Ancestral Voices – From the Forest to the Ocean Lunchtime Artist Talk + Poetry Reading
Ancestral Voices – From the Forest to the Ocean Lunchtime Artist Talk + Poetry Reading
October 15 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm IST
Artist Mary Moynihan discusses the imagery and stories behind From the Forest to the Ocean and shares a selection of her original poetry
Reflecting on how place, memory and the ancestral voices of those who came before can inspire and shape our lives today. Followed by an audience Q+A.
Book Your Place
Artists
Mary Moynihan, Writer, Poet, Creator of Art and Photography, Artistic Director, Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality, Arts Curator for the annual International Irish Arts and Human Rights festival.
Ciara Hayes, Producer, Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality
Freda Manweiler, Company Manager and Producer, Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality
EM Creative, Graphic Design
Jody Hogg, Graphic Design
Full Event Details
Exhibition Runs: One day only 15 October 11am-5pm
Join us for an engaging artist talk exploring the imagery and stories behind the extraordinary exhibition From the Forest to the Ocean by solo artist Mary Moynihan which is on display at the Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts (RHA) for one day only on 15 October 2026 from 11am to 5pm.
Artist Mary Moynihan discusses the imagery and stories behind From the Forest to the Ocean and shares a selection of her original poetry, reflecting on how place, memory and the ancestral voices of those who came before can inspire and shape our lives today. Followed by an audience Q+A.
Hear the stories embedded within the exhibition and reflections on nature, spirituality and peace. Artist Mary Moynihan shares insights into her creative journey as audiences gain a deeper understanding of how the work evolves and responds to contemporary contexts. This is a unique opportunity to hear directly from the artist, ask questions, and connect with the work on display. Interwoven throughout the talk, the artist presents live readings of her original poetry offering a poetical reflection on nature, spirituality and our shared responsibility to care for one another and the earth.
From the Forest to the Ocean is a multidisciplinary installation drawing inspiration from the physical landscapes and seascapes of nature and the deep interconnectedness of life — from forests to the ocean.
The exhibition is accompanied by online information on EU actions to protect and promote biodiversity, sustainability and climate justice. Supported by A Creative Dialogue on EU Environmental Policy exploring creative approaches to highlighting the EU as a catalyst for Environmental Change. The project brings together policymakers, academics, artists and citizens to explore the role of the European Union in shaping a sustainable future for all and ways in which the EU may foster creative practices for environmental awareness. Supported by the Communicating Europe Initiative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
From the Forest to the Ocean – Background
From the Forest to the Ocean is inspired by reflections on nature; journeys of interconnectedness and the art of ‘letting go’, linking physical landscapes of nature from the forests to the ocean to landscapes of the soul. The original concept for the exhibition From the Forest to the Ocean is by the curator Mary Moynihan, a writer, poet and creator of art and photography. This exhibition is part of a triptych – Landscapes of the Soul (Part I), From the Forest to the Ocean (Part II) and a third exhibition (Part III) to be presented in 2027. Following their successful exhibition in 2024, titled Landscapes of the Soul (Part I) artists Mary Moynihan and Hina Khan were delighted to return to Rathfarnham Castle Gallery in 2024 to present a new multi-disciplinary exhibition titled From the Forest to the Ocean (Landscapes of the Soul Part II) featuring the work of both artists. In 2026 a solo show by Mary Moynihan was presented from March to September at the Smashing Times Visual Art Gallery, 30 Sandycove Road, Dublin and as a one day installation to the RHA on Thursday 15 October 2026.
Speaker Biographies:
Mary Moynihan, MA, she/her, is an award-winning author of novels, poetry, films and plays, from Dublin, Ireland. Mary embarked upon her award-winning career as a writer in theatre and film and has garnered much acclaim for her plays, poetry and short film scripts, and for creating interdisciplinary artworks combining writing and photography presented in galleries and online. She established and became Artistic Director of Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality and is Artistic Curator for the annual Dublin Arts and Human Rights festival. Mary has an honours BA in Drama and Theatre Studies from Trinity College Dublin and an honours Masters in Film Production from TU Dublin.
After raising four children, now adults, Mary dedicated her time to becoming a writer. She writes fiction for young people and adults featuring stories of courage, laughter, tragedy, happiness, love, death and action-packed adventures. Mary pens a series of articles titled Creative Reflections on Arts, Creativity, Leadership and Self-Esteem which appear in the Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality newsletter and on Mary’s website marymoynihan.ie
In her free time Mary loves to spend time with her four adult children and hang out with friends. She swims in the sea all year round. She loves the ocean, sky and moon and has a spiritual connection to the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea, to the environs of Dublin bay and to the mystical landscapes of Valentia Island and the surrounding Iveragh peninsula in County Kerry, her spiritual home. She is a big fan of the Dublin Gaelic football and hurling teams.
Organisations Involved / Partner Organisation(s):
