Howth event marks Culture Night

LOCAL sound artists Timothy O’Neill and Adrian Hughes transformed Howth Courthouse into an audio-visual art installation for Culture Night (September 18). 

Mr O’Neill and Mr Hughes curated the event to commemorate the history of the Hill of Howth trams. 

When in use, the trams brought visitors to Howth village via the scenic route around the head between 1901 and 1959.

The courthouse, a listed heritage building, provided an ideal backdrop and setting for the artists to project their manipulated super 8 film loops and resonate the walls with a specially commissioned soundscape composed of interviews with the last three remaining Great Northern Railway tram men. 

To enhance the experience, the recordings were underscored with sounds collected along the old tram route.

Mayor of Fingal Cllr David O’Connor officiated while members of the National Transport Museum presented archival moving images of the Hill of Howth trams followed by an informative slide presentation and talk by Jim Kilroy.

Mayor O’Connor said he was very encouraged by the enthusiasm and commitment displayed by the expert speakers, the audio-visual designers and also by the interest and reception from the knowledgeable local audience. 

“The old Howth Courthouse was a great choice of venue by the designers and it never looked better,” he said.

Co-curator Timothy O’Neill presented a selection of recordings that were made along the route and fellow co-curator Adrian Hughes rounded off the evening by giving an educational presentation on Sound Walks. 

The event concluded with a group of 20 people experiencing an audio accompanied walking excursion to the summit 

along a section of the old tram route.