Déanta i gCo. Chill Dara
Projects:
2013 to present: Project Manager on our self build house project. I was in charge of all aspects of design, planning and achieving permission (Oct. 2015) for a traditional post and beam structure with strawbale in-fill walls. Due to the unusual nature of the building materials this took a while as did finalising the commencement notice. Broke ground in Dec 2017. I have overseen and worked alongside the contractors on ground works, foundations and walls. I have charge of calculating and ordering all materials. We are currently at roof plate level and hope to be weather tight by the end of this summer 2021.
2020: Founder member of Glór an Curraigh, a group promoting the Irish language and cultures.
2020 to present: Two year part-time course in Uilleann Pipe construction with Na Píobairí Uilleann in their workshop in Clonsaugh.
2019 to present: Member of An Bord Banistíochta Gael Scoil Mhic Aodha, Kildare town.
2018 to present: Member of An Coiste Seachtain na Gaeilge Nás na Riogh. Organising and co-ordinating various events for the two and a half week long festival. Among my duties has been the stage management and concert co-ordination for the St. Patrick’s day concert in Poplar sq, Naas.
2018-2019: Seisiún Amhráníochta Filliochta Sallins. Principle organiser of this monthly unaccompanied singing and poetry session.
2013 to present: Learning Irish. I have spent a total of six weeks attending courses in the Gaeltacht regions. I have also attended a number of night classes run by Sult na Sollán a local language and culture group. I have good comprehension and conversational ability and I have been described as ‘liofa’ (fluent). I hope to become an Irish language ninja and wear with pride the t-shirt that says ‘Tuigim an Tuiseal Ginideach’.
2012 to present: Musical collaborations with Regan O’Brien http://www.reganobrien.com/about. We work on new compositions, arrangements of traditional material and soundtrack for movement and spoken word performance.
2019-2020: Teaching conversational English to people in Direct Provision in Kildare with Failte Isteach
May 2019: Birth of our second child.
2017-2018: Designed and built a small (70m2) concrete free, timber frame house. This is our current habitation.
2015-2017: Higher National Diploma in Traditional Irish Music Performance. Completed with distinction.
May 2014: Hosted a workshop at Féile na Bealtaine in Dingle, Co. Kerry on Making musical instruments out of recycled materials.
December 2013: Birth of our first child.
2010-2011: Organic dairy farm opperative, Ballymore Organic farm, Kildare. Milking the moo moos.
2010-2013: Invited to bring my bikes to the Electric picnic by the Dublin Cycling Campaign.
2010-2011: Dismantled lean to one and transported it to Dún Brain, Kildare and built lean to 2.
2008-2013: Participated in the Kerry Bicycle festival, including running a workshop on making music out of bicycles and performing musical support to comedian Maeve Higgins.
2009: Built lean to one, the aquarium a €0/m2 shelter made of 100% recycled material, Grangecon, Co Wicklow.
2008-2013: Various music, craft, sculpture and agriculture projects in Kildare/Wicklow. Building mutant bikes.
2007: Compiled and printed Spaceship zine.
2004-2008: Traveling and playing music in Eastern Europe, visiting autonomous communities in Western Europe and Street Performance. Learning French.
2003-2004: Project manager and technician for the artist Gillian Kane developing and installing a major commission as a percentage for the arts scheme in the new Revenue Commissioners building in Ashtown Gate, Dublin 15.
2002: Edited and printed an untitled collection of poetry.
2001-2004: Bought and renovated a stone cottage on the Wicklow/Carlow border
1999-2002: Stone Wall restoration and Construction in Wicklow
Summer 1999: Established and ran a weekly club night in Dublin 2 called mas. Events included live performance, fine art, music (acoustic and electric), song, dance, film, and spoken word.
1997-1999: Four months of Song Writing and recording, Manhattan, NY.
EDUCATION:
1996-2000
National College of Art and Design
Course: Fine Art Sculpture BA (unfinished)
1995-1996
Senior College Ballyfermot
Certificate: Art, Graphics and Printmaking
1994-1995
Senior College Ballyfermot
Certificate: Art and Three Dimensional Studies
1989-1994 Newbridge College
Leaving Certificate
INTERESTS/HOBBIES
Music, autonomy and self sufficiency, kitchen gardening, minority languages.