West Cork Arts Centre Illustrated Talk with artist Helle Helsner and Irish immigration historian Dr. James Walsh

 

Illustrated Talk - Saturday 8 June at 12 noon The Women of Allihies by Helle Helsner and Lessons from the Pauper Graves: The Lost Irish of Leadville, Colorado and an Immigrant Deathtrap at 10,200 Feet. by James Walsh   Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre is delighted to welcome Dr. James Walsh to discuss his research into the lives of Irish immigrants in Leadville, especially the miners, many of whom were connected to the copper mines of Allihies, and the construction of a public sculpture in their memory.   This presentation will be preceded by an illustrated talk by artist Helle Helsner, whose current work explores the lives of the women of the 19th and 20th century mining community of Allihies.   The talk is followed by an invitation to visit Helle’s studio at the Still Mill, Skibbereen to see an exhibition of her research practice and artwork, open until 5pm. Eircode P18DY75   James Walsh is an Associate Professor in the Political Science Dept. at the University of Colorado Denver, where he has taught for the past 27 years, specialising in Labor, Immigration and the Irish Diaspora in early Colorado. Walsh is co-author of Irish Denver and author of Michael Mooney and the Leadville Irish: Resistance and Respectability at 10,200 Feet. Walsh's 22 years of research into the lives of Irish immigrants in Leadville, Colorado led to the construction of the Leadville Irish Memorial, which was recently unveiled in Leadville's Evergreen Cemetery.   Helle Helsner is an artist based in West Cork with an interest in ancient bronze casting technology and material culture. She is also a lecturer in Crawford College of Art and Design and currently undertaking a PhD through Burren College of Art on an MTU Staff Scholarship investigating materiality, landscape and social politics in connection with material extraction. Helle has exhibited locally, nationally, and internationally, with works in private and public collections including the Danish State Collection, the RTE collection and the OPW collection. A recent collaboration was an exhibition in Healy House, Leadville, Colorado with Dr James Walsh and his students, 2023. Image above: Helle Helsner, Untitled, 2024 Image below: Evergreen Cemetery , Leadville, Colorado