Dara presents the second of two parts of an in-depth interview with author, artist, and abuse survivor, Aisling Creegan.
Aisling grew up in the 1970s as the youngest child of a large Dublin family, but hers was a harrowing childhood that played out in a chaotic and violent household. Alcoholism, one ailing parent, and the other with severe mental health problems meant the young Aisling was never safe. Her refuge lay in her imagination, her relationship with nature, and her love of art.
In her brilliant and ferociously honest memoir – I Am Someone – Aisling shares her story of survival in the face of extreme adversity and persecution.
In Part 2, Aisling talks about the power of a single person to offer hope to an embattled child. Getting older, she finds herself redefining her relationship with her mother while also negotiating her own sexuality. Discussing her partner, Aisling lays out a definition of intimacy. Dara and Aisling also discuss her art and the significance of horses in her work. They conclude by looking at Aisling’s aspirations for her book, which returns them to the motif of pebbles.
Warning: Some of the subject matter covered in this interview may be triggering. While avoiding anything too explicit or gratuitous, child abuse, both physical and sexual, is part of Aisling’s story.
Aisling’s book – I Am Someone: https://www.gillbooks.ie/stories/stories/i-am-someone
Aisling’s New Irish Art page: https://newirishart.com/irish-artists/aisling-creegan-artist.htm
Relevant Irish services and charities:
https://www.cari.ie/ – therapy provision for victims of childhood sexual abuse
https://www.rcni.ie/ – rape crisis centre
https://www.oneinfour.ie/ – supporting victims of childhood sexual abuse
https://www.belongto.org/ – supporting LGBTI+ young people
https://www.samaritans.org/ireland/samaritans-ireland/ – supporting individuals at risk of extreme duress and suicide