Eternal Rebels
Eternal Rebels Changemakers Exhibition is a multidisciplinary visual art exhibition by artist Mary Moynihan featuring photography, poetry and film. The exhibition is a visual and poetical reflection on the stories of twenty-six change-makers from the Decade of Centenaries period in Irish history (1913-1923). Changemaker stories highlighted in the exhibition include Eva Gore-Booth (1870-1926), a poet, writer, trade unionist, feminist and campaigner for equality and social justice, and James Connolly (1868-1916), trade unionist, socialist, supporter of Irish freedom, worker’s rights and women’s rights. The exhibition runs from 8 July to 31 October 2024, Monday to Sunday 10am to 5pm at The Old Barracks Heritage and Events Centre, Cahersiveen, County Kerry.
Alongside the stories of change-makers from Irish history, the artist presents a series of poetical texts with photography and a poem-film under the title of ‘The Feeling Soul: Paradise Lost and Found’. These are personal reflections on themes of love and courage and the internal journey of a person experiencing loss and the possibility of finding a way through, holding onto the courage to let ourselves shine.
A live theatre performance called Mrs Pearse, written by Dr Sinead McCoole is performed in the exhibition space as a public performance followed by a post-show discussion. The piece was performed at 12pm, 2pm, and 4pm to a total audience of 97 people. The post-show discussion took place after the 4pm show. Mrs Margaret Pearse is the mother of Irish patriot Padraig Pearse. This monologue-style performance tells the well-known history of Padraig Pearse from the perspective of his mother, the person who knew him best. This performance is followed by a post-show discussion with emerging actor Ciara Hayes and visual artist Mary Moynihan on the creative possibilities that are developed when visual artists and theatre practitioners work together. The setting of the performance in an exhibition, situated in a decades-old heritage building in rural Ireland lends itself to the historic atmosphere of the piece, while the stories of brave Irish people from the Decade of Centenaries.
