The Dock is delighted to announce the artists selected for the Farm Walks programme in Leitrim and Fermanagh. The artists are Christine Mackey, Jackie Maguire and Alison Hunter, Anna McGurn, Steph Saidha, Dr. Helen Sharp, and Grace Weir. On his farm in Muckenagh, farmer Bernard Flanagan will be joined by artists Alison Hunter & Jackie Maguire to undertake an action-research residency.
About the artists
Artists Alison Hunter & Jackie Maguire are neighbours and residents of county Sligo. Alison Hunter is a visual artist with a Diploma in Textiles, a BA in Irish Heritage, and works primarily in wool felting and resides on her family farm. Jackie Maguire is a musician, actor, author, early childhood arts lecturer at MU and DCU, Research Associate at TCD, with a degree in Environmental Science & Theatre Studies, a Masters in Equality Studies, a Post Grad in Community Arts Education and lives on approximately one acre of rewilded land.
Both artists are recent graduates of the Professional Diploma in Art & Ecology at NCAD and are interested in exploring the relationship between the human world and the more than human world, in particular the soil ecosystem. On their lands, they have been creating ‘small patches of livability’ for all species through the Hare’s Corner initiative, ACRES scheme, GroundTruth, planting trees, and by not mowing.
In addition, Jackie is a voluntary member of CADRA (Carraroe and District Regeneration Association) who have recently been awarded the Community Biodiversity Action Plan (CBAP) grant through Community Foundation Ireland. The current plan is to work with an ecologist and undertake a biodiversity action plan for Carraroe village, Alison Hunter’s family's farming land, and areas around Lough Gill.
About the farmer
Bernard Flanagan has been farming since 1970 on land that has been in his family for over 200 years. While he previously worked in forestry, a bakery, and as a school caretaker, he is now retired and focuses on breeding ewes. His 43-acre farm, located on Rossmore Point in Lough Melvin, is a designated priority habitat with rare wet grassland plants, making it a site of interest for botanists.
Traditionally, the farm housed suckler cows, sheep, and horses, but today it is managed primarily for sheep farming and biodiversity conservation. The hay meadows are still traditionally managed, though with modern machinery. The land is rich in wildlife, attracting Canadian Geese, White-Fronted Geese, and Whooper Swans, and features species-rich grasslands, wetlands, and woodlands. Bernard has always participated in environmental schemes and takes pride in managing these habitats.
The farm is steeped in history, once a key poitín smuggling site in the 1800s. It contains a derelict famine-era dwelling, an old grotto with Latin inscriptions, and artifacts dating back to 1898. It overlooks McClancy Castle, protected by the Spanish Armada in 1588. The area is rich in monastic history, with visible sites linked to the Four Masters and Inish Temple Church. Fossils, ancient tools, and artifacts have been found on the farm, some of which are now in a museum. Bernard is deeply passionate about preserving both his land’s natural and historical heritage, blending farming with conservation and storytelling.
About Farm Walks
The Farm Walks project (est. 2023) was co-created by Leitrim County Council Arts Office and The Dock, in partnership with The Leitrim Sustainable Agriculture Group and the Ulster Wildlife Farmers’ Group in Fermanagh, funded through the Creative Ireland Shared Island Programme. Through the project, the partners aim to build cross-border cooperation, to explore the common ground between artists and farmers, and to highlight shared farming and environmental interests.