Underwave

An underwater exhibition by Bettina Seitz representing successive arrivals to our shores, from Sligo’s earliest settlers through to people contributing to our modern multicultural society. Filming took place daily in Sligo bay and was streamed here and on social media for four days at the beginning of September 2020.

Underwave Day 1

Underwave Day 2

Underwave Day 3

Underwave Day 4

Streamed videos were uploaded daily Tuesday 1 - Friday 4 September.

Underwave Text

First Settlers 

We followed the retreating ice-age

that carved this bay, and melting away 

revealed it.

Slipping by the yawl-full

from sands of Asilah and Larache

onto an Atlantic  

sweetened by melt-waters rained 

a million years ago on Ural slopes 

we have simply drifted 

north for months

on warm new streams and breezes 

seeking refuge, a pristine place,

somewhere history is only fossils in lime-stone,

the only ways are river-ways and stream-ways 

among forests of oak and alder. We will not encroach,

remain on the edge, clear back a small cove, perhaps

circle a few modest stones in the high places

to honour our dead, hallmark the landscape,

maybe that, but nothing more. 

And so, caught in sun shafted tidal amber, 

through birth-brine of prehistory 

the first sallow skinned Formorians 

cautiously struggle ashore.

Malcolm Hamilton

Underwave Audio