But, too often, her voice is ignored…

For Cruinnúi na nÓg 2021 Rua Red worked with internationally renowned performance artist Amanda Coogan and emerging spoken word artist Sasha Terfous alongside four young women from South Dublin County; Katherine Amusan, Aaliyah Mooney, Nancy Ejiofor, and Chinenye Uduchukwu.

In the lead-up to Cruinnúi na nÓg, Amanda Coogan and Sasha Terfous facilitated a number of online workshops with the group of women which explored the emergent themes within the Magdalene Series at Rua Red.

Under the guidance of both artists, they explored the power of spoken word alongside movement; the culmination of which has resulted in a video piece ‘She Said’.

Within the piece, Sasha Terfous performs her fierce and passionate poem ‘Girlhood’ against the choreographed performance featuring Katherine, Aaliyah, Nancy, and Chinenye in costumes created by Amanda Coogan. The costumes relate to Coogan’s exhibition ‘They Come Then, The Birds’ based on the story of the Wrens of the Curragh, a group of women who lived on the margins of society around the military camp at the Curragh, County Kildare, in the mid-nineteenth century.

Too often young women’s voices are ignored and silenced. This project empowers young women’s voices. To have those that have been silenced for many years heard.

The Magdalene Series is generously supported by the Creative Ireland Programme South Dublin, The Arts Council and South Dublin County Council Arts Office.

Performers
Katherine Amusan
Aaliyah Mooney
Nancy Ejiofor
Chinenye Uduchukwu

Artist Facilitators
Amanda Coogan
Sasha Terfous

Poem
‘Girlhood’
Written and Performed by Sasha Terfous