"RADE's innovative programme of combatting substance abuse through art introduces addicts to their own genius, their own best selves, it focuses on the buzz that living a positive life can bring,a buzz that is genuine and life enhancing"

President Mary McAleese

Archive for 2024

Celebrating 20 years of RADE

Film featuring artist Brian Maguire, Maria Fleming CEO First Fortnight, theatre maker Robbie O’Connor, poet Colm Keegan and John O’Donnell SC Writer and Lawyer

On Thursday 26th September 2024  we were delighted to host a lunchtime panel discussion titled “Art and Impact: Personal, Social, Political” to celebrate our 2024 IHREC funded project  “Create your Rights”. This event also marked 20 years of RADE.

Watch the video to see this stimulating, amusing and sometimes robust discussion about the right to create art, obstacles to creating art, snobbery in art, and art as exploitation. Poet Colm Keegan wraps up the lively discussion with a number of his evocative and stirring poems. 

This event also showcased the creative work of RADE participants including t-shirts, badges and a booklet of selected artwork and text. We also launched our 2023 book of RADE creative work.

Panellists and Chairperson

Maria Fleming

Maria Fleming is CEO of First Fortnight, Ireland’s mental health arts festival. Maria has over 20 years experience working as a general manager, producer, programmer and arts consultant with Ireland’s leading companies and theatre artists, including Dublin Theatre Festival, The Ark, Barabbas, Druid Theatre Company, Hot For Theatre, and Irish Modern Dance Theatre. She is currently Chair of NCFA the National Campaign For the Arts. Maria is passionate about social justice and was involved with Waking The Feminists In Irish Theatre in 2015. In 2017 Maria travelled twice to the island of Chios in Greece to volunteer with refugee support group CESRT. Maria Fleming is a board member of the Irish Cancer Society and works with them as a volunteer Advocacy Champion.

Brian Maguire 

Born in 1951 in Bray, Brian Maguire studied at Dún Laoghaire technical school and then at NCAD, graduating in 1974. Throughout his artistic career, Maguire’s work has emerged from his engagement with people who found themselves marginalized or excluded. The Kerlin Gallery says: “Brian Maguire has approached painting as an act of solidarity. He operates a truly engaged practice, compelled by the raw realities of humanity’s violence against itself, and the potential for justice. Maguire’s pre- occupations draw him to the margins of the art world —alternative space, prisons, women’s shelters, and psychiatric institutions- making shows in traditional gallery and museum spaces something of a rarity.” 

Maguire’s most recent bodies of work directly confront issues of migration, displacement and human dignity in the face of the current global unrest. He works slowly, using photo-graphic sources, searching for that point where illustration ceases and art begins, looking for a single image which tells the whole story”. 

Maguire has shown extensively in Europe and the Americas, most recently at the Museo de Arte de Ciudad Juárez, the Rubin Center for the Visual Arts, the University of Texas at El Paso (September 2019), at the United Nations Headquarters, New York (in 2020), the Rhona Hoffmann Gallery, Chicago (January 2021), and Galerie Christophe Gaillard, Paris. 

A survey of his work in the last 10 years opens on October 3rd 2024 in the Hugh Lane Gallery and runs until 23 March 2025. 

Robbie O’Connor

Robbie O’Connor is a theatre maker from Dublin. He graduated with a B.A (Hons) Degree in Acting from The Lir Academy, Trinity College Dublin in 2015. As a writer he has co-written and contributed to many projects such as Hentown, The Lost O’Casey and REBEL REBEL (ANU). His first solo play GLUE was co-produced by Axis and Rough Magic as part of Dublin Theatre Festival 2021. His second play The Beatitudes is currently in development.

His work as an actor includes: Druid/O’Casey (Druid), Hangmen (Gaiety Theatre / Decadent),The Red Shoes (Gate Theatre), Hammam, Staging the Treaty, Lolling, The Book of Names, The Lost O’Casey, Hentown, PALS, Boys of Foley Street, Laundry & World’s End Lane (ANU), GLUE & Northern Star (Rough Magic / UK tour), REBEL REBEL ( Absolut Fringe Festival / ANU / Fishamble / Show in a bag), Hamlet (Second Age),End of The Road (Fishamble) & All that Fall (Pan Pan). TV & Film includes Cold Case Collins, The Doireann Project & Fair City (RTÉ), Hawks Nest (ANU) TinderFace, (The Lir) All Is By My Side (Element), & Hidden (BBC)

John O’Donnell

John O’Donnell’s work has been published and broadcast widely. Awards include the Irish National Poetry Prize, the Hennessy Awards for Poetry and Fiction, and the RTE Francis McManus Short Story Award. His radio documentary ‘Back To The Rock’ was broadcast on RTE’s Doc on One. A play for radio ‘Rainbow Baby’ was broadcast on RTE Drama on One and won a New York Festival Radio Award.  A Novel Fair 2024 Winner, he has published five poetry collections and one short story collection, Almost The Same Blue (published by Doire Press). A novel ‘Second Skin’ and a new collection of short stories are forthcoming.

This event took place from 1-2pm on Thurs 26th Sept 2024 at the RADE, OLV Building, Cathedral View Court, Dublin 8, D08 PW8Y.

 

Lunchtime Event Thurs 26th Sept 2024 1-2pm celebrating our 2024 IHREC project and 20 years of RADE

Forest Bathing

On June 26, 2024 RADE participants went on an outing to Knocksink wood for a day of forest bathing. This Japanese practice of nature immersion, known to reduce stress and improve immune system, offers benefits for mental and physical well-being. Led by Rosalind of Walk of Leaf, this nature walk involved stopping at several points along the trail for nature immersion activities. As a group, we began by practicing mindfulness breathing techniques. Before the walk, participants were asked to find a loose item on the ground to drop into the flowing river as a symbol of letting go, which was a great way to start off the walk.

Along the trail we witnessed tadpoles, butterflies, and the small beautiful details of nature. We engaged in several activities, outlined below:

  • Loose treasure Participants were tasked with finding a loose treasure on the ground which was wonderful way to connect with nature
  • Think, pair, share The group separated into pairs to share with one another about their favourite tree and then we regrouped to share what our partners said, fostering deeper connections
  • Pen and paper exercise Participants were given a blank piece of paper and pen for them to close their eyes and move the pen to the sound of the surrounding noises. This resulted in a unique art piece in the end
  • Sensory focus We paused to focus on our senses, noticing sounds, smells, and sights of the forest
  • Solo time in nature Participants found their own quiet, secluded areas to sit and just ‘be’ in nature
  • Natural art creation Together we crafted a large natural art piece from loose forest items found in our surroundings

At the end of our walk we concluded with a nice picnic where participants emphasized the sense of relaxation and peace they felt from this experience. Many noted their desire to repeat this outing again. As a special touch, local tea and seeds were gifted to participants from Rosalind. Participants enjoyed a sunny and peaceful outing which fostered relaxation, mindfulness, and time to disconnect.

Thank you to all the participants and Rosalind for making this day memorable.