Writing the City- a portrait of Dublin through words and images (The National Neighbourhood 2016/17)

Writing the City.

A portrait of Dublin through words and images.

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Writing the City.

Writings by the students from Synge Street CBS Secondary School, St. Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School & Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount and poet Enda Wyley as part of Dublin’s Culture Connects’ The National Neighbourhood.

With original images created by the students from the three schools, working with visual artist Yvonne Cullivan to map their city.

Compiled and edited by Bernadette Larkin and Enda Wyley with special thanks to Kathy Conlan.

Dublin’s Culture Connects’ The National Neighbourhood an initiative of Dublin City Council

www.dublinscultureconnects.ie © Dublin’s Culture Connects 2018 All rights reserved Ireland ISBN: 978-0-9957446-1-5

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Contents 4: Writing the City - Enda Wyley 7: Dublin Poems 16: I am 19: Family 27: Poems - Enda Wyley 41: Chasing Ghosts 47: The Old And The New 56: Credits & Acknowledgments

Writing the City.

This book gathers a selection of writing about the city from secondary school students as part of Dublin’s Culture Connects’ The National Neighbourhood.

It makes for a hugely inspiring read and as a poet and writer engaged with this project, it has been an absolute pleasure to have encouraged and guided new stories and poems about Dublin from students in Synge Street CBS, Secondary School, St. Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School and Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount.

All of the students in these schools wrote with enthusiasm and imagination – their stories and poems celebrating Dublin’s cultural institutions, its artistic wealth, its history and people. The varied writings between these pages grew out of meaningful connections the different classes made with the city.

In Marsh’s Library, we uncovered the story of Narcissus March and his haunting of the first ever public library in the city, which he himself had founded. The ghostly stories and poems written by the students are spine chilling and I hope you enjoy them as much as I did when first hearing them, as we all huddled, paper and pen in hand, by the freezing book cages, in that most atmospheric of buildings.

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In The National Archives, the students poured over criminal records of nineteenth and early twentieth century criminals. A pig’s tongue had been stolen and a mahogany chair – details such as these found themselves into the writings. They are creative, heartfelt pieces in response to what the fascinating files revealed. Some students wrote letters to the criminals, some wrote in the voices of the criminals, some wrote from the future to the past, describing the city and how it has changed since these criminals walked the streets of Dublin long ago. A selection of these writings are in this book and honour the people whose stories and lives from the past are a vital part of our city.

‘Through history you’ll always be found and your story will be told through generations,’ Ralph Arches, from Synge Street CBS, wrote one day – impressive words that are not easy to forget.

The National Gallery also proved enormously inspiring to the students – some of whom were visiting it for the first time, which made our writing trips there all the more special. The groups wrote about Joseph Walsh’s Magnus Modus sculpture in the new courtyard, paintings such as Daniel Maclise’s The Marriage of Strongbow and Aoife and Caravaggio’s The Taking of Christ.

In the Portrait Gallery they wrote enthusiastically about the exhibits there – Synge Street CBS students even correctly guessed who the winner of this year’s Hennessey Portrait Prize would be!

Marsh’s Library, The National Archives, The National Gallery… the city became ours for an extended period of writing and creative imaginings – and much fun was had. In all of the schools we took time to talk about what Dublin means to us.

Could we try making a group poem about Dublin and what we feel and love about it? Again, every class took to this idea with energy and enthusiasm and the fantastic results are printed here.

Everywhere I went with the various groups, I brought my own writer’s journal along too and I was thrilled to find that the city was inspiring me to produce new poems also. A small selection of them are printed here. My poem ‘The Painter on his Bike’ was inspired by a visit I had arranged by the artist James Hanley to talk to the boys in Synge Street CBS. Another poem grew out of the many visits I made with the schools to The National Gallery. Gerry Davis’s powerful portrait of the Kilkenny hurler Henry Shefflin set me off writing and the result is here too.

But this book is primarily a celebration of the new writing by students and it's been a wonderful privilege to witness their work about the city being created during my time as a writer for The National Neighbourhood project. It is a testament to the natural talent of all of the teenagers in each of the schools involved, that so many unique poems and stories have been written over the last few months.

I wish all of the students the very best – may they always continue to read, write and be inspired by the wonderful city of Dublin.

Enda Wyley, Poet, 2018.

Enda Wyley has published five collections of poetry, most recently Borrowed Space, New and Selected Poems, Dedalus Press, 2014. Her Books for children include I Won’t Go to China! Boo and Bear and The Silver Notebook. She was the inaugural winner of the Vincent Buckley Poetry Prize, Australia and the recipient of a Patrick and Katherine Kavanagh Fellowship, 2014. She is a member of Aosdána.

Pictured - Writer Enda Wyley with students from Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount outside Marsh’s Library

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Dublin.

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Dublin A place of worship, a world full of light, my home, my city, a bowl full of coddle.

Dublin, an amazing place to live in.

Dublin, the city that puts the blue in Ireland’s green. Dublin, cold but beautiful – beautifully ugly.

Swans on the canal, Poolbeg towers, seagulls and fish and chips, a city full of religions, races, nationalities of all kinds, bad weather, noise, Guinness – the flats with all the washing lines and people out on balconies having a nose.

From the matches in Croke Park to the pub songs and stories, the trees and the deers in Phoenix Park, the memories of great history – a city that’s brimming with creativity, the place where I want to plant my seeds – an opportunity, a future, a new beginning.

Transition Year Students Synge Street CBS, Secondary School.

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The original images in this book were created by students from the three schools working with visual artist, Yvonne Cullivan to map their city. Yvonne is a professional artist and educator based on the West coast of Ireland. She holds a B.A. in Fine Art from Crawford College of Art and Design, Cork, and an M.Sc. in Multimedia from Dublin City University. Working across a broad range of documentary media, including sound, video, photography, drawing, and writing, Yvonne’s practice is underpinned by a strong participatory and collaborative approach.

image Š Manoj Nepali

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Dublin Is The smell of coffee in Bewleys, tourists staring at you in your school uniform, drug problems, the buskers, a nice sunny day in Stephens green, the smell of hops, the air thick with smoke.

Dublin is full of parks and car parks, the sound of horses click-clacking on Stephens Green, the Spire, a monochrome movie, the cobbled streets, The gas lights in the park, Like hope in the dark.

Dublino é dove tutti sé conoscono where everyone knows each other.

Dublin is a place trying to keep a dead language alive.

Baile Átha Cliath – an baile is fear liom.

Dublin is rain a warm jacket on a cold day.

Second Year Students, St. Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School.

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image © Aideen Kelly

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Dublin Litany Dublin is buskers on Grafton Street and in Temple Bar a cup of tea, seagulls on the park benches.

It is Burdock’s ‘round the corner - the sting of salt on my lips.

Dublin is Moore Street down the road, market stalls.

It is the deer that run in Phoenix Park, my Ma’s brown coddle though I prefer white Guinness and the smell of hops that take over the city.

Dublin is drops of rain, the melody of birds, St Patrick, Tayto.

It is Molly Malone – She wheels her wheelbarrow through the streets broad and narrow…

It’s rain, wind and no snow the place I say I am from. It’s home.

Dublin is Michael D. Higgins, big families, homemade dinners, Brennans bread and Dublin Zoo. Dublin is the Spire, the Luas, Irish writers and actors, books and fashion, streets full of noise and kind and open people.

Dublin is warmth, happiness.

Transition Year Students, Group 1, Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount.

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image Š Lauren Murray

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Dublin Angelus bells ringing at noon and six, Grafton Street at Christmas time, the freezing cold, pubs on all the corners, Mount Jerome Cemetery and going to see people you love and miss.

Pigeons flying into me, birds chirping in the morning, Sam Maguire, the sound of different accents, the click-clack of horses and seagulls like an alarm clock.

Traffic in the busy city centre, the Dart out to the beaches as the days get longer, Phoenix Park, a never-ending road, the smell of Burdock’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral, coddle with brown sauce.

Rain pelting off your window, fish and chips and freezing cold, horses galloping down the street, children playing, having fun, laughing down the streets, river, home, music on the streets, diversity, rich history.

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A colourful grey, windy rain, amazing buildings, a fry on a Saturday morning, family and friends gangs, shooting, drugs and joyriding.

Meath Street, Get yer strawberries…

Sunday dinner, the smell of it cooking, and stew, the way my Ma makes it.

Transition Year Students Group 2 Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount .

image Š Megan Howe

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I am I am the storm when the day does not go my way I am the sadness of goodbye to my first fifteen years I am the lightening in the thunderstorm I am the light that shines from the door that awaits your welcome I am the second afternoon when my budgie arrived I am the Sunday when my little sister was born I am the happiness of being with my whole family In my Nana’s house with our cups of tea I am Tuesday afternoon in dancing when I am happy I am the day my grandmother died after being sick in hospital I am a pure heart plagued by hypersensitivity I am the way my brother who is nearly two greets me at the door when I arrive home after a bad day I am the greeting to my new country with happy tears.

I am the Thursday afternoon my mother surprised me with a new bulldog The I do in my parents engagement I am a cherry which blossoms A calm sea with a tsunami expected I am the sunshine around my family and friends I am the eclipse around strangers because I am me I am Sunday afternoons singing in my room for hours I am a delicate rose full of thorns.

I am the calm before the storm I am the spine holding the book of my memories I am a woman ready to share my talent of writing to the world I am a woman ready to do something spectacular I am the fire burning within me.

Transition Year Students Group 1 Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount.

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image Š Maria Lordache

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Family.

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Grandma She is Alice in Wonderland.

She lives in the Emerald City.

No one thinks she is serious when she tells you about life.

She is a kid watching a scary movie.

She makes a storm look peaceful.

Collecting momentos is her hobby, the memories she refuses to let go.

She is no Julia Child. she doesn’t have a delicate touch.

She is not a typical Grandma.

But that’s why I love her so much.

Rafaella Crepaldi, Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount.

Grandad Johnny He is feeding, washing, racing his pigeon.

He is cycling on his old push bike He is eating his chips along the beach wall.

He is minding his mother at home.

He is sitting in his armchair drinking tea, watching t.v.

Zoe Thompson, Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount.

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Synge Street, Dublin © Fintan Wall

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Da He is the best.

He is someone I look up to He is all I have He is my hero He is my idol He is supportive He is my number 1 He is my 2 in 1 He is my life And I love him.

Katie Campbell, Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount.

Mother She is her.

She is my rock.

She is caring.

She looks after everyone.

She is stubborn.

She makes everyone happy before herself.

She is my shoulder to cry on.

She works too hard.

She doesn’t get enough praise.

She has respect.

She’s my best friend.

Chloe Foley, Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount.

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At the National Archives of Ireland Š Bernadette Larkin

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Brother He is funny.

He is caring.

He is protective He is awkward.

He is tall.

He is a big softie.

He is an idiot.

He is sometimes useless.

He is clueless.

He is immature ( depending on the scenario ) but he is mature.

He is not a lightweight.

He is a fussy eater.

He is gentle.

He is rough.

He is strong.

He is broad.

He is dopey.

He is book smart.

He is street wise.

He looks like a hard lad.

But he is really mushy inside.

Jade Byrne, Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount.

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At Dublin Castle © Anne Maree Barry

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New Poems about the City of Dublin

by Enda Wyley.

These new poems, inspired by the city, were written by Enda during the months she spent as poet for Dublin’s Culture Connects’ The National Neighbourhood.

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The Painter on his Bike for James Hanley

Balances his father – wrapped in paper, sketched in pencil – on his handlebars.

As he cycles down Heytesbury Street, the twist of string around the frame loosens for a second catches in the wheel, the painter’s breath caught too by the sudden sight of his dead father’s eyes.

They saw me before I did myself…

He stops at the kerb, tugs at the twine, frees it from the spokes, sets off again, the bike wobbling a little, bumping over potholes and tramlines, the picture beating against his knee.

He is cycling the portrait home.

And later, a fire lit, the paper unbound – Father, whose eyes rise up, from the face your son drew, like two dark lost moons.

Enda Wyley, 2018.

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This poem was inspired by the artist James Hanley’s visit to Synge Street CBS, Secondary School as part of Dublin’s Culture Connects’ The National Neighbourhood.

James Hanley, ‘Jim Hanley’ graphite on paper with permission of James Hanley

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Speed’s Map For Peter

That was the day I sped over Harold’s Cross Bridge, Speed’s map of Dublin newly framed and rattling in my bike’s basket – his yellow streets a secret present planned while you lay soaked in fever that I would soon succumb to too.

But at that moment I could only think of the thrill of Christmas morning, and you rustling the gift alive – a slight mud splatter on the frame, a tiny chip where a pebble had sliced the too thin glass.

Both minor details, really – who would care why they were there?

But I did and still do.

The too fast race of me to you.

Enda Wyley, 19th December 2017.

Speed’s Map 1610 John Speed, a mapmaker from Chester in England, published the first atlas of Britain and Ireland in 1611-12, Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine. This atlas contains the first known map of the city of Dublin. Speed’s map is dated 1610 but it may have been surveyed a few years earlier.

The detail shown in his map makes it extremely important for research on the early city.

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Lost Street How we strut through time unknowingly, break the air of what was before a bustling place – Stein’s opticians, Willie Kavanagh Hair -Dresser Improver, and Jacob Neville, land surveyor – this street that is here but disappeared, its name still hung, blue and white sign on the wall, where Camden Street and Charlemont merged The Bleeding Horse pinched between the two.

Charlotte Street. Named after the mad king’s wife a street invisible now, unspoken of but for you telling me about this contradiction – Sráid Searlait vanished but present. And history suddenly rears up – a wounded steed fleeing the battle at Rathmines, while we cross that ghost street now – even in sleep we will mark its path on our sheets.

Enda Wyley, 2018.

Note: In Dublin, as you approach from Charlemont Street, a sign for Charlotte Street still exists, though the street itself does not.

I would like to thank Ruairí Ó Cuív for first telling me about this invisible street.

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Published with permission of the Director of the National Archives of Ireland

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Pygmalion for Joseph Walsh, sculptor

And in the end it is this that I return to – thing of my own making that loops upwards like branches thirsty for light, reaching high to the glazed roof where the river gulls balance close to the city’s slate-grey sky. Listen now; how they scratch and squawk their racket of desire but they will never rest or nest in my carved olive ash, rooted in limestone below in the long courtyard where four vast windows have opened again to light that floods the walls of white ceramic tiles, floods my graceful looping art that I go back to in the end, ascending with it oh, my perfect imperfection - rising to sun, rising to shadow all life there in its smooth wood that night beckons me to touch.

Then it is woman, her skin beneath my thumb soft as wax in heat and I gather marigolds for her, burn incense at her tiny feet, sing sweeter than Orpheus ever did, press a ring upon her every finger and in the early hours, leave feverish for nightfall again – our love renewing itself, assured as tomorrow’s wedding bells.

Enda Wyley, 2017.

This poem was inspired by Joseph Walsh’s sculpture Magnus Modus, in The National Gallery of Ireland and draws on the story of Pygmalion in Book X of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, who fell in love with a sculpture that he’d made. It was first published in Metamorphic, 21st Century Poets respond to Ovid, published by Recent Work Press, 2017.

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Discussing ‘Magnus Modus’ by Joseph Walsh at the National Galley of Ireland

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Henry Shefflin

Portrait by Gerry Davis, The National Gallery of Ireland And who would not want to be Henry Shefflin, turned from home, standing straight-backed, head-high his feet firmly apart on the Ballyhale pitch, a hurley swung over his shoulder, the other hand casual in his trouser pocket?

No muddied shorts and jersey now – he is King of these grounds, a suited Monarch of all about him, facing the steely-eyed future his past a sliotar struck far across the field.

Centre of all things, he likes to stare up the elegant stairs to Canova’s Amorino and is older than this marble Prince, though no less determined – both with hands raised one to a bow, the other to the hurley’s handle.

They are waiting for night to come – blue-soft like Hildegaard in her long gown, released from that tower, the punters all gone.

Then Cupid and hurler will both stand aghast at their power in the enormous mirrors, poised to compete for her love - before the game is over before rooms fill with light, the great doors open and they must stand still again – be bored, admired – envious of Magnus Modus alone in the bright courtyard. They have heard how free it is, how effortlessly it twists up to the skylight – up to the ash-white day.

Enda Wyley, 2018.

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This poem was inspired by the many trips I made with the students to The Portrait Gallery in The National Gallery of Ireland as part of Dublin’s Culture Connects’ The National Neighbourhood.

The National Galley of Ireland

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From the Archives for Tom Quinlan

And here is the Keeper, carefully carrying you to me, crossing the hundred years between us.

He slides open the wide drawer, spreads your files on the long table high over Dublin: young men just freed from childhood, anxious in grainy black and white.

Larceny, drunkenness, the prison papers say.

There’s the smell of hops, horses clatter through the Coombe. From the stinking markets the ghost of a woman rises from the files, fish oil on her hands.

She is making for home where she eats a stolen pig’s tongue eases herself into the creaking leather of a mahogany chair also stolen, then waits head cocked for the violent rattle at the tenement door, the peeler standing red-faced before her.

Enda Wyley, 2018.

This poem was inspired by archival material which the students and I accessed through the Keeper of the National Archives of Ireland, Tom Quinlan, as part of Dublin’s Culture Connects’ The National Neighbourhood.

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Published with permission of the Director of the National Archives of Ireland

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Chasing Ghosts.

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Walking in the city through the cold air, Feeling the wind through my grey hair.

As I stumble upon St. Patrick’s close I feel The ghost of Marsh’s Library.

It reminds me of the clashing of cages And cold, frosty air.

I hear the ghost story on repeat in my head….

The note…

I hurry past and continue down the road, I walk by the grave yard And feel a tap on the shoulder.

I quickly spin around and nobody there.

Is it the ghost?

The ghost from the story?

Could it be the ghost of Narcissus Marsh?

Will we ever know?

Renee Ryan, St. Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School.

These poems and stories were written in, a very cold Marsh’s Library, alongside the cages that have held these books for centuries. These atmospheric surroundings inspired a range of spine-chilling stories and poems perhaps also influenced by the ghost of Narcissus Marsh.

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The street was dark, so dark there were no street lights, or lights in the windows.

My fingers numb; my face frozen.

I could see the lights from the main road up ahead, they gave a warmth.

As I walked up it seemed as if the darkness was clawing behind me, full of malice and dark emotions – clawing for the light.

Thomas West, St. Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School.

photo credit © Fintan Wall

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Everything stood still. The temperature dropped, and chills ran down our backs. The lights were flickering and something dashed into the other room of the house. We went to investigate the incident.

The atmosphere couldn’t have been more eerie. We felt something spirit like go through us. We no longer felt like it was only our presence at the house.

We knew then we were with ghosts. Our next thought was were these spirits good or evil?

Skye Meaney, St. Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School.

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I watched the sun go down into the ocean, the oranges and blues contrasting vividly. It eventually turned to a dull ink colour and I knew night time was here.

I stood at the cliff with the sound down below being washed away by the tide. There were seagulls screeching all around, breaking the silence of the wind with each noise. The waves crashed themselves violently against the cliff. I moved back when they started splashing foam onto the grass, drenching it.

I backed away slowly, each footstep crunching the grass and rocks underneath my soles.

As I made my way back to the house, the seashells rattled. The grey door of the hut I called my own stood out in the growing fog somehow and I rushed towards it. My family would be worried by now. I pulled down the sleeves on my dress to cover my hands. The sea behind me was loud and it was dark around me already. I gripped the door handle, expecting the wood to shoot splinters into my hand, but instead it was a cool metal. I pushed forward, moving back now to be met in the fire from the hearth. There was a girl. I went to ask a question, but her words beat me to it. ‘Mum! Ghost!’ The water filled my lungs. Again.

Lily McDonagh, St. Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School.

photo credit © Fintan Wall

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The New and the Old.

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Everything is stuck behind the clouds. The sun hides itself but the light from it is exposed.

The world has changed for good, also for the worst. The city lights are brighter – brighter than a thousand stars.

I sit here in The National Archives, learning about people from the past. People lost in time - but through history, I will find them again. Death is just a beginning. I thought that when people die they’re forgotten. But no – through history you’ll always be found and your story will be told through generations.

Even if no one is looking, you’ll always exist.

Ralph Arches, Synge Street CBS, Secondary School.

He thought he would be forgotten in the vast sea of prisoners. But here I am writing about you. Michael McGowran, you will never be forgotten.

Benedek Goz, Synge Street CBS, Secondary School.

This is a letter to tell you how much better life is in Dublin but there are homeless people who ask for money outside shops and bad people walking in groups.

Bongani Moyo, Synge Street CBS, Secondary School.

These writings were in direct response to the collection of the National Archives of Ireland, in particular the criminal records. These gave students an insight into the lives people led in the past and an appreciation for life in Dublin today.

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Life in Dublin is quite different now. For example, there’s those machines called cars that have replaced horses. There’s also machines that fly in the sky! The city has also grown and if you don’t know the surroundings well enough, it could be a maze. The people in Dublin are also quite different now. There’s more people from other countries and people accept that now.

There’s more buildings too.

John Ranola, Synge Street CBS, Secondary School.

Dublin is more beautiful now than in your time. We have beautiful buildings and people are very nice to each other.

Prince Sornsonrit, Synge Street CBS, Secondary School.

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Published with permission of the Director of the National Archives of Ireland Š Bernadette Larkin

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4th May 1911 Dear Diary, I was convicted and imprisoned for robbery a few weeks ago and I’m still here in this rotten prison cell knitting myself a cardigan for when I’m back on Moore Street.

I was starving and I’s had no food and money, the past 3 days, so I had to rob the pig’s tongue. I was desperate and needed food. Surely, they should have understood and at least let me pay them back?

I wonder how my old friend Annie is doing and how her young boy Johnny is? Michael would be very disappointed if he was to see me. I can remember the day we sat by the fire together hand in hand, talking about how aul Maggie Reilly had stolen a bag of flour from the corner shop and assaulted an officer… and look at me now, sitting in my prison cell with families talking about how much of a mess I am without my Michael.

Anne.

Tara O’Reilly, Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount.

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Dear John, Everything today is different. It is 2018 and the city and world have changed drastically. We have much more healthcare improvements and in many ways, people who could have died back then, are cured now.

We have tall glass buildings and the city has grown. We have fast cars to help us get places. Our technology is incredible, and we can talk to people across the world from our home. All information is at the tips of our fingers.

Unfortunately, we have also had wars and people fleeing countries. We are free from 800 years of oppression!

In 1922, we got 26 counties back but we hope to have a United Ireland someday!

Rest in peace, Lily.

Lily McDonagh, St. Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School.

Published with permission of the Director of the National Archives of Ireland

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Dear John, Today, the 18th January, we went to the National Archives and looked at your prison file and gathered some information about you. We want to tell you about the city in 2018 – how we have cars and phones and planes. A lot more people are in Dublin, from all around the world and life is probably much easier.

It’s been 131 years since you got out of prison.

Many historically important things have happened, like the Easter Rising and the first ever black President in America.

I guess we are lucky to be living in a better time.

Yours sincerely, Lavinia Stoppani Lavinia Stoppani, St. Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School.

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4th May 1911 Dear Diary, It’s been another boring day here in The Joy. I long for a day amongst the girls, behind my stall on Moore Street.

The Garda are having a laugh locking me up for this. I was pure starving. Like, what did they expect me to do? Can’t stop thinking about that pig’s tongue though. What was I even thinking, like? That would have been rotten anyway.

Couldn’t help it, though. I was desperate, and it was the only thing I could get my hands on.

I get a bit of grub in here, so it’s not all bad. I knit a scarf and all in here! The girls will be chuffed when they see it.

Talk soon, Annie.

Tegan Mc Donald, Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount.

Published with permission of the Director of the National Archives of Ireland

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Credits Dublin’s Culture Connects’ The National Neighbourhood The Team

Kate Aston - Engagement Anne Maree Barry - Videographer Kathy Conlan - Project Support Yvonne Cullivan - Visual Artist Bernadette Larkin - Project Manager Enda Wyley - Writer The Schools

Synge Street CBS Secondary School St. Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount The Colleges

Liberties College, Bull Alley Rathmines College of Further Education The Advisory Group

Iseult Byrne - Director, Dublin’s Culture Connects, Dublin City Council Brina Casey - Education: Community, Outreach & Health, the National Gallery of Ireland Declan Hayden - Community Development Manager, South East Area, Dublin City Council Anne Marie Kelly - Divisional Librarian, Dublin City Library & Archive Bernadette Larkin - Project Manager, Dublin’s Culture Connects’ the National Neighbourhood Eithne Massey - Senior Librarian, Rathmines Library Ruairí Ó Cuiv - Dublin City Council Public Art Manager Tom Quinlan - Keeper of the National Archives of Ireland Sineád Rice - Head of Education, the National Gallery of Ireland

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The Cultural Partners

Dublin City Public Libraries, Kevin Street, Rathmines & Pearse Street The National Archives of Ireland The National Gallery of Ireland Dublin City Arts Office Community Development Office, Dublin City Council

Acknowlegements; Thank you to:

The students, schools and teachers from Synge Street CBS, Secondary School, St. Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School and Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount. Their commitment to the project and their creative energy have made these writings possible.

The National Archives of Ireland and The National Gallery of Ireland for welcoming the students into their institutions where they were inspired to respond in words to what they saw and felt.

Our supportive and wise Advisory Group and to Iseult Byrne, Director, Dublin’s Culture Connects.

Artist James Hanley who shared his time, his memorabilia and his wisdom with the boys of Synge Street, CBS, Secondary School.

Sandra Rodríguez Campos and Mitzi D’Alton of Dublin’s Culture Connects who work hard behind the scenes, ensuring all systems work so that we are free to work with the interesting, creative people we meet in our city.

Dublin City Council Historian in Residence, Maeve Casserly who shared her knowledge of this historic part of the city with our team.

Jenny Papassotiriou, Education Curator, Office of Public Works, Dublin Castle who opened and shared Dublin Castle so generously with these young citizens.

Shane Morrissey in The National Gallery of Ireland who made each visit so exciting.

Education & Outreach Officer, Julie Burke and the staff of Marsh’s Library who helped our ghost stories along in such beautiful surroundings.

Leo Burdock’s (mentioned several times in our poems) who kept us warm on cold days with bags of steaming hot chips.

Grantham’s Café, whose hot chocolate fuelled the writing.

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Published with permission of the Director of the National Archives of Ireland

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Artists and Writers

Dublin’s Culture Connects Yvonne Cullivan Enda Wyley Synge Street CBS, Secondary School

Ralph Arches Jakob Augusta Sean Dunne Daragh Farrell Alex Ferns Sean Gill Benedek Goz Alfie Houlihan-Smith Dylan Jackson Daniel Johnston Khelil Kasmi Mykolas Kubilius Evan Mooney Bongani Moyo Manoj Nepali Zahidullah Obaidy Owen Ramkurrun Shivlesh John Laurence Ranola Prince Sornsonrit Supharoek Hamza Tanveer Aaron Ward Cian Ward Kyle Warren Adeel Zahid St. Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School

Aram Mallak Lily MacDonagh Skye Meaney Megan O’Brien Renee Ryan Ben Ryder Lavinia Stoppani Thomas West Travis Yusuf Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount, Group 1

Patricia Andronachi Jodie Branagan Katie Copeland Elly Corrigan Amy Dowling Megan Howe Maria Iordache Leah McCabe Tegan McDonald Iqrah Muhammad Zoe Naughton Katie O’Brien Nicole O’Neill Tara O’Reilly Jade Reka Amy Whelan Sahel Zalavi Onalenna Notswana Ayushma Gurung Olga Jasvins

Presentation Secondary School, Warrenmount, Group 2

Hind Amara Molly Burke Jade Byrne Katie Campbell Precious Chukwu Mia Dodd Natasha Doyle Chloe Foley Crystal Gascoyne Kaylyn Lawlor Sophie McCann Chloe Murray Lauren Murray Abbey Nolan Zoe O’Connor Kyra O’Keeffe Georgia O’Reilly Zoe Thompson Rafaella Crepaldi Kaylee Brown Gabriella Barros Babins Cinara Dos Santos

Shane Brothers Gavin Dunphy Saibh Fitzgerald Tyra-Leonie Graham Amelia Guy Adam Keery Aideen Kelly Christine Lin

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The National Neighbourhood is a Dublin City Council cultural programme run by the Dublin’s Culture Connects initiative. It spans the Dublin City Council region, and brings together Dublin City Public Libraries & Archive, Dublin City Arts Office and Dublin City Gallery - The Hugh Lane, in partnership with National Cultural Institutions. With the National Neighbourhood, we want every neighbourhood to know and “own” their city’s cultural resources so we build cultural projects in community settings. We connect artists, groups and villages with libraries, museums and creative places to deepen their understanding of each other and themselves.

Dublin’s Culture Connects is a Dublin City Council initiative, which aims to connect Dubliners to their city through culture and conversation. We develop activities and events that bring communities together, and to life.

We base projects on people’s stories, wishes and experiences.

We do this in the best way possible by listening, learning and sharing. We are not afraid to try new things.

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www.dublinscultureconnects.ie