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# Le Déluge

Always windy and rainy weather can be depressing, even more if you are alone. When you open yourself to others then you can look at the chilly weather from a creative perspective and become happier with what you have right now.

In Galway every day is windy and there is rain very often, but we live by the Atlantic Ocean – beautiful area. So, instead of complaining about difficult weather conditions the authors of Hope it rains – SOINEANN NÓ DOINEANN prove that rainy and blowing weather can bring people closer to each other and awake creativity. Since I was sewing hemp from recycled umbrellas during the workshop Umbrella Orphanage, I fallow these ideas.

Building community

Last Sunday at 9 am, together with Wave Makers of Galway 2020 Sita and Maou we had a chance to help in preparing water games. How amazing was to come back to volunteering after a period of isolation. The morning was chilly. On the playground near the beach in the Renmore district, we created sections for the water games. It was for several families that were to appear at this workshop. We carried water in buckets, covered the tables with cheerful clothes, set up the crutches, and checked the water blasters. While waiting for the players, we enjoyed the chats and knowing each other. Sita is from Kathamandu and Maou is from Marseilles, but we are all  Galwegians now.

Le Déluge

Finally, I could meet Ríonach Ní Néill, who is the creator and artistic director of Hope it rains. She puts her whole heart into this project and on Le Déluge which was a part of it.

–The idea for Le Déluge goes all the way back to 2016, when I ran a series of workshops with Pete Casby for children as part of my pilot project for Galway’s bid for European Capital of Culture. I asked the children: how can we use the wind and rain to have fun outdoors in bad weather? They came up with a million brilliant ideas, including lots of proposals for water-fights. So, “Le Déluge” was our answer to their demand.

–       so said Ríonach.  

Keep recycling

There were many reasons for having the challenge of making our own water-blasters instead of buying them. I strongly believe that the creation of art and culture is for all of us, and that we all have plenty enough creativity, imagination and ingenuity to be active participants and not consumers

To make the challenge as accessible to as many people as possible, and not just those who could come on the day, Pete created instructional videos.

Rather than adding to the plastic mountain by buying commercial water-blasters, we wanted people to use materials that were to hand, to find new purposes for them. It’s about being aware of the potential in materials and not taking them at face value. This became even more necessary as Pete was designing and making prototypes during the full lock-down, when most shops were closed.

For example, one family in Wexford made an ‘udder-squirter’ from a rubber glove, elastic bands, and a tomato ketchup cap!

It was great to see the ingenious home-made water-blasters families brought with them. The families now have the tools, and the ideas to hold water-fights in their own neighbourhoods and spread the word.

Also, the flags which we put over the playground has created from recycled umbrellas.

There were collaborated games with Den Butler clown umpire. The family had to work as a team to achieve their task, or best another family. The goal was to get everyone else wetter than oneself.

Catching the wind

Ríonachwas walking around the grassy fields and caught the wind with a big gaping shape shifter – this a part coat, part kite, part something which you can make wind visible. I will write about it more in the next article.

I could discover again how little is needed to be happy and how many joy of community can bring. I was simply happy despite the fact that I was cold from the wind.

I liked it because I met new people and also it was an opportunity to visit a new place in Galway. Plus it was something productive for Sunday morning. And the end our photo session was also memorable.

– so said Sita.

Even if it was pretty quiet I liked to meet new people and share our experience of Ireland and Galway 2020 events. But also sharing our women experiences in Ireland. It was also opportunity to take a part of this community.

–        so said Maou.

After so many months in lock-down, it was so great to finally be sharing our work with the public again! It just felt right, and it’s what made all the hard work reacting to constantly changing restrictions worthwhile. The Wavemaker volunteers give a lot to the projects they support, and it adds so much extra to get to meet and know people from all over the world who now make Galway their home.

–       said Ríonach.

I am looking to forward the next workshop with Hope it rains and the story about the mysterious “wind star”.

What do you think about this post? I will appreciate your feedback!

Thank You!