Performance ran from 07.45 (low tide) to 14.30 (high tide). The activities refer to aspects of Skerries discovered during several research trips. My choice to use embroidery in this work was a reference to the town’s 19th century industry. It is medium I had used previously and so the coincidence seemed the way to follow.  The action of the performance was the repetitious embroidering of the word ‘inhale’ on canvas as the tide rose. The limpet shell balaclava was crafted from shells collected from the ‘dorn’ and embroidery thread. The ‘dorn’ is the land bank that can be walked to Shenick Island at low Spring tides.

Of particular stimulus for this  work was the book, ‘the Kybe’ by Hugh Fitzgerald Ryan. This historical novel set in Skerries at the time the Napoleonic wars of the 1810s gave me a great insight into the  town’s history. The local names for places also featured and set me int he location for the story of the  novel. Shenick Island and the ‘dorn” were key features of the story. While the work was not in any way representative of the story the reading brought added layers to my investment in the place.

Thanks to Ruby Staunton for invitation to perform and documentation.