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Laura McMahon is an artist and outdoor educator. She has a degree in Sculpture from Edinburgh College of Art and has worked for over 10 years connecting people with nature through workshops and community art projects. Laura has experience in leading co-creative projects across the UK and Ireland creatively exploring nature with people of all ages and abilities. Laura is a forest school leader and trained in ecotherapy, utilising nature to improve wellbeing. She enjoys creating art out of natural and recycled materials and exploring traditional techniques like willow weaving, wool spinning and blacksmithing.
Mild (Marie Gordon) explores creative ways to reduce impact and reconnect with our shared environment by facilitating citizen engagement and involves experimentation with sustainable materials, from recycled papers, upcycling materials, collage and recycled paints. She is experienced in coordinating participative art projects supporting communities to engage with climate action in empowering and creative ways. She has a BA in Illustration from UCA, Kent UK and an MSc in ClimateChange Media, Policy and Society from DCU and has successfully delivered several funded creative projects.
Visit www.mild.ie to find out more.
Many thanks to all the participants who took part in the June 2024 Creative Workshops in Saint Patrick’s Hall, Kilcoole – whose inspiring creations and enthusiasm throughout the process fed into the eventual sculpture design.Particular thanks to Paddy and the Kilcoole Men’s Shed, who designed a plaster paris mould for little tern decoys that the creative workshop participants painted. These were then donated to BirdWatchIreland to assist in their Little Tern conservation work.And a special thank you to Ann from Kilcoole Biodiversity group, and Tidy Towns for supporting us in spreading the word locally far and wide.
Brian Burke, Scientific Officer, and Project Managerof the Little Tern Conservation Project in Kilcoole, Niall, Niamh and the wider team at BirdWatch Ireland were key project partners, providing expert advice on the Little Tern, inspiring talks for participants and collaboration across the project from beginning to end.
BirdWatch Ireland is the largest independent conservation organisation in Ireland. Established in 1968, with over 15,000 members and supporters and a local network of over 30 branches nationwide. As part of this work they run the Kilcoole Little Tern conservation project at Kilcoole, a National Parks and Wildlife Service project. Become a member of BirdWatch Ireland to support their nationwide locally based conservation work here.
With special thanks to project funders CreativeIreland; Tania, Dairne, Anne-Marie, Adele and all the team for their continued encouragement and support across the project. Creative Ireland is a five-year programme which connects people, creativity and wellbeing. We are an all-of-government culture and wellbeing programme that inspires and transforms people, places and communities through creativity. We are committed to the vision that every person in Ireland should have the opportunity to realise their full creative potential.
Further information on the Climate Action Fund is available on their website at www.creativeireland.gov.ie. (Project Funder)Department of Environment, Climate and Communication’s Climate Action Fund was established on a statutory basis in 2020 to provide support for projects, initiatives and research that contribute to the achievement of Ireland’s climate and energy targets, and for projects and initiatives in regions of the State, and within sectors of the economy, impacted by the transition to a low carbon economy. The Fund is resourced from a number of sources, including proceeds from the levy paid to the National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) in respect of relevant disposals of petroleum products, after the funding requirements of NORA have been met.Add their logo - match the brand guidelinesLink to website
Special thank you to the Iarnród Éireann Environmental, Chief Civil Engineer, Safety, Arts, Communication and Commercial Teams. As a key project partner and funder, Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail worked with 'Tern the Tide' over 2023 and 2024 in providing the project location, up-cycled materials, safety and installation support. Carrying out environmental assessments, the company ensured the continued support of the site’s biodiversity, with the inclusion of native pollinators and planting to enhance the local habitat and adding visual interest year-round. The creative repurposing of decommissioned rail signage showcases the potential of up-cycling and highlights Iarnród Éireann’s commitment to supporting Ireland’s sustainability goals.
Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail will continue to work with 'Tern the Tide' in raising awareness of the project and in support of the conservation work at the NSPW Little Tern colony at Kilcoole through it’s digital and social media channels and company newsletter. More about the project partnership here and their Sustainability in Motion Programme here.
Special thanks to Cris and Ciaran in the Fire Station Sculpture Workshop. shape. The artists worked with Ciaran and Cris during this design and making phase of the project to test and finalise the artwork – taking inspiration from all the creative work made with Kilcoole workshop participants. Located in Dublin’s northeast city centre, Fire Station Artists’ Studios was established in 1993 to support professional visual artists. It provides ten subsidised combined living and working studios for Irish and international artists as well as large scale sculpture workshop facilities for day hire. In addition, FSAS provides digital media facilities and equipment, a project/meeting room space, as well as training opportunities for artists, combining the practical with the conceptual. A key policy of Fire Station is to support socially engaged arts practice and critique through art commissions, talks and publications.
Special thanks to Jonny Kerr Moneypenny’s Blacksmith Workshop is a space for Artists who work in metal. It is set in the beautiful and historic location of Moneypenny’s Lock, on the Newry Canal just outside Port a down.have a team of tutors, all qualified professional artist-blacksmiths, who are happy to pass on their skills.It combines traditional forge and anvil based methods with modern techniques such as MiG welding and plasma cutting, using the best from both worlds to create unique, bespoke, hand-made objects.
Special thanks to Carl McAteer Enterprise FabLab, located at Creative Spark HQ in Dundalk, is a state-of-the-art technical prototyping and fabrication space spanning over 200 square meters. Fully equipped with advanced digital fabrication machinery and power tools, our facility caters to a wide range of digital fabrication and manufacturing needs, providing an ideal environment for designers, engineers, artists, and professionals to innovate and create.
The Main Muse for this project of course are the Little Terns themselves, these amazing birds are the smallest terns to visit Ireland - weighing circa 45grams, migrating 5000km from West Aifrica to Irish shores every Spring. There are recorded sightings of Little Terns in Ireland from as far back as 1895 (The Birds of Ireland, Usher & Warren, 1900). Learn more about the Little Tern.
Claire-Louise Vickery, Graphic Design - clairelouisevickery.com
Christina Ng, Website Design - christinang.co.uk
Mallory Frye, User Experience Designer - malloryfrye.com
Fran Veale, Photography at the Kilcoole Beach Workshop
Natalia Sidorenko, Photography and Videography at Workshops in Kilcoole and IMMA
Eoin Kennedy and Adrian Brett, Videography team for the project
Damien and Justin Owens and the team at Yel Engineering - yel.ie
Jeff Bibby and the team at Tallaght Powder Coating
Artist Blacksmith Jonny Kerr, Moneypenny Forge and Lockhouse
Jonny Dillon and National Folklore Collection UCD
Mendicity Charity Dublin, and their wood workshop
Artist Claire O’Hagan for assisting with IMMA Earth Rising 2024
Artists for their advise Alan James Burns, Rosalind Murray and Anna McGurn
Conall Mullen, for assisting the artists with the project delivery
Ronan Hunt, Engineer for his fabrication advice
Caroline, Ber and team at Signiatec, Kilkenny
Jenny and Marlena at Wicklow County Council Art Office
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