Saturday 17 June 2017
Send-off celebration | 10.30am
Walk | 11am-6pm
Meeting point: RUA RED - South Dublin Arts Centre, Tallaght

Rock to the Top is inspired by Oisín i dTír na n-Óg, who lifted a boulder up the mountains near Tallaght. This public art project by Ciarán Taylor begins on 17 June, and invites the people of South Dublin to take up the challenge of recreating Oisín’s mythic feat, by shifting a boulder from Tallaght to Kippure by hand and on foot! Participants will carry small rocks chipped from a granite boulder placed at RUA RED, Tallaght, and carry them along the Dublin Mountain Way to make a cairn at the top of the mountains.

On Saturday 17 June any interested walkers are invited to come on a trailblazing walk to set the route. The send-off celebration begins at 10.30am at the boulder sited at RUA RED (beside Tallaght Luas), with the walkers setting off at 11:00am for a seven hour round trip (including breaks!).

The inauguration marks the beginning of a series of walks in Rock to the Top. As part of the ceremony, local storytellers, musicians and dancers from Glenasmole will perform. Anyone coming to the send off is encouraged to walk some of the way. No rocks will be carried on this first walk.

Connecting city with mountains, and people with each other, the project is about walking and talking. On the way you may meet with local experts, or take part in small events to mark the seasons. Stories of the walks will be retold in sound and pictures at the end of the project, which may take a year.

Rock to the Top is commissioned under IN CONTEXT 4 - IN OUR TIME, South Dublin County Council’s Public Art Programme for 2016-2019 under the Per Cent for Art Scheme.

Thanks to RUA RED, Dublin Mountain Partnership Rangers, Wicklow Mountains National Park and Glenasmole Community for their support. 

Check www.incontext4.ie for details of walks as they are announced, or email rocktothetopdublinmountains@gmail.com to register your interest and receive updates.