Fourth day in residence

March 14th

175 miles
Carbon Footprint = 49 kg
Expenses Food 14 materials and newspapers 7

Left home at 7.30; spent an hour stopping and adjusting video camera which was strapped into the passenger seat. Filmed about 20 minutes of material - very happy with how it reads - claustraphobic focus on the road. First stop Nenagh. Met with Heritage Officer Siobhan Hegarty - what an amazing resource. She has the most astonishing collection of maps. Spent a good deal of the morning sifting through great piles of possibilities.

Next meeting, Lorraine Power, Environment Education Officer. Also, very very interesting. We agreed so much on the lack of vision that is apparent in development - where are the parks? Why are supremely wealthy developers not required to incoporate community centres and parks into their staggeringly profitable housing developments? Talked about Rights of Way, but Siobhan Hegarty told me that those rights of way have almost no legal basis - on the old maps you see Mass Paths and other paths marked but they were never formally allocated public right of way status.

I told her about Brian Holme's theory about self-instituted blindness to the world around us. We shook our heads and felt frustrated.

I spent some time writing an article for CAVA. Had lunch with Martina Finn, photocopied some maps, acquired some database info on artists, amateur art groups and others.

In Nenagh I bought a great Leprechaun in the pound shop - run up to Paddy's Day. I heard a broadcaster say that they are not allowed to call it that anymore. NOT ALLOWED?? Weird.

I thought about the new N7, the scarring effect of which I had noticed on my way into Nenagh that morning. What about billboards along the unfinished road?
Onto Thurles - bought the Nenagh Guardian and Ireland's Own special St. Patrick's Day edition. The Nenagh Guardian is fantastic. Full of information. Military notice regarding Army Rifle Range activity in Barnane, Templemore. Rang Dept. of Defence looking for map of this activity - left message.

Closure of Castle Brand aluminium factory in Nenagh - absoloutely amazing story. Want to go there next week.

Lots of interesting clubs and associations listed. Also visited Templemore webiste - incredible resource, old photos, list of clubs and voluntary associations, aerial photos of town etc. Very interested in that place which is near Thurles. Must visit.

Ireland's Own - bizarre. Wonderful comic strip, will scan and link.

Evening, talk by Christine Mackey in Source. First time I have seen her present about her work - very interesting. Similar interests to mine, but different approach.

On the way home I smacked into a rock on the road - just didn't see it. Had to get out of the car to check tyre - wonderful, starlit, fragrant night; the smell of spring.

I BADLY WANT TO DRAW. NEED A SPACE. So far I feel like artist in residence in my car.