Irish artist Marie Connole presents ‘Submerged: Cill Stuifín’, a powerful new body of work at Cultúrlann Sweeney Gallery, Kilkee from 3rd June to 5th July.
Inspired by the legend of Cill Stuifín—a mythical village said to sink beneath the Atlantic waves and reappear every seven years—this series blends folklore, memory, and ecology in a deeply resonant visual meditation.
Connole embraces the boldness of acrylics to explore what lies beneath the visible world. Her large-scale canvases evoke the shifting moods of the Atlantic coast, populated by seaweed, submerged ruins, lost keys, and mythic forms. The series further develops archetypal motifs through drawings and watercolours, grounding the work in familiar local landmarks from Loop Head to the Cliffs of Moher.
Submerged: Cill Stuifin is a reflection on ecological and emotional resilience. Through the lens of myth, Connole addresses contemporary themes—coastal erosion, cultural heritage, and our changing relationship with the natural world. Drawing from Ireland’s rich storytelling tradition, she invites viewers to reflect on what endures beneath the surface.
This exhibition reimagines folklore as both warning and compass—a call to remember, reconnect, and endure.
Artist Bio Marie Connole is an Irish visual artist whose work explores folklore, ecology, and memory through paint, drawing and installation. She has exhibited nationally and internationally, including at the Irish Arts Center in New York, the Royal Ulster Academy, the University of Galway and EVA International. Insta: marieconnole.art