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SOME of Limerick’s best loved hidden gems are highlighted this week in an online video encouraging creative writers to capture stories within their five kilometre area.
Released this week, the video shines a spotlight on some of the city’s most inspiring spots and promotes the ‘5×5 Project’, a new national campaign by creative writing company Fighting Words.
Among other locations, the video features Mary Conroy’s beloved otter mural under Shannon Bridge and stunning views of wildlife in Westfield Park.
Writers of all ages are asked to take a photo of something in their locality and to compose a piece of creative work about it – incorporating the number five. This might be a poem in five words or five lines, a story in five paragraphs, five objects in the photo that tell a story or a person’s own idea about 5×5.
The short film was made by Limerick-based freelancer, Aedín Ní Thiarnaigh, who works as a volunteer with the creative company;
“The third lockdown has been so tough on people, with the bad weather and the dark evenings that I think this project is a really special opportunity for people to tap into their creative side and to look at their home place with fresh eyes”, the twenty-four year old states.
“I’m blessed to be based in Limerick City right now as so many beautiful things lie tucked away on every street. Finding quirky, inspiring objects to include in the video was easy – even within the five kilometre limit!”
“I also think it’s great that the project is open to people of all ages. It makes it something that parents and children could do together, or an activity for more senior people who mighn’t have tried their hand at creative writing since their school days”.
General Manager of Fighting Words, Sara Bennett, emphasises that it’s up to each individual howthe “five by five” is interpreted; “We are inviting teens and adults to look around them and capture in a photograph what sparks their creativity”
Bennett also hopes that secondary schools in Limerick might incorporate the project into their distance learning strategies; “We have created resource packs for secondary school teachers in English and in Irish and there are photography tips on the website as well”.
Submissions received will be published in a special digital magazine in April 2021 and the closing date for submissions is Friday, 5 February 2021. All details can be found at https://www.fightingwords.ie.
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