Tuath na Doimhneactha - People of the Deep

Illustrated by Pauline Scanlon

Tá muid sa bhaile sa doimhneacht, croí na feasachta, pluais uaighe de fheamnach bhoilgíneach ná scoilt - ag tochais le beocht fhuiniúil

níos fíre ná fíor, fís den bheith bhunaidh, ár mbaile faoi uisce san áit a mbogann muid le mhothú faoi gheasa

leacacha leathair de ghach aon chineál crutha agus méid ag croitheadh thart ar ár gcreachadh feín agus ar chuisle agus anam na farraige

dathanna de shean dhalth-chlár láimhe, bun shraith de chailc bhándearg shoineanta ag meilt ár dtonn ghluaiseacht fhadalach fríd ghach aon sheolbhealach d’iontas ina gcónaíonn muid, tá fíos againn, ó ghearrthógaí broinglóideacha

druid do chuid súil, cuimhní air

cuireann fáis veliúir i líoma spleodracha dath eadrom ar ár gcroí, ardaíonn agus íslíonn muid chun bogadh síos chuig cineálacha eile den dath - úr ag an domhan seo, an ceann seo ina chraiceann dheilgneach ag diúl an bheochta as a fhuacht, uisce fuar fuar go dtí nach bhfuil ach fuíoll gorm fághta, ag cumhdach na n-ardharcán

níonn muid níos mó ná go díreach a theacht slán as seo - iompraíonn muid é mar bheadh cuimhne ann de stáid imeartha bhunaidh, iompar de luath - fréamhshamhail, go díreach mar bheadh ceall de ní iomláin tagann muid chun chladaigh ar na ceithre boinn agus muid leath rugtha, lúb leath bhainte as a chéile agus é beodhearg i ngrá chomhthrách lenár mbaile dhomhain faoi uise

We are at home in the depths, the heart of consciousness, a bladder-wrack tombed cave or crevice- itching with ebullient life

realer than real, a vision of original being, our watery home where we move by enchanted sense

leathery flags of all shapes and sizes flap or curl around our vibrations and the pulse of the ocean’s soul

colours of the old palette, naive pink chalkish base layers ground our slow motion surge through each channel of wonder we inhabit, we know, from dream clips

close your eyes, remember it

velour growths in vibrant limes tone our hearts, we undulate to move down to other forms of colour- new to the world, this one a spiny skin sucking life from cold, cold water so a blue residue remains, coating tentacles

we do more than survive this- we carry it as memory of an original state of play, an early prototype behaviour, so like a cell of the whole we crawl ashore, art half-born, half uncoiled and glowing in loving synchrony with our deep water home

Focail (Bearla): Lorcan MacGiolla Bhrighde

Aistriúchán (go Gaeilge): Aodh McGairbhea

Ealaín: Pauline McSorley

Pauline’s IG

Pauline says of the collaboration:

"I rose with the desire to experience a new land, but I was reluctant to leave the comfort of quietude. Here, I rested at the foot of consciousness. This must be how a child comes into the world.”

This is the 19th of 23 consecutive collaborations between artists living in or connected to the Tuath - People of Laochra ag Fanacht - Warriors in Waiting