History

WHAT IS TÍR SÁILE?

Tír Sáile - The North Mayo Sculpture Trail is the largest public arts trial ever undertaken in Ireland. The trail originated in 1993, the year of the Mayo 5000, which was a yearlong cultural celebration inspired by the surviving human imprint in earth and stone on the Mayo landscape over fifty centuries. The original trail entailed the installation of fourteen site specific sculptures along the North Mayo Coast, supplemented by an exhibition site at which the work of artists or temporary exhibitions were accommodated. A number of the original works have since been decommissioned (see History for further details), and currently the trail consists of 11 works. (see sites marked with the Tír Sáile logo on the map.)

The North Mayo Sculpture Trail begins in Killala and follows the coastal route through Ballycastle, Belderrig, Belmullet and down to Blacksod. The general idea for the Sculpture Trail had its genesis in the discovery of the most extensive Neolithic site in the world at Céide Fields on the North Mayo Coast. The sculptures were put in place during 1993, the year of the Mayo 5000, which was a year-long cultural celebration inspired by the surviving human imprint in earth and stone on the Mayo landscape over 50 years.

In many ways North Mayo presented the perfect backdrop to an undertaking of the kind. The interwoven tapestry of the physical landscape and cultural heritage combined perfectly to provide inspiration for the artists in the creation of their work. The sculpture have very much added to rather than detracted from their settings. The work was conducted during the course of t three-week sculptural symposium in June 1993.

Dealbhóireacht 5000

Dealbhóireacht 5000 is a consortium of community groups, government agencies and other interested parties, under whose auspices the Tír Sáile project was developed. Dealbhóireacht 5000 comprised Mayo County Council, Moy Valley Resources, Mayo 5000, Meitheal Mhaigheo, Udaras Na Gaeltachta, Sculptor’s Society of Ireland (now Visual Artist Ireland).

Archived Works

The original trail entailed the installation of fourteen site specific sculptures along the North Mayo Coast, supplemented by an exhibition site at which the work of artists, or temporary exhibitions were accommodated. Cullens was a site located 3 km north of Ballina on the Killala road. It was used as a space for temporary exhibitions on the site of the old Culleens National School. The initial exhibition space featured a work titled Hominis Machina by Rory Breslin. Other decommissioned sites include: