Artists' residencies in the South Kerry Gaeltacht identify housing challenges and solutions
An inspiring and engaging community event took place in An Dromaid on the evening of January 30th. This gathering brought together community representatives, artists who have been in residence locally, and agencies, including Údarás na Gaeltachta, to identify housing challenges and solutions.
Among the proposals are:
• A South Kerry Gaeltacht housing festival
• The use of local materials, products and labour in construction
• A stronger emphasis on sustainable community-building rather than just on house-building.
Local organisations, such as Comhchoiste Ghaeltacht Uíbh Ráthaigh and Tascfhórsa Uíbh Ráthaigh, have been highlighting the shortage of housing in the locality for many years. This shortage is threatening the long-term viability of the Gaeltacht. At the packed event held in the Dromaid gteic digital hub, artists shared their research findings and recommendations with the public.
Rural housing is a subject of active debate in Kerry and beyond. The housing crisis is a nationwide phenomenon, but there are localised complexities. In Iveragh, the lack of housing for rent and for purchase at affordable rates, the extent of holiday homes and short-term lets, and challenges related to planning permission make it difficult for local people, Irish speakers, and new community members to put down roots. Community-led housing, as one solution, has been the focus of the multi-stakeholder Tascfhórsa Uíbh Ráthaigh (Iveragh Taskforce) since 2019.
Each residency lasted three weeks and took place during the winter of 2024. Artists Síomha Brock, Susan Leen, Emily Fitzell, James Rogers, and Zoë Uí Fhaoláin embedded themselves in Gaeltacht Uíbh Ráthaigh (Iveragh). By using arts-based methodologies and creating imaginative, inspiring, and future-focused spaces, the TOCHAIL residencies succeeded in reframing the rural housing debate.
A community vision emerged from this process. Through the various arts projects, local people said they want to see a model of housing that is more than bricks and mortar; they want to see housing that supports local and community development. Core to this vision of the future is the widespread use of the Irish language and ecological sustainability.
The TOCHAIL residencies underscore the power of creativity in tackling urgent social issues. The innovative approach applied in the Iveragh Gaeltacht offers a replicable model for other communities across the island of Ireland facing similar challenges. As discussions around rural housing continue, policymakers, agencies and community development practitioners are encouraged to engage with this innovative model and explore its potential for broader implementation.
The TOCHAIL arts-based research residencies are a collaboration between Cumas Ceantar (Creative Places) Uíbh Ráthaigh and TASC, the Think-tank for Action on Social Change. Cumas Ceantar Uíbh Ráthaigh, a community-led arts development initiative, is supported by the Arts Council, Ealaín na Gaeltachta, Kerry County Council and other community and regional stakeholders. TASC is an independent think tank dedicated to addressing inequality and sustaining democracy by translating analysis into action.
The research findings will directly inform TASC's People’s Transition project in the Gaeltacht, which explores the development of social and economic interventions to contribute to a more egalitarian climate transition process for the people of Iveragh. The launch of the Uíbh Ráthaigh People’s Transition report is set to take place in April.
According to Róisín Greaney, Climate Justice Researcher and Community Engagement Coordinator at TASC:
“The TOCHAIL residencies explored how socially engaged art can create an enabling environment for place-based and community-led approaches to rural housing within the context of a just transition. At this critical moment of social and ecological change, artsbased interventions help us set aside the constraints of the present and envision a diversity of new and previously unimagined possibilities for the future.”