Art in the Open: Culture Night Temporary Public Art Trail 2025

September 2025
#RoscommonPublicArt

Background

The Art in the Open trail, exploring Roscommon’s creative footprint, was held as part of Culture Night / Oíche Chultúir 2025 on Friday 19 September 2025. Culture Night is an annual national programme supported by the Arts Council and managed by Local Authority Art Offices celebrating culture, creativity and the arts with emphasis on accessibility and inclusion. Delivered nationwide, all activities are free of charge thanks to the continued support of the Arts Council and local Authorities across the island of Ireland.

The series of Temporary Public Art Commissions for emerging local artists was funded by the Roscommon’s Public Art Programme. This project delivers on Roscommon County Council’s Arts Plan - Place for Art: Art for All, 2023 – 2028 and aims to support artists and arts professionals, working in all art forms at all stages of their career, to make great work that can be enjoyed and valued; and enrich public engagement with the arts in all its forms.

About the Art in the Open Public Art Trail:

Tagline: Whether you’re a visitor or a local rediscovering the town, this unique trail offers a FREE opportunity to find out more about Roscommon’s Public Art. Perfect for families, art and nature lovers, and explorers of all ages.

Target audience: all ages, restrictions : it was a long walking trail, but was open to the public to hop in and out as wished.

All works were published in a booklet with artist biographies ahead of the event. There was also a 'Meet the Artist' opportunity at each stop of the trail where the public could hear from the artist's directly and about their work, process and inspiration.

Artist Brief

The call asked artists to propose temporary Public Art, in any art-form, that is original, creates public dialogue and evokes curiosity. An opportunity for locally-based artists, who may not have experienced of Public Art commissioning, to consider and experiment with it in a supportive and open themed public art programme.

Roscommon County Council Arts Office wants to support emerging artists, of any arts discipline, in experimenting with innovative Public Art, and invited temporary proposals to the budget value of €2,000 which responded creatively to the public space of Loughnaneane Park, Roscommon Town.

Proposed artworks should be:

• Innovative.
• Professional and contemporary.
• Inspire or create dialogue.
• Made in a manner / from materials suitable for showcase or exhibition outdoors. It may rain on the day so artists should be conscious of this.

Meet the selected Artists:

About the Work

The proposals transformed the landscape momentarily and some of the proposals also responded to the landscape of the part itself.

Artists had to adapt their proposals considering the grounds of Loughnaneane Park are in an archaeological zoned, due to being nearby Castle. Considerations included alternative safe and secure installation without breaking ground in the area.

TAIRSEACH NA hINSPIORÁIDE

ARTIST: Christine Carty 

Threshold of Inspiration is an interactive, text sculpture about receiving inspiration and lending voice to your vision. It is inspired by the notion of 'imbas forosnai' (the gift of poetry and/or foresight), a skill perhaps most famously wrought by the Connacht poet Fedelm in Táin Bó Cuailgne, who predicted the future in verse for Queen Méabh. On Culture Night, we will begin our Public Art Trail at this creative portal, where people will have the opportunity to recite a short incantatory poem while standing before their very own threshold of inspiration, calling for the courage to cross over (passing through the doorway). 

Read the poem below, and scan the QR code to listen to the poem read aloud as Gaeilge and in English:

Christina is an actor and creative writer working across screen, poetry and prose. She has a Research MA in Poetry from the University of Hertfordshire and an MA in Creative Writing from Brunel University. Currently, she is working with the BBC, TG4 and the ILBF to write her first feature film, Abhaile. She won the 2023 Irish Writers’ Centre Novel Fair Award and the Runner-up Comedy Women in Print Prize.

Begin Again

ARTIST: Helen Duncan

This work draws inspiration from the resilience and strength of native plants. It highlights nature’s remarkable ability to persevere through challenges. The interplay of light and movement is central to the experience of the installation. Visitors are encouraged to reflect on the strength of indigenous flora and, like these plants, how we too can overcome adversity and thrive through resilience and adaptability.

Helen is a native of Athlone, living between Ireland and Massachusetts, USA. She primarily works in ceramic sculpture, and a selection of functional ceramics. Helen holds a BA in Ceramics from Limerick College of Art & Design, pursued postgraduate studies at the University of Massachusetts and holds an MA in Art Education from Boston University.

In Light of Us

ARTIST: Maria Mollohan

This work is a participatory, lens-based artwork installed on transparent acrylic panels. Referencing the barriered vision of the COVID era, it aims to replace fear with curiosity. Drawing on childhood games, such as 'Googly' eye gestures - it invites the public to reimagine sight and memory.

Using Anthotype prints (photographic print using natural pigments found in plants, flowers, or vegetables) the work engages playfully with park portraits. Maria used grass pigment from the park itself in one of the works. Ephemeral by nature, some are for this event only and will slowly fade with the outdoor light and evolve over time, echoing memory and perception.

Another Cyanotype print showcases the castle and another is pinhole, taking in the view from the park over the weekend. 

As part of this commission, Maria facilitated two drop-in community workshops about the printing process of her work.

Maria is an emerging, multidisciplinary artist and printmaker born in Roscommon who retrained in contemporary printmaking in 2019. Working across photography, experimental print and participatory practice, her work engages community, nature, and memory.

Echo Zone

ARTIST: Nickie Harrington

This installation mirrors the natural curve of the Amphitheatre space at Loughnaneane Park. A series of hand-painted panels stand vertically, forming stepped patterns that shift with perspective. Bold black-and-white geometric linework evokes rhythm, soundwaves and visual echoes. In daylight, there is striking contrast and dynamic spatial movement. After dark, UV floodlights reveal a hidden dimension — transforming the work into an immersive, luminous experience. Designed to captivate by both day and night, Echo Zone invites interaction, reflection, and visual play.

Based in Roscommon, Nickie is known for her bold geometric abstractions. Through sharp pattern and clean lines, optical illusions  draw viewers in. Her studio practice includes painting on shaped panels and surfaces and her large-scale works are site-specific. Nickie has exhibited widely both in Ireland and internationally, with organisations such as CIAS, Ranelagh Arts, Gallery X, Propeller, and Outset.

Nickie, This installation moved through three different forms:
☀️ By day - bold, crisp black and white geometry, sharp and graphic against the curve of the amphitheatre.
💡 Under UV floods - the white turned electric blue, buzzing with energy and movement.
🌙 After the lights went out - the pigment kept glowing, fading into a turquoise green afterglow that lingered in the dark.
I wanted the piece to feel alive, constantly shifting with light.. and it was amazing to watch people step inside and experience that transformation.

Based in Roscommon, Nickie is known for her bold geometric abstractions. Through sharp pattern and clean lines, optical illusions draw viewers in. Her studio practice includes painting on shaped panels and surfaces and her large-scale works are site-specific. Nickie has exhibited widely both in Ireland and internationally, with organisations such as CIAS, Ranelagh Arts, Gallery X, Propeller, and Outset

SCHEDULE OF THE ART TRAIL

Supporting the 'nature' themes of the works, the crowd were originally gathered at a nearby exhibition before commencing on the trail. The Art in the Open Trail began at Áras an Chontae, with the exhibition launch of Honor FitzGerald’s “See, Saw – A Journey Through Nature” a painting collection inviting viewers into the quiet world of the garden. Inspired by the human form and natural landscape, Honor uses a practice rooted in mindfulness, using figurative sketches of close observation of her surroundings which back in the studio gradually become more abstract through the making process. Each piece captures a moment of stillness and connection with nature.

Gathering here positioned the themes of the evening of Place and Nature for the crowd before commencing the trail. 

Allowing the audience to continue reflecting on our relationship with the natural word, the group walked over together to Loughnaneane Park where the four local artists Christina Carty, Helen Duncan, Maria Mollohan and Nickie Harrington, each had created a site-specific artwork, that responded to or illuminated the park. Visiting each work along a walking loop, each artist had the opportunity to tell the group more about the piece, their inspiration and artistic process.

A small number of the group then continued onto the main square to visit Roscommon Town’s permanent collection of public art in the Living Laneways series, where we first encountered the landmark bronze sculpture, the vivid blue twine Held Together / Á Choimeád le Chéile, created by artists Simon Carmen and Dr. Helen Sharp. An eye-catching, photo opportunity that celebrates Roscommon’s rural and creative identity. We then begin the laneways tour. Continuing the connection with nature, appreciate our buzzing pollinators through the colourful corridor of The Bee Lane by Graham Reid. Following the footsteps of generations before, connect with place at the ongoing Mosaic Laneway by Chris Judge & Triskell Designs, which celebrates local history and Roscommon’s mosaic tradition. We end the journey at the Poetry Laneway, curated by poet Dani Gill, where site-specific poetry lights the laneway walls and echoes the immense history of the lane.

With each new laneway, we see public art strengthening the town’s identity and creating new reasons to explore Roscommon.

Commission Aims

• Support local emerging artists to engage and experiment with temporary public art.
• Opportunity for the local community to meet artists and to chat about and be inspired by Public Art.
• Opportunity for the local community and visitors to find out more about the art in their spaces.
• Push boundary of type of public art visible in Roscommon. 

Opportunity for emerging artists to engage with Public Art

• Opportunity for emerging artists who had none or limited experience engaging with public art to take part in a process less intimidating and durational.
• Opportunity for artists to experiment with their arts practice / process in a public sphere gaining visibility
• Expand the practices that regularly apply for or received public art commissions

Opportunity to experiment with practice

• Encourage risk-taking and artistic innovation in early phases of their careers

Nickie,For Culture Night in Roscommon, I got to try something completely new - working with UV and glow in the dark pigment for the first time. It brought a whole new set of challenges, but seeing Echo Zone lit up at night made it all worth it.

The UV floods gave the panels this electric blue buzz ⚡ … but what really blew my mind was how much they kept glowing afterwards in the dark. That afterglow, turquoise green and otherworldly, felt like the piece had a life of its own.

It’s definitely something I’ll be playing with again. The effect was just whopper… I was absolutely buzzing seeing it come alive like that. I can’t wait to keep experimenting with this in future projects ✨ 💙🩵💚

What an incredible experience showing Echo Zone for Culture Night in the beautiful amphitheatre at Loughnaneane Park 💙

Maria Mollohan also experimented the nature/park themes through different print types in her project including: Anthotype, Cyanotype and pinhole.

Opportunity for the public to engage with Public Art

• Engage with Public Art in their local area in spaces they would be used to
• Meet Artists and speak with them about their concepts
• Questions and discuss Public Art
• Hear more about permanent work in their locality they walk past
  
  

Art in the Open becomes the publics

Helen, It was such a privilege to be among fellow artists, all of us united by a shared commitment to public art and creative expression. There was a real sense of collective support and camaraderie throughout the evening — a feeling of being part of something greater than ourselves. It reminded me how vital and powerful public art can be, not just for artists, but for the community that engages with it. I was deeply moved by the warmth, support and sense of wonder from those who joined the public art trail tour and came to the park. The way people engaged with and responded to our pieces made it feel like a genuine exchange, something shared, something alive. 

Young people who were already in the park were either the first on the scene to investigate or were invited in by the audience to see and interact with the work and speak to the artists.

Christina, I found the whole event really inspiring, and was particularly struck by how children responded to the artwork, how they claimed it as their own and it reminded me of that notion that art is no longer the artist’s once it goes into the public arena. Once it is shared, it becomes everyone’s.

Christina, It was brilliant to see how curious people were, not just about that artwork, but about the process and it quickly became apparent that there is an enormous appetite for art in Roscommon. People want to expand their capacity, their knowledge and their skills to engage with, and make art.

Risks to artwork in the public sphere

Unfortunately two of the works which hoped to continue to stay up throughout the weekend for visitors, were deliberately damaged overnight - 

Christina,I was shocked to hear about the damage—it could not have been farther from the respect and wonder people afforded the art on Friday. Perhaps our next task is to find ways to give people opportunities to express their rage through art. To me, the damage speaks to the temperament of society right now and I wonder if we need to create spaces for people to express the thornier emotions. One thing is certain, it speaks to a need for more art, not less.

Helen,Unfortunately, as you know, some chose not to engage with the joy and intention behind our work. The vandalism of both my piece and Nickie’s was disheartening. But it can never take away the beauty of that evening, or the connection we shared with those who were present. In many ways, it made the experience even more meaningful — a reminder of how precious and fleeting those moments of shared creativity can be. 
Art in the Open was still a great success. Those who were there on Friday night experienced something truly special — intimate, thoughtful, and alive with meaning.

Artist's last words 

Helen, I’m incredibly grateful to you and everyone at Roscommon County Council for the dedication and care you put into supporting artists and creating a vehicle for the community to access and engage with art in such a meaningful way. 
May it long continue. And may the power of art as an expression, a visual language, and a shared human experience always rise above ignorance and destruction. 

Christina,Thank you to Helen, Nickie and Maria for their inspiration and generosity in sharing their beautiful work, and thank you, Mary, for your extraordinary vision and support. This was my first time taking part in a public art project and I cannot wait to have the opportunity to do so again. 

After Sunset

Helen,A personal magical moment for me was sitting quietly in Loughnaneane Park after the tour ended under a beautiful sunset, waiting to photograph my installation as twilight settled in and my piece came to life. That moment as I sat and listening to the birds and the land settling down for the night, watching my piece come to life in the light. It was glowing, so completely at home in that beautiful setting, and in the stillness, I felt I was at home too. It’s an experience that will stay with me a long time. 

The Art Trail: onto the Permanent Collection

Explore Roscommon’s Creative Footprint: A Culture Night Park and Town Guided Trail celebrating Artists, Place and Nature

Continuing the trail onto the permanent collection in the town helped situate public art in a wider picture. Attendees were invited to roam Roscommon Town’s permanent Public Art collection at Alleé de Chartrettes, Market Square, Hynes Lane and Chapel Lane. Celebrating Roscommon’s rural identity, historical sites and local figures, mosaic tradition and buzzing pollinators through different artforms.

Held Together / Á Choimeád le Chéile

By artists Simon Carman and Dr. Helen Sharp, is a playful tribute to Roscommon’s deep agricultural roots, and is Inspired by a simple coil of baling twine. 

Hand-finished with layers of a vibrant blue patina, the county town now has a feature art piece of its own. The sculpture’s circular form not only echoes ancient crafts but also cleverly acts as a visual lens, framing everyday snapshots of the town and its architecture and inviting passersby to see Roscommon anew, and to take pictures together in the area. The vibrant colour and organic shape sits harmoniously within the newly revitalised square.

The title adds another dimension, creatively linking the importance of a connected community. These layers of meaning, were significant and resonated strongly with the assessment panel.

Artist Simon Carmen joined the tour to chat more about Held Together.

The Bee Lane at Allée de Chartrettes

One of our busiest laneways connecting the town square centre to the car park, the brief asked for something which would transform the space into a playful, imaginative & contemporary experience.

A Bee’s Eye View of a Wild­flower Meadow, is a series of works along this busy laneway, printed on large-scale aluminium panels by artist Graham Reid. It highlights the unseen beauty and complexity of plants, while also emphasising the importance of pollinators in Ireland’s ecosystem, by transporting pedestrians into a magical world of wildflowers in ultraviolet colours (the colours that are visible to bees and other pollinators).

The detail and pops of colour create a surreal, immersive experience along the laneway walls which allows people coming through to slow down and consider its themes. Created with digital tools, Graham Reid described it is an extension of his artistic tools to achieve and make the space he imagined: “If you have an intention and the results match that intention, then it’s the right tool. Whether it’s glassblowing or sculpture, it’s about coaxing a tool to produce your intention.”

The Mosaic Laneway at Hynes Lane

For generations, Roscommon has enjoyed an unrivalled reputation for the production of mosaics. That reputation inspired countless shop fronts in Roscommon and neighbouring counties for the uniqueness of these mosaics, a fact celebrated by RTE’s Nationwide programme earlier this year.

Because of this, our largest commission in the series was a new community informed Mosaic Laneway. Celebrating this rich tradition and bringing a new appreciation to the unique art of mosaics to current generations, while also highlighting notable sites one can visit in Roscommon and celebrating local figures. It was a collaboration between well-known illustrator Chris Judge (who has worked with Roddy Doyle, Andrew Judge and Ryan Tubridy) and Triskell Designs.

Chris Judge, The team at Triskill and I feel very honoured to have been chosen to create this mosaic for the people of Roscommon town. It is both a celebration and a remembrance of generations of people who have called it their home. Designed through a series of community workshops with local groups, it carries the voices and creativity of many hands. Together, we explored patterns, colours, and stories that reflect the history of the lane—a pathway walked for centuries by workers, families, and visitors. We were thrilled to discover the rich history of mosaics in Roscommon town, particularly the work of Luciano Di Paulo, Sergio Benedetti, and John Crean, and we referenced some of their designs in ours. Laura Earley's book, ‘Artistic Mosaics in the West of Ireland,’ was an invaluable resource as we designed the artworks. The mosaic weaves these traces of the past into a vibrant artwork that honours the footsteps of those before, while welcoming new ones yet to come.

The Poetry Lane at Chapel Lane

The Poetry Laneway unveiled on National Poetry Day, April 2023, aims to becomes a space where groups gather and celebrate Roscommon’s literary tradition. Following an artist open call, project curator Dani Gill was awarded this commission with her thoughtful response to the brief, which engaged with local poets and musician. The project themes evolved when she met with Marian Harlow, a member of the Co. Roscommon Historical & Archaeological Society who shared some significant details and history of this laneway.

Dani organised specially commissioned poems by three contemporary poets, Jane Clarke, Louise G. Cole and Dani herself, which now light up this historic laneway presented in lightboxes. Musician & composer Phil Robson collaborated with the writers, creating a custom music composition for each poem, available by scanning the QR code located on each box.

Dani Gill, “My poem was inspired by the story of the arrival of the Sisters of Mercy to Roscommon town and in particular, the work they did for, and with women. It was an unexpected showing of feminist activism that I found inspiring. The Sisters of Mercy brought financial aid to women and had vision for development in the community. I chose to focus on this as it is not the kind of spotlight we usually see on these parts of our history.”

Louise G. Cole,“I was inspired by the actual place. Distilling the wonderful history of Chapel Lane into a single poem was quite a challenge - but one I'm so honoured and happy to have had the opportunity to work on.”

Jane Clarke, “My poem was inspired by reading about the origins of Roscommon town; that it all began with a well in a field. I learned about St. Coman’s Well or Dubach Chomain in the Roscommon Town Heritage website and The History of St. Coman’s Church, written by John Kerrigan and illustrated by Albert Siggins.”

Musician Phil Robson, “As a County Roscommon resident, it was great to be involved in this project and to have three wonderful and totally different poems, which all incorporate local historical themes to work with as the inspiration for my soundscape/ compositions.”