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NIÁMH SMYLIE




COMHLA BHREAC

Comhla bhreac, translating to ‘a fairy entrance on a hillside or ringfort’ is a photographic exploration of landscapes all over Ireland, steeped in myth and legend. Entirely shot on medium-format film and presented within a self-bound publication, this series of images portrays the intangible presence that can be felt in these spaces, an essence of the tale that surrounds these locations.

COMHLA BHREAC - publication

Growing up learning about the history and folklore surrounding Irish landscapes, I found it fascinating how these different worlds co-exist, how we can stand in a space and admire it for what it is, but also how we can open ourselves up to feeling a presence within the land.

This self-bound photobook is the final outcome for my large landscape project that was developed over the eight months of my final year at Glasgow School of Art.

This outcome allowed me to sequence my selected images to create a flowing rhythmic experience for viewers, experiment with design elements and consider materiality and text. This sixty-eight-page publication shares a visual exploration of these popular and lesser-known locations around Ireland, including the Irish and English translations for each location name, exploring the idea of what details are strengthened once we recognise the language of the land.

OGHAM

This publication was created in response to my extended essay submission focusing on Tomm Moore’s interpretation of Irish folklore and heritage in The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea.

Ogham is a sixty-four-page saddle-stitched publication exploring the ancient Celtic alphabet ‘Ogham’. It interprets the alphabet’s alternative title, ‘Celtic Tree Alphabet’ in a contemporary manner, pairing each lino-printed letter with a visual of the tree it represents. I created a range of imagery to represent each tree, including digital images and contact charcoal prints to explore the natural form of the letters.

FAIRY KNOWE


Doon Hill is a location believed to be inhabited by fairies and beings from the Otherworld. Robert Kirk, a local reverend in Aberfoyle in 1685, recorded his sightings and interest in fairies and folk beliefs in the area. Legend has it that after sharing his findings with society, Kirk went missing and was found dead on top of the “fairy hill”. The folktale suggests that Kirk was taken by these creatures and had his soul embedded into the fairy tree at the summit. Kirk’s writing on these beings, “The Secret Commonwealth”, was published almost a century after his death.


Fairy Knowe is a twenty-eight-page self-bound publication exploring the Scottish folktale of Doon Hill. This publication captures the bizarre and mysterious natural forms along the trail and evokes this sense of other beings within the location. Including a combination of medium format, 35mm and digital imagery, this publication offers a visual narrative of Robert Kirk’s fairy sightings in Aberfoyle.

Glasgow School Of Art Degree Show 2025
©NIAMH SMYLIE 2025