This project will work with Care Home settings and Primary Schools to interpret the Pandemic as a new mythology for our times. This is about resilience, how we have adapted and used rituals, humour, and humanity to navigate these dark times, in the way that people always have. Our lives are full of new rituals; cleansing rituals, ways of celebrating, greetings, and new vocabulary; zoom, cocooning, bubble, wet-pub.

The Duchas Collection took place less than 20 years after the Spanish Flu and gave a unique insight into life during that time. There are many parallels between the “Local Cures” section of Duchas and the proliferation of preventative and curative rumours that have circulated, some based in science and some being given credence through seemingly official bases or “Friend of a Friend” chains of communication. The other areas of questioning will be humour, rituals and vocabulary.

From this research an audio-visual piece will be developed by the young artist and composer, Finn Nichol and will be a weaving of these contemporary tales with the older Folklore of Offaly. The song will be developed with and performed by the Birr Young Voices Choir with the support of their Musical Director.   

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.