Open Call for Farm Walks

Leitrim County Council and The Dock are working with artists and farmers to host six creative Farm Walks in 2024. The project is co-created with The Leitrim Sustainable Agriculture Group and the Ulster Wildlife Farmers’ Group in Fermanagh and funded through the Creative Ireland Shared Island Programme.

Each Farm Walk will feature a talk by an invited artist whose work resonates with that farm, its creative potential, heritage or other special characteristics. Through the Farm Walks, the partners aim to build further capacity for cross-border cooperation, to highlight common farming and environmental interests, to showcase the common themes of biodiversity, farming in harmony with nature, water quality, and climate action, and to explore the common ground between farmers and artists.

Expressions of interest

Leitrim County Council and The Dock are now seeking expressions of interest from other interested artists whose work resonates with the overall project, or with the ethos of a specific farm, to attend one or more Farm Walks. To support attendance, we can cover costs up to a maximum of €250 per visit.

While this is intended to benefit an artist's research practice generally, project partners plan to develop further opportunities where artists can apply to work with farmers in Leitrim and Fermanagh to make or co-create new work. Further details on each Farm Walk, the characteristics of the farms involved, and the invited artists presenting will be available shortly.

Given the duration of the project, requests to attend Farm Walks and decisions on support will be assessed on a rolling basis. If you are a professional artist who would like to attend one or more of the Farm Walks, please apply through the online form here.

Farm Walks schedule

Yvonne Browne & Michael McManus, Spa Cottage Organic Farm, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim
Both organic and nature-friendly, Spa Cottage Farm has a sulphur well that is historically renowned for its healing properties. We will explore the Spa Well, its historic links to medicinal healing and its current role in farm enterprise diversification.

Frank Whitney & John Flynn, Leitrim Village, Co. Leitrim
These two farms border the River Shannon and are steeped in history and heritage with the 12th century Portsham Castle, an ancient orchard, the old main road from Carrick to Manorhamilton and a unique ancient spring well on the banks of the river.

Patrick McGurn, Boa Island, Co. Fermanagh
Located on the northern shores of Lough Erne, this farm is managed for its species rich wet grasslands, hayfields and rich variety of wildflowers. Breeding waders, including curlews, are frequent visitors to the farm. The farmwalk will include a demonstration of how clay from the farm is used for producing ceramics.

Carol & Gavin Durkin, Ballinaglera, Co. Leitrim
A biodiverse-rich cattle and sheep farm with wildflower meadows and an apiary. This is a hub for social farming and highlights the farm's potential for community building and wellbeing.

Aidan McGovern, Marlbank, Marble Arch, Co. Fermanagh
Located in the Killykeeghan Nature Reserve, this liminal space hosts the meeting of heather upland heath, rush grasslands, peatlands and areas of calcareous limestone. Swally holes on the land lead to the Marble Arch Caves located below. Sheep are kept traditionally amongst clusters of hawthorn trees on this mountainside farm.

Trevor Irwin, Boho, Co. Fermanagh
This walk will focus on hedgerows, their management, the history and heritage that surrounds them and their importance for supporting biodiversity and providing shelter and wildlife corridors. It will include demonstrations on coppicing and hedge laying.