Public Art Commission set to take place at popular Mayo venue

Mayo County Council Arts Service is delighted to launch The Touchstones, a public art commission by visual artist James Winnett, at the National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park at 11am on Saturday, November 1. The Touchstones, is a series of ten intricately carved stones that can be found across sites in Turlough, Breaffy, Islandeady and Raheens Woods.

The carvings weave a tale through the landscape, drawing on the folklore, social memory and ecological story of the places in which they stand. Following an open competition, the artist James Winnett was selected for this commission. 

James Winnett is an artist, stone carver and workshop leader interested in the crossovers between sculpture, archaeology, folklore, place and memory. He has worked in public art for 15 years and has produced over fifty large stone public artworks across the UK and Ireland.

The Touchstones operate as a network of curious artefacts that sit in relation both to the character of their specific locations, and to a wider archaeological and mythological landscape. In this way they offer a point of contact, a touchstone, between the world of the present and an otherworldly place somewhere between fact and fantasy, the deep past and the deep future. James carved the sandstone blocks with traditional tools over the course of a year, taking inspiration from existing medieval stone carvings at sites across Mayo such as Turlough, Straide, Ballintubber, Inishmaine and Cong.

Following the launch on November 1, there will be an artist tour of the ten stone sculptures in Turlough, Breaffy, Islandeady and Raheens Woods from 11.30am to 3.45pm. A bus and lunch will be provided. Places for the tour are limited and booking is required, contact Aoife O’Toole, Public Art Coordinator, Mayo County Council: aotoole@mayococo.ie; 094 9064376.

To mark the launch of The Touchstones local communities will have the opportunity to join the artist James Winnett and storyteller Fiona Dowling for a family friendly guided tour and storytelling event. James will provide insights into the research and creative process while Fiona will bring the stones to life by telling some of the tales that inspired the carvings. See dates and time below:

Turlough, Saturday October 25, 10.30am – 1pm. This event will begin at the round tower car park in Turlough.

Breaffy Woods, Sunday October 26, 10.30am – 1pm. The meeting point for the event is outside the main entrance to Breaffy House Hotel.

Islandeady, Sunday October 26, 2.30pm – 5.15pm. The meeting point for the event is the car park of St. Patrick’s Church, Islandeady.

Attendees can then drive to Raheens Woods to view three stones. The event will end at the final stone to coincide with sunset. These events are outdoors, so it’s advised to bring rain gear and good walking shoes. 

Booking required for the guided tour and storytelling events, contact Aoife O’Toole, Public Art Coordinator, Mayo County Council: aotoole@mayococo.ie; 094 9064376.

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