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Physical reaction to finishing Covid Memorial

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1st November - Samhain

1.       Check total of Deaths in Ireland 31st October

2.       Check low tide and weather

3.       Pick a spot next to the Yew wood under Youghal strand

4.       Find flat stones and create a cairn

5.       Gather the number of stones that represent the deaths

6.       Place them in a spiral on the sand beginning at the cairn and working out

7.       Write the number of deaths in figures in the sand

Youghal (Yew Wood) – Yew trees in graveyards – associated over generations and centuries here in Ireland with long life, the afterlife and death. Youghal is called after the Yew Wood that used to be where the strand is now. After stormy weather you can still see the remains of the trees in the sand.

Spiral – the pandemic spiralling out of control

Fire and stones – a pagan ritual remembering the dead

Samhain 31st Oct/1st Nov – when the veil between the worlds of the dead and the living are thinnest

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In making this piece, I had huge empathy for those on the front line battling Covid19

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In making this piece, I had huge empathy for those on the front line battling Covid19

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Last 13 Stones of the Covid Memorial - 1913 Irish Dead as of 31st October 2020. The Cairn in the centre represents our ancestors who will welcome the dead in 2020 this Samhain. The Spiral is an old symbol in many cultures representing life and growth, even as we die, we give back to the earth and the cycle of life repeats. It is also a symbol of rebirth. Each stone was counted into a bucket and placed from the bucket into the spiral, each one representing someone who has died of Covid19. The Memorial is also situated on Youghal Strand which used to be a Yew Wood and it's also how Youghal got its name. Yew trees have for centuries, represented both death and eternal life. When a bad storm hits the shore, you can still see the remnants of the Yew trees underfoot. This was a transient piece of artwork, as the tide came in, the total number of dead changed as of 1st November.