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Michael McLoughlin’s projects in Ballymun have
seen many developments and departures since
2005. Commissioned under the Collaborative
Commissions strand in 2005, Michael has been
working extensively with the residents of
St. Margaret’s halting site since that time.
The initial stages of Michael’s research
saw him develop a body of work made
out of a series of conversations and
interviews with the residents, charting
stories of their travels and movements in
to and out of Ballymun. This work
resulted in a series of visual and audio
works which launched at the Lab gallery
in Dublin city centre in late 2006. This
work was expanded along the way to
include stories from people across
Ballymun, highlighting the movement
and relocation of people across this
changing suburb of Dublin.
A second aspect of this project was the
planned creation of a mural work - a
series of digital prints on aluminium - on
the entrance to the site at St. Margaret’s.
However, so successful was Michael’s
work at the site, the residents were
inspired to create their own work and
Michael assisted in creating and
installing the resident’s large format work
at the entrance to the site. Reflecting the residents own interests, this religious
themed work served to remind us that
the strength of faith within this
community is still strong and potent.
Adapting to the changing site at St.
Margaret’s, Michael’s original mural work,
Welcome Back, being installed Spring 2009, at an alternative entrance
to the site on St. Margaret’s Road in
October 2008, literally acting as a
welcome sign to people moving between
the halting site and the new houses
established as part of the regeneration.
The changing aspects to Michael’s
project illustrate the potential of
contemporary art to be a force of
inspiration and benefit to the wider
community, while remaining true to the
artist’s vision and the spirit of
contemporary art at the same time - and
proof once again of the potential of
contemporary art in society.
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