SpiritStore Packet & Tripe
|
SpirtStore Packet & Tripe was created in response to conversations with ev+a 2010, MATTERS curator, Elizabeth Hatz, (Swedish architect and academic) e+va is Ireland’s Biennial of Contemporary Art.
SpiritStore chose to explore food as civic exchange – employing the conventions of domestic, ritualized, convivial, traditional food production and consumption as the intersection of art, labor, economics, and the production of social experiences. SpiritStore create a Packet & Tripe cafe for the opening of ev+a 2010, in collaboration with Teaspach Theatre Company by serving the traditional Limerick dish, Packet and Tripe on Catherine Street while playwright Mike Finn read an excerpt from his play 'Pigtown' which draws on history of Limerick's city centre meat factories. Packet & Tripe This traditional meat dish made from sheeps stomach lining (tripe) and a blood sausage (packet) was often, but not always, cooked by the men in the family and was reknowned for its pungent smell while being cooked. Often one household on a street cooked the dish for the entire street, taking it in turns as the weeks passed. The logic was to save the occupants from enduring the smell that permiated the house on Packet and Tripe day. In the absense of the Limerick City Gallery due to renovations, ev+a 2010 found a home on Catherine Street. The three story building that housed the majority of exhibits had large glass windows which looked down on buildings that at one time were the busy city abattoirs. Historically the street surrounding Catherine Street were called Pigtown. Meat production, distribution and its economic impact on Limerick working families was integral to Limerick city life. Blood was said to run freely down the streets, the meat was exported as far as Japan. Packet and Tripe, a recipe unique to Limerick was reproduced for ev+a in consultation with Limerick families and butchers. Our research led us to the senior ladies of inner city St Marys parish, who regularly bought and cooked the produce. Here we met Kay Davis of St Marys community group, an expert on the dish who is locally known as 'Mrs Packet and Tripe' - to see her tell recipe, go to this short excerpt from a film which was screened at ev+a 2010. s Acknowledgements
Special acknowledgement to Mike Finn who agreed to read an exerpt from his play 'Pigtown' to the Packet and Tripe gathering. Also ev+a 2010, Teaspach Theatre Company – logistics and coordination, Rod Gallavin – Packet and Tripe Chef, French’s Café - kitchen, Flannery’s bar – equipment, Fine Wines wine sponsor, Pat Franklin cobbler - PR, Burkes bar – equipment, Faber Studios –location, Frankies – Frank Glynn’s Butchers – research and inspiration, O’ Connell Butchers – meat sponsor, Conway’s Butchers – research, Bean an Ti – bread sponsor, St. Mary’s Park Social Group and 55 House, Senior Citizens Social Group interviewees, John Tarpey graphics, Mike Finn – author ‘Pigtown’, Darren Ryan – photography and film research, Anita McGrath – film research, Neville Gawley – additional photography, Mathew Gidney – tech support and film editing. |
|
