Fingal County Council to launch St Patrick’s Way & Art Trail
The St Patrick’s Way & Art Trail has been developed by Fingal County Council with funding support from Fáilte Ireland’s Destination Towns Scheme, 2020-2023 and will be launched on Saturday June 22nd at 12pm in Skerries Sailing Club.
Fingal County Council Officially to officially launch newly enhanced walking routes and Art Trail in Skerries. Fingal County Council is pleased to announce the official launch of the St Patrick’s Way & Art Trail Skerries. The St Patrick’s Way & Art Trail has been developed by Fingal County Council with funding support from Fáilte Ireland’s Destination Towns Scheme, 2020-2023 and will be launched on Saturday June 22nd at 12pm in Skerries Sailing Club. This trail is designed to enhance the local and visitor experience of Skerries with map boards and information located at key points on a trail that can be accessed as a 5km walk and enjoyed at multiple locations from Skerries Mills to South Strand, North Beach to the centre of the town. The trail is designed to highlight the significance of the towns historical, natural and cultural gems.
The trail includes a unique art trail featuring commissioned public artworks by 5 very exciting artists:
Atsushi Kaga – Bennie Reilly – Liliane Puthod – Marie Farrington – Mary Conroy
Skerries Art Trail was developed by Fingal County Council’s Public Art Programme where 5 artists were curated from Fingal County Council’s Public Art Panel and tasked to create a series of small-scale public art commissions, which respond to the unique landscape of Skerries.
The Skerries Artists were supported through a Joint Residency for two weeks at Leitrim Sculpture Centre, which included a range of masterclasses where they worked intensively with a group of highly experienced Leitrim and Regional Artists, exploring hands on technical skills and materials, such as stone carving, metalwork including pouring molten bronze and aluminium, enamel work, mould making.
The overall feedback from the Skerries Artists on the residency partnership was quite positive, especially as it was designed to be open and flexible as a research residency, informed by each Artists’ practice, more so than being specifically linked to what they might go on to develop for Skerries Art Trail. The artists were briefed on the scope of the trail experience, through local research and how new works might integrate into an already breath-taking landscape. Each artists response is different and has picked up on the feeling or the pace of the trail in that they encourage discovery, reflection, rest, enjoyment, and play; all of the things that make Skerries an attractive Destination Town.
We will continue to add to the experience of the trail with an engaging map created by well-known illustrator Aoife Dooley and in consultation with Skerries Autism Friendly town, the trail will have a social story for those accessing the experience who are neurodivergent. Later this year renowned Irish Sculptor Jackie McKenna will create a new artwork for the trail celebrating the significance of St Patrick. This work will form a central touchstone along the trail and promises to be very special.
The Mapboards which feature at key locations throughout the trail also include a QR code which link to further information on the history and the art trail.
Download Skerries Art Trail Digital Flyer
