Event: Celebrating cultural links between Donegal and Korean island Jeje-do

A unique and very special event celebrating a shared culture of stonemasonry and art it taking place at Donegal Castle this weekend.

A delegation of Korean stonemasons is arriving in Ireland earlier this month as part of  the Irish-Korean Stone Culture Art Exchange, the first project of its kind in Ireland. 

This marked the beginning of a two-week programme of events which includes visits to cultural and heritage sites in Kerry, Cork, Galway, Donegal, Derry, Dublin and Wexford.

The Korean delegation will be welcomed to Donegal Castle on Saturday, September 24 for an event comprising music, performance art, storytelling and a photographic exhibition from 6pm to 7.30pm.

The Korean party hail from Jeju-do, a small volcanic island off the Korean peninsula. They are a talented group of dry stone wallers, sculptors, performers, writers and folk singer, and are accompanied by a Korean film crew.

This project started with a friendship between Donegal dry stone waller Louise Price and Jeju Island waller Hwan Jin Jo.  Over Zoom meetings it grew into a multi-agency effort involving heritage and art professionals in both Korea and Ireland.

They found that there were incredible similarities between the two cultures in terms of their craft, art and outlook on life. 

In a project report prepared by Louise, she quotes the writings of missionary priest Fr Father Patrick Mc Glinchey (1928-2018) who arrived on the island in 1953.

He wrote: “Both islands have strong winds, many stone walls, and a similar shape to their thatched houses. 

“Weddings, funeral ceremonies, and traditions were quite similar to each other.”

Louise’s report tells us that the people of Jeju-do and Ireland are both agrarian islanders.

“Against an historic background of colonial occupation and partition, both peoples have retained informality, sense of humour and hospitality which are at odds with colonial powers,” she said. 

“Jeju-do like Ireland has cultural ancient proverbs regarding their island such as, ‘Wind, stone and woman, but no beggars, thieves or locked gates.’

“The effect of the wind is evident in all areas of life including how the Jeju-do people’s use of stone. The examples are the Jeju-do thatch cottage, which are built behind walls of dry stone. Jeju-do teaches us the wisdom of life through parables of the wind.”

“Fr McGlinchey stated that Jeju-do’s most valuable resources are the people, their music, tradition, and culture. That is what makes Jeju-do different from others.”

More details of this fantastic, unique cultural event and on stonemasonry in Donegal can be found at www.tirchonaillstonefestival.ie