'It's daunting having thousands of people in Cork City staring at you as you walk through the parade' 

Cork Arts Link, where volunteers, refugees and community groups unite to create floats for the city’s St Patrick’s Day parade

Denis Goulding of the Brothers of Charity shares a laugh with Community Art Link facilitator Aaron O’Connor as they practise their performance ahead of the St Patrick’s Day parade at the Blackpool workshop. Pictures: Chani Anderson

“It could be the most daunting thing, having thousands of people in Cork City staring at you as you walk through the parade.” 

Those are the words of Aaron O’Connor, a facilitator with Cork Arts Link — a charity which has existed for more than 30 years, developing collaborative projects with artists and the community.

Led by William Frode de la Foret, it has been heavily involved in the annual St Patrick’s Day parade, and has been preparing for several weeks this year to match the theme of 'Marsh, Myth and Magic' by carrying out workshops involving the likes of Cork Simon, Corlann (formerly known as Brothers of Charity) as well as refugees and asylum seekers. 

Nestled away in a former cinema now turned art space, it sees people from all different walks of life come together and spend time creating and "making things with their hands".

It is filled with various creations from previous events, including a flying car which hangs from the ceiling, masks, colourful costumes on racks, and a sewing station hidden away in a dark corner. 

The stage, which was where movies were previously screened, hosts various other props needed for other events. Those that aren't used are recycled and repurposed. 

Three floats

This year, the group has decided to create three separate floats — a giant heron, a giant frog and an otter — with volunteers transforming themselves into a “caravan of travelling merchants emerging from the depths of the city’s past and future".

“It’s really rewarding, because we work great together. It’s people from such varying backgrounds who come in to work on these pieces,” Mr O’Connor said.

“It’s just so broad, people from the local community. I think for me, the interesting thing is that even though [this otter] was my idea, it’s not mine.

“Because everything on this has been worked on by the group here, by volunteers who come in, so everything in the parade, nobody really has ownership of anything. That’s the community element to it."

Aaron O’Connor, Community Art Link workshop facilitator and artist, at the Blackpool workshop. 

The 33-year-old added the group sees people who have just moved to Cork coming into their workshops to find a sense of community.

“They would come in quite often, people from abroad. Their English might not be the best, which can be challenging, because I myself do not speak another language, but then working around that and finding ways to work together is amazing.

You get people from varying backgrounds, from different countries, from different financial backgrounds, and you see these people melding together.

“We do poke people [who come in here] to maybe join the parade if they are working on stuff, but there is never any pressure to do it.

“But people would be surprised by the end of it; they would have never thought they would have the confidence to walk in the parade. That would be the most daunting thing, I suppose, having thousands of people in Cork City staring at you."

Corlann community facilitators Linda Tyrell and Shaunagh Doyle said working with Cork Arts Link has been fantastic. 

The charity has been working with individuals with intellectual disabilities since 1885, and up to eight people supported by them are always part of the parade. 

“We’ve done some 15 parades so far, including St Patrick’s Day, Midsummer, and the Dragon of Shandon,” they said. 

“Everyone here has been fantastic, and these lads feel so comfortable coming in here. They have created a good relationship, and they’ve learned so many skills as well,” they added.