Podcast available: Seaweed & Sealing Wax 2

Seaweed & Sealing Wax 2: letters from 1812 with botanical art and poetry

This is a new development for the Festival. A podcast, available in the comfort of your own home, at a time to suit you, today on International Women’s Day 2023 or some time in the future. You can listen to a performance / talk based on Ellen’s letters brought to life by Karen Minihan, focusing on Ellen as both scientist and botanical artist. There are explanations where needed, on the contents and the context, provided in a pleasant and chatty manner by Finola Finlay. The piece is enriched by poetry based on Ellen’s life, written and read by Laura McKenna.

See here for the podcast

The material of this podcast was originally designed as a live event performed in August 2022 in the Ellen Hutchins Festival. The script, devised by performer and writer Karen Minihan and Finola Finlay (Roaringwater Journal), uses Ellen’s correspondence with fellow botanist, Dawson Turner. This professionally recorded, edited version includes Karen reading extracts from Ellen’s correspondence, with context and notes provided by Finola.

The poetry is provided by Laura McKenna, poet and writer, from her body of work inspired by Ellen Hutchins, her botany and her delight in the landscape that surrounded her. The context for Ellen’s life and knowledge of family history is introduced by her great, great grandniece, Madeline Hutchins.

See here for the podcast

This podcast was launched on 9th February 2023 at an Ellen Hutchins Anniversary event at the Ellen Hutchins Building of the Environmental Research Institute of UCC, in Cork City.