Martin O'Donoghue 2026
And Yew Tú

Martin O’Donoghue 2026

And Yew Tú

31 August to 4 September 2026

And Yew Tú.
Yes this is for you too and yews too agus tusa freisin.

During this residency I will be working on a new inclusive dance project to close the Spring Uillinn Dance Festival. Inspired by an ancient yew tree in Curraghmore Estate, Co Waterford, this site specific performance will be designed to weave its way through the gallery, inviting the audience to participate fully in it.

My time in the studio will be spent experimenting with newly composed traditional tunes, blending electronic and improvisation, to create sequences of movement that will form a new dance. I will explore how the space, form and the creative energy of Uillinn can inspire me and those who I collaborate with to devise some kind of wonderfulness.

For the last three years I have worked on a dance project called the Solstice Céilí for Cork Midsummer festival. To date more than 900 people have participated, learning new dances related to the Summer Solstice festivals origin in the Bronze age, dancing through time right up to our contemporary celebrations.

I define myself as a ludic artist, using playfulness, dance, music and props to create immersive events that bring people together to experience the shared ecstasy that moving together in time to music can evoke. I specialise as a Céilíographer, continuing an age old legacy of creating social dances inspired by traditional tunes for modern times.

I work in a participatory manner, collaborating with other artists and inviting the attendees to become an integral part of the work.

I look forward to workshopping some of the new dance movements with members of the public during my residency at Uillinn. I wish invite you in to experiment and play with dance, the sequences we create together we will evolve into the shape of the final dance(s).

As Uillinn has access to a large community of people interested in dance, I hope this residency will enable the project resonate all who love dance in West Cork.

Since 2021, I have been working part time as an emerging artist. Previous to this I was the Business Development Manager in Cork Opera House and I have also worked freelance as a creative producer for festivals including, Sounds From a Safe Harbour, which I helped set up.
I have received commissions from IMMA, Body&Soul, Cork Mid-Summer Festival, Skibbereen Arts Festival and Cork City Council.

Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre acknowledges the financial support of The Arts Council  / An Chomhairle Ealaíon in making these residencies possible.