Channel Lights

Maura was one of four local creatives who were offered a residency by Sligo Arts Office in 2019. Their residency culminated in an exhibition called ‘Returning’ in the Yeats Building, Sligo.

Maura’s contribution to the ‘Returning’ exhibition was originally to be informed and inspired by creative contacts with older people attending day care centres around County Sligo. The universe had another plan, however, and far from being in regular creative contact, we all had to return to our homes, and to ourselves.

Instead, Maura conducted virtual interviews and began making a song of the sea, closely related to the North Sligo coast where her residency was to be located. She wrote and re-wrote, composed a melody, made a wish list of dream musicians and listened in awe as they gave voice and movement and magic to her song.

Producer, Arranger, Lead Vocalist and Guitar credits are all Ray Coen’s inspired work. Accompanied by Deirdre Correia on harp, Anna Houston on cello, Maria McLoughlin on accordion and Karin Widmer on fidola, and engineered and mixed by Urs Lanz of Doolittle Recording Studio, Ray has produced a very special sound.

Lighters of the Channel Lights
by Maura Gilligan

The waves fling angry spray on high
and from the shifting stones draw sighs
the marram grass is flattened down
towards the east and Sligo town                        

The dusk has darkened into night
and in its shade the curlew’s flight
unseen, is just melodic call
below the low Tráimhéideach wall              

The Pier has long since been submerged
beneath a tide that meets the verge
of windswept Common and Portnabuí,
where salt and sand and water play            

Yet three men leave the Island shore
to light the Channel Lights
no matter that Shrúnamíle roars
and the Point is out of sight

Now they must take the hurricane lamps
all trimmed and ready to light
for the sea bed’s shallow and the channel is narrow
and there’s boats on every tide 

Out on the Blackrock fierce gales pound
This night the Atlantic knows no bounds
It scales the lighthouse walls with ease
And hides the beam of light that saves                              

Each time they cast off from the Pier
Old Dan, Young Dan and Pat,
there’s not a one can know for sure
if they’ll be coming back

Yet still they row out from the shore
in hail and raging seas
to light each perch and buoy once more
Giving skippers and pilots ease

Spoken:  Their dreams hold storm and starlight,
and terror of fog round Oyster’s shore
and moonless nights of dark and calm
when  golden seafire sparked their oars                         

Once three men left the Island shore
that ships might see their way
Now they’re part of Island lore
and tales of Sligo Bay...  
whose  Islanders and Mariners
live on in Memory Harbour.