Terra Firmish is a new musical work commissioned by St Patrick's Festival, written by Sean Mac Erlaine for dance, harp, clarinet, marimba, percussion, and electronics.
The piece is inspired by the history of Teampall Caomhán, a 10th century church on Inis Oírr. For hundreds of years this small church was continuously excavated by its community as it sank deeper into the sandy island. Today it has been secured with brickwork but is significantly lower than its immediate surrounding landscape.
Terra Firmish is a poetic interpretation of this story drawing on the contemporary dance of Emma O'Kane and visual design of Michelle Browne within Mac Erlaine's score which is part elegy and part playful commentary on the increasing absurdity and inevitability of the situation.