OFTEN WITH ART, fans become just as interested to read about the place where their favourite album or book was conceived and created. There can be inherent magic in the surrounding site of a studio space that subconsciously seeps into a body of work; often lending a completely unique and sometimes indescribable quality.
In recent months, with the closure of several artist studios and creative spaces – in Dublin specifically – and rising rents adding both a financial and logistical strain, the desire to get out of the city has significantly increased. It’s perhaps no surprise that interest and uptake in artist residencies and retreats have grown, also.
As the Covid-19 pandemic paused every aspect of the arts industry, there was a disconcerting air of uncertainty permeating creative professionals across all disciplines. In spite of this, however, Daithi Ó Drónaí and his partner, Norma Howard opened The Beekeepers, a stunning artist retreat in the heart of Co Clare.
The pause incurred by the pandemic gave Ó Drónaí and Howard – who work in music and film, respectively – time to renovate a beautiful infrastructure that would become the Beekeepers. Nestled in the vast and beautiful landscape of The Burren, the Beekeepers is surrounded by mountains and plush flora that lends a vibrancy during the summer months. The cosy interior design and rustic wooden features of the house create an extremely comforting home-away-from-home setting. Furthermore, the quiet of the area has proven to be a productive environment, as Ó Drónaí told The Journal: “Artists usually stay around a week in the Beekeepers, so they can take their time setting up and relaxing in the space. We also purposely keep the internet slow to discourage guests from even using it!”
Opening an artist retreat had been a dream of Ó Drónaí’s for a number of years, having experienced the benefits of writing and recording music in similar spaces across his career. “I’ve been renting holiday homes in the west to work on music for most of my career, and often imagined opening a space dedicated to artists, without the prohibitive costs of a large studio setup. I had seen a version of it on trips to Iceland, where the government provided simple houses in the wilderness to artists along with their project funding. An idea I had thought about doing 10 years from now was brought forward once our careers paused due to the pandemic.”
The stillness of the area has proven to create a productive environment, Ó Drónaí reveals: “Life moves so fast, from our work schedules to how much information we digest every day. We’ve found that the simple act of slowing down and setting time aside to do a single creative thing for an extended period of time is really appealing to artists right now. Also, the sense of adventure can provide a huge gateway to inspiration for artists.”
Switching off from the noise and relentless pace of city life and adopting the slower ways of The Burren is encouraged during your stay. “Artists usually stay around a week in the Beekeepers. We also purposely keep the internet slow to discourage guests from even using it!” The home, which includes 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and other amenities to unwind after intensive writing or recording sessions, enables individuals and groups staying to appreciate a sort of back-to-basics lifestyle with few distractions to ensure concentrated focus.
Whether you’re a writer working on a novel or a band recording an album, the Beekeepers accommodates creativity in all forms. Since opening its doors in 2020, it has welcomed an incredible array of artists. Ó’Drónaí says, “The Beekeepers is open to all kinds of artists, we’ve had everything from writers to film editors. We’ve had lots of amazing musicians stay, including Saint Sister, Soda Blonde, Peter Broderick, and The Scratch, among others. While we do provide rudimentary recording equipment, most artists bring their own gear which they are very familiar with. We think the main reason we get a lot of musicians visiting is the cost: You can do 3 or 4 days in the Beekeepers for the cost of a single day in many Dublin studios. A music studio is great for recording something very technical or accurate, but if you’re writing lots and have the recording gear yourself, then a week in Beekeepers becomes very appealing.”
Now, almost 3 years in operation, Ó’Drónaí and Howard are seeing the fruits of the many projects developed in the Beekeepers being embraced by audiences. “We were reading a newspaper the other day and noted that 3 out of the 5 Irish albums in the reviews section had been worked on in the Beekeepers. It’s an incredible feeling. There are all kinds of stressful and difficult moments running a place like this, but knowing we’re facilitating artists and seeing the results makes it all worth doing.”
As for the future, Ó’Drónaí is excited to continue facilitating artists a place to focus on their art and perhaps present an opportunity for creative cross-pollination. “We’d love to connect artists that work across different disciplines but would like to share the space and see how it helps their work, and how much they can learn from each other. We love the idea of growing a community around Beekeepers.”
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