Our Domain is a video we created. It is the result of a Dynamic Story Telling Workshop facilitated by Barbara Bergin - playright, actor and director.
It records local people in their own voices reminiscing about their time growing up in St.Teresa's Gardens, combining wonderful memories and some challenging times.
The workshop took place in 2018, but we think it is a lovely piece that may be of interest.
We currently run a range of workshops that are open to the local community. If you check out our services section on the website you can see what we have running at the moment.
Alternatively please feel free to get in touch with us directly.
Through a careful and safe path Barbara guided them down a treasure of memories, some good and some not so good. What resulted is a well-crafted, insightful edited audio piece entitled “Our Domain”.
The piece depicts often heart-warming stories of growing up and living in St. Theresa’s Gardens, the wonderful neighbours, the fun and games, the solidarity that a community, with very little in the way of financial resources, rallied together, looked out for one another with the proverbial key in the door and the kettle always on.
There are also tales of the many challenges faced, including the devastating effects the onset of heroin had in the early eighties and continues to have. Today while the area undergoes a regeneration of sorts, new challenges arise. Problem drug-use has evolved to hit new generations in new ways. With poly-drug use prevalent this new generation choose to get out of it on weed, cocaine and benzos, throw in alcohol, drug-dealing and anti-social behaviours and we see the challenges mount. D.C.D.A.T. are up to meeting those challenges with a range of new and diverse programmes being implemented aimed at reducing the harm to the individuals involved, their families and indeed the wider community.
Throughout the interviews the participants share with us their highs and lows through happy times and sad but overall what we get is the resilience and courage, the laughter and the tears but most of all the beauty of humanity that thrives no matter what the obstacles put in our way.
The slide show that accompanies the audio tape are photographs taken throughout the complex over the last 15 years, by Gerry Balfe Smyth. We are eternally grateful for his permission for us to use these beautiful images.
DCDAT wish to thank Gerry for his wonderful photographs. Barbara Bergin for her skill and technique in bringing this piece to fruition and for her ability to encourage those involved to find their voice.
Most of all we want to thank those who participated in the interviews, who were courageous, funny and honest but most of all generous in sharing with us a slice of their lives growing up in the community they loved, Saint Theresa’s Gardens:
• Rita Fitzgerald
• Siobhan O Neil
• Anthony O Toole
• Michael Darby
• Caroline Fagan
• Sadie Kavanagh