nursing homes in Ireland began the vaccination roll-out.

Maura was the first nursing home resident in the country to be vaccinated.

“The residents loved telling their stories and being listened to, it was a chance for them to be heard. Delving into their past and seeing their memories getting sparked...it triggers them in the best of ways, getting them to remember good times. This project was about being optimistic and hopeful, people could see the excitement of it. I think it’s about validating the lives of older people too, making their ordinary lives extraordinary and celebrated.”

Activity coordinator Fiona McAuley, The Croft Nursing Home

Alan Dunne is an Irish visual artist and author.

He is passionate about creating graphic narratives that he uncovers through cultural historical archives or writes based on much research. His work often deals with the univerality of the human experience, social observations, intersting set-ups and authentic scene setting. www.alandunne.ie

‘Winter Lights’ is an initiative of Dublin City Council which lights up 17 locations across the city for the month of December.

In 2020, Dublin City Council Culture Company worked with groups and communities across the city to create brand new artworks for five of these locations, which reflect the experiences, resilience and creativity of the people who call Dublin home.

Dublin City Council Culture Company runs cultural initiatives and buildings across the city with, and for, the people of Dublin.

We collaborate with people, communities, cultural organisations, businesses, and Dublin City Council to embed cultural experiences and increase cultural participation throughout Dublin.

Find out more at dublincitycouncilculturecompany.ie

ISBN: 978-0-9957446-9-1

Home Truths was made as part of Dublin City Council Culture Company’s creative engagement programme for Winter Lights, a Dublin City Council event.

Home Truths is based on ongoing conversations and engagement with residents at two Dublin nursing homes during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in autumn/winter 2020.

Connecting through online interviews and creative sessions with activity coordinators in the homes, the residents reflect on their lives, telling us of childhood experiences, memories of families and friends, their jobs, happy moments, challenges and personal tragedies. They share stories about making new connections with people in their current homes, and the joy that music, song and nature brings to their everyday lives.

ISBN: 978-0-9957446-9-1