If you travel in a straight line from Balbriggan to Shankill the distance is about forty kilometres. These two towns on Dublin’s coastal periphery form the boundary of the county and form the two defining points for my exploration of Dublin’s salty perimeter.
I’ve always lived beside the sea and the sea has always resonated with me, as a child growing up in Shankill and spending summers in Wexford. There is something about the air, the smell, the taste. It gets in your bones. It invigorates you.
I have long stared out the attic window as weather systems move in and out of Dublin Bay, the stacks at Poolbeg the anchor. Dublin can throw up amazing and inspiring natural conditions; changeable light mixed with cloud and tide is a powerful formula. A familiar location is quickly transformed into something distinct and new. A moment never to be repeated. Being present for these moments was the essential factor in the creation of Dublin Salt; staying out longer, getting up earlier, being more patient, and returning more often.
I want Dublin Salt to inspire people to see new possibilities in the Dublin landscape and to see the city and its relationship with the sea in a new light. I feel like I am not finished with Dublin yet, and Dublin is not finished with me. I hope you have enjoyed this journey.
See you in the Salt.
