First Location: Lismore
May 2022 to October 2022
The first iteration of the project was situated within a vacant crofting community located on the Isle of Lismore. In 1831 the island's population reached its peak as it was home to 1,500 inhabitants. However, the island's population has decreased drastically to approximately 175 inhabitants. Although the depopulation of the highlands and islands is often considered a historical matter, contemporary challenges, such as access to land, affordable housing, and employment in rural areas, continue to pose significant hurdles for communities such as Lismore, creating tangible impediments to population sustainment and growth.
The installation's sculptures aim to stimulate discourse on these critical issues by repopulating a depopulated space within the island, thereby reasserting the presence of the island's inhabitants. Through this intervention, the artist hopes to inspire contemplation on how the historical context of depopulation informs contemporary circumstances faced by the community. By illuminating the evolution of this issue, the installation serves as a catalyst for critical reflection on potential pathways towards equitable change in rural communities.
History of the Installation Site: Tir na Choirce/ Tirechoire (The Land of Oats)
The site of the installation is situated on Balimackillichan farm, located on the Isle of Lismore. The sculptures are visible from the track leading to Castle Coeffin and will be available for public viewing from May 2022 to early October 2022. While the installation occupies the Balimackillichan farm, the ruins within which the sculptures are set were once known as Tir na Choirce, which is a Gaelic term meaning The Land of Oats.
It is worth noting that the narratives that inform the sculptures are drawn from the island's history, rather than being specific to the installation's precise location. Local historian Robert Hay conducted research that uncovered valuable insights into the last generation of tenants who resided at Tir na Choirce, along with an intriguing story. Below are Robert's findings:
16 February 1863: Birth of Mary Carmichael to Donald Carmichael & his wife Mary Cunningham at TireChoire
1871 Census: Donald (55) now entered as a pauper (i.e. he had lost his tenancy) still living in Balimakillichan with Mary and children John (12), Nicol (10), Mary (now 8), Sandy (4), Peggy (3 months)
1881 Census: Donald (65) now a crofter in Port Ramsay
Donald got into trouble in 1856 in trying to help his bankrupt neighbour Alexander McCorquodale evade the instructions of the factor:
By December 1856, Alexander was neglecting the land and, under threat of eviction, was conspiring with his neighbour, Donald Carmichael, and others to sell his stacks of grain before they could be disposed of by the landlord (the crime of spuilzie). They might have succeeded but for the vigilance of John MacDugald, the weaver, who alerted the authorities to their activities. Although the family ‘entreated me [Allan MacDougall] in tears to give them a further trial’, the MacCorquodales were evicted and had gone from Balimakilichan by the 1861 census.
Empty Houses
Images of Tir na Choirce
