Floating Dialogues

Floating Dialogues was a temporary public artwork and participatory platform designed by artist Seoidin O'Sullivan for Forecast, a county-wide initiative exploring the future of five towns across County Kilkenny.

Installed on the River Barrow in Graiguenamanagh, the modular swimming raft functioned as a space for dialogue, play, and gathering. Anchored within the river, it invited residents and visitors to experience the town from a different perspective while encouraging conversations about the relationship between the river, the built environment, and the future of the town.

Over a weekend in October 2014, the raft became the focal point for a series of public events, including a community raft-building workshop with Graiguenamanagh Scouts Club, a public launch on the River Barrow, a riverside ecology walk led by Mary White of Blackstairs Eco Trails, and a shared autumn feast by the water. Together, these activities fostered new encounters with the landscape and created opportunities for collective reflection and exchange.