South Central Area: Ballyfermot People’s Park

• Willow Sculpture Workshops in Ballyfermot People’s Park

Saturday 26 February 2022

Local residents signed up to one of the willow weaving workshops in the park facilitated by artist Breda Marron, alongside Landscape Architect Suzanne O’Connell. Together, they weaved willow branches to create unique playful structures for the park, in an area that will be an ‘Outdoor Classroom’ in the redesigned park. The willow sculptures will remain there for adults and children to have a space to relax, explore and play.

Wednesday 23 February 2022

6th Class students from Mary Queen of Angels 2 National School started the willow sculptures in the park with Breda earlier that week. The boys class had engaged with Breda in a series of workshops in 2021, and they now connected again with her to make sculptural pieces together in their local park.

With Landscape Architect Suzanne O’Connell the students also planted a variety of flowers in the ‘Outdoor Classroom’, which will bloom in the spring when the park opens its doors.

• Ballyfermot Commission: Public Update (online) 

Thursday 10 February 2022, 2pm

Sculpture Dublin invited local people in Ballyfermot to an update session to hear more about the planned sculpture commission in Ballyfermot.

In 2022, the grassy area beside Ballyfermot Community Civic Centre is being transformed into a ‘people’s park’ – an inviting green space for the benefit of its local community.

The design for the Ballyfermot sculpture commission has evolved through a process of consultation and collaboration between the selected artist, the park’s design team and the local community. It will result in the installation of a permanent sculptural work that responds to the new People’s Park and the broader context of present-day Ballyfermot.

Breda Marron, the commissioned artist, talked about the design for the new sculpture. DCC Landscape Architect, Suzanne O’Connell gave an update on developments with the new park. The event was chaired by Councillor Vincent Jackson.

• Workshops with the Ballyfermot Civic Centre and Artist Pat Gillis

In October 2021, Pat Gillis facilitated a series of sculpture-making workshops with a group of adults working in Ballyfermot Civic Centre beside the new People’s Park.

• Virtual Reality Workshops with FamiliBase and Artist Barry Haughey

In September and October 2021, Barry Haughey worked with young people from the Ballyfermot Centre for Children, Young People and Families (FamiliBase) on a 3D modelling project – sculpting in VR!

•  Ballyfermot Commission: Public Update

Tuesday 23 March 2021, 3-4pm (online)

Sculpture Dublin invited local people in Ballyfermot to an online public meeting to hear more about the planned sculpture commission in Ballyfermot.

In 2021/2022, the grassy area beside Ballyfermot Community Civic Centre will be transformed into a ‘people’s park’ – a free, open, democratic, inviting green space for the benefit of its local community. The Sculpture Dublin – Ballyfermot Commission is a ‘participative’ commission, that will evolve through a process of consultation and collaboration between the selected artist, the park’s design team and the local community. It will result in the installation of a permanent sculptural work that responds to the new People’s Park and the broader context of present-day Ballyfermot.

At the meeting, Programme Director, Karen Downey spoke about the Sculpture Dublin commissioning process. DCC Landscape Architect, Suzanne O’Connell gave an update on plans for the park and Breda Marron, the commissioned artist talked about her consultations with local people and how these conversations are informing her ideas for the sculpture.

The meeting was chaired by Councillor Vincent Jackson and the updates were followed by a Q&A session.

• Commissioned Artist, Breda Marron, Engaging with Local Groups 

November – December 2020

Breda Marron  engaged with a range of community groups in Ballyfermot to help shape her ideas for the sculpture commission for the new Ballyfermot People’s Park.

Breda ran a series of workshops with 5^th class students in Mary Queen of Angels 2 National School. They met in the park where Breda’s sculpture will be installed and in the classroom. They discussed the new park plans and explored ideas for sculptures using clay. Breda will continue to work with the students when permissible again under public health guidelines.

FamiliBe                       

FamiliBase (the Ballyfermot Centre for Children, Young People and Families) facilitated Breda in meeting with a range of young people from the local area, including Transition Year students from three schools and an art group interested in music and film-making. She listened as the young people explored questions of local identity and what it means to grow up in Ballyfermot.

Breda also met with a range of other groups to help develop a vision for the public artwork, including a local residents’ group; an advocacy group for people living with disabilities; and members of SWAAT (Supporting Women to Access Appropriate Treatment) in Réalt Nua.

In 2021 the fenced, grassy area beside Ballyfermot Community Civic Centre will be transformed into a ‘people’s park’ – a free, open, democratic, inviting green space located within a crowded (sub)urban environment for the benefit of its community. In response to local consultation, the new park will be a place where people of all ages and abilities can experience and engage with nature, with planting, with movement, music and storytelling.

Commissioned artist, Breda Marron worked with members of the local community and the park design team to develop a sculpture for the park. Find out more about the commission here.

We would love to hear your thoughts on public sculpture, what your expectations are and how you would like to get involved with Sculpture Dublin. Let us know by taking 10-minutes to complete this short questionnaire. Thank you!