To be Irish at Christmas Gallery: Achill by Linda Brownlee

As a specially commissioned piece for To Be Irish, District Magazine will pair writers up with visual artists to bring together different perspectives on what it means to be Irish at Christmas. 

Our first pairing begins with Yan Ge’s The Seagull, a short letter that was commissioned in response to the themes of family and home. Yan’s piece will be appearing alongside the work of Linda Brownlee, an Irish photographer based in London. 

Both pieces reflect on the passage of time and how we are influenced by the physical landscapes we occupy. Yan reminisces on how her family history has transcended the borders of Ireland, China and the UK- learning something different from each place. In contrast, Brownlee’s protagonists are looking forward. The spectre of emigration looms large. Caught between an expansive sky and a limitless sea, these teenagers contemplate the possibility of futures in faraway lands. 

To read Seagull, the complementary piece of writing by Yan Ge , please click here.

Our collaboration with To Be Irish will culminate with the launch of Homecoming, a short film about Irish people abroad who are unable to return home for Christmas. 

Made in collaboration with James Vincent McMorrow and Gemma Dunleavy, the film premieres at noon on Monday 21 December. To register for the premiere of Homecoming , click here.