Song capturing lived-experiences of flooding and climate resilience with St. Eugenes Choir Newtownstewart (BluePrint project)

This audio piece represents one of the creative risk communication outputs co-created within the BluePrint project. Between March and October 2024, socially engaged artist Sara Walmsley worked creatively with flood-affected community representatives in Newtownstewart, Co. Tyrone and Eglinton, Co. Derry-Londonderry exploring their lived-experiences of flooding and need for climate adaptation and resilience. 

In the audio piece, you will hear the melodic, polyphonic harmonies of St. Eugene’s Church choir (Newtownstewart) as they give music to the words of members of their community whose homes were destroyed and lives endangered by flood water. The piece captures the voices of those striving to adapt to our changing climate, those who are responding to the urgency by finding solace, hope, strength and courage in the unending and unsurprising resilience and creativity of our communities. 

The BluePrint project is led by the MaREI Centre, University College Cork, with partners the Playhouse, Derry City and Strabane District Council, and Mayo County Council. The BluePrint project is a recipient of the Creative Climate Action fund, an initiative from the Creative Ireland Programme. It is funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. 

Find out more: https://www.marei.ie/project/blueprint/