As part of a project led by Leitrim Libraries around “Griefs Broken Brow” I have been leading a project called “A Cabinet of Curiosities” with two local schools. As part of my visit to Mohill National School, I met a group of 6th class students. The project was designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and a sense of connection to both personal and shared stories.

We began our session with an introduction to my work and how it connects to the broader themes of storytelling. I explained the importance of telling stories—both our own and of others—and how creativity can help bring these stories to life in new and engaging ways. Whether through words, images, or even objects, there’s something powerful about sharing what matters most to us.

I have a fondness for collecting stories, whether they come from my own experiences or from the things that are important to others. I often ask myself why? Why the fascination of collecting and sharing stories. For the main part it connects us and gives voice to moments, challenges, and our histories. I guess I am very sentimental. They allow us to see the world through different lenses and, in doing so, help us all to understand one another better. BUT there is the beauty, the art, the action of creating and making work that continues to ask questions.

On my visit. to make the ideas more tangible, I brought with me a collection of objects—rocks, pebbles, trinkets, and other small items that I treasure. It did make me think of all of the other objects that I have lost or given away….and where they are now. Each object carried its own story. I invited the students to hold these objects and take a moment to reflect. I asked them to imagine the story behind the object, and how these small things, often overlooked, might hold deep personal meaning.

Next, I asked the students to think about an object that was important to them. Their task was to create an image of that object and then craft a story around it. The results were magical. These young storytellers drew from personal experiences, revealing deep connections to family, friends, and significant moments in their lives.

The stories that emerged from this exercise were incredibly diverse, touching, and full of meaning. For example:

• One student shared a story about a car that transported their family across four countries as they fled Ukraine, ultimately arriving in Ireland. It was a tale of resilience and the importance of the vehicle that symbolised safety and hope.
• Another student described a guitar, an object of passion that they play and share with their family and friends, representing creativity and joy.
• Finally a student who drew their grandparents’ chair, a place filled with memories of their grandparent who had passed away. The chair symbolized love, loss, and the comforting presence of family.

Exploring the Poems of Commemoration

After sharing these reflections, we transitioned to the next part of our workshop: exploring the https://www.poetryascommemoration.ie/category/poems-categories/commissioned-poems/

We took time to dive into the commissioned poems, using Post-it notes to jot down words and images that resonated with us. The students moved around the room, rotating between the poems, leaving their thoughts and connecting their own experiences to the themes they uncovered.

This activity allowed them to engage deeply with the poetry, identifying what was important to them and why certain words or lines held significance or interest.

Designing Our Own Cabinets of Curiosity

We then turned our focus to creating our own Cabinets of Curiosity. We talked about what these historical cabinets represented—collections of objects meant to showcase the wonders of the world. But in our case, we thought about what a cabinet of curiosity would look like in a rural area like Mohill. What objects would be important to us here? What stories would they tell?

The students began sketching ideas for their cabinets. Their designs were as varied and rich as their stories, reflecting the community, their responses to the poems and the objects that mattered most to them.

Finally, we each planned something we would create, make, or build in response to both the poems and the idea of the cabinet of curiosity.

The beginning of our journey through The Cabinet of Curiosity was one filled with discovery and connection. The students’ stories, their reflections on poetry, and their creative designs for their cabinets revealed all kinds of possibilities about storytelling and objects of affection. By tapping into their creativity and exploring the importance of storytelling.

In a world that often moves too fast, this project reminded us all of the power of pausing and taking things slowly, to reflect, and share what is meaningful. The project continues with all kinds of possibilities.

Notes:

In partnership with Poetry Ireland, the Irish Poetry Reading Archive has commissioned ten poets to write a poem in English or Irish on topics, themes and events inspired by primary source materials held in archives across the island relating to the War of Independence and Civil War.

Grief’s Broken Brow is a collection of commemorative poems by ten established and emerging poets accompanied by a suite of three new artworks by James Earley. The poems and artwork were inspired by archival material and artefacts from the War of Independence or the Civil War. Poets featured in the book include Bebe Ashley, Chiamaka Enyi-Amadi, Martina Evans, Seán
Hewitt, Nithy Kasa, Victoria Kennefick, Aifric Mac Aodha, Paul Muldoon, Padraig Regan, and Stephen Sexton. Dr. Lucy Collins provides context for the collection in a foreword while Commandant Daniel Ayiotis, Director of The Military Archives, reflects on the creative use of archives in the afterword. This fine press artist’s book was hand printed by Jamie Murphy at The Salvage Press and bound by Duffy bookbinders in Dublin.

This beautiful publication is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media as Decade of Centenaries Programme 2012-2023. One of the key principles underpinning the Decade of Centenaries Programme is inclusivity and accessibility for all. As such, copies of Grief’s Broken Brow have been gifted to County and City Library services across the island as well as other major repositories as a meaningful and lasting legacy of Poetry as Commemoration. Over the past few months, the Poetry as Commemoration team have had the pleasure of presenting Grief’s Broken Brow to the repositories listed below.