Our House was a project by pupils in 6th Class in Schools in Dublin 8, responding to the housing crisis, an issue which affects many children in their community. This project happened as part of the Inchicore Children’s Braodcasting project which is supported by the Arts Council and was led by Artist Helen Flanagan.

The project involved the pupils working with local housing activists and community workers, CATU (the Community Action Tenants Union) to collect oral history and learn about the reasons the housing crisis was happening and impacting so many children and people in their community and the country. The pupils interviewed Rita Fagan (Community Worker), John Bisset (Community Worker and Housing Activist), Dr. Thomas Coombes (Community Worker), and community activists working in their school including Roz Purcell, Nicky, Helen and others. This oral history became the basis of the project.

Audio Work by children in 6th class in Our Lady of Lourdes National School in collaboration with artists Frank Phelan and Helen Flanagan.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

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Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils worked with artists Jo Hicks and Asbestos to respond to the oral history with print work inspired by Fly Postering and Activism.

Pupils in Inchicore National School worked with artist Megan Scott to make Wheat Paste for the postering.

Strike (The Film)

Pupils in St. James’ National School who worked with the Community Action Tenants Union to learn about housing action and how people can affect social change, community worker Rita Fagan and watched the Rent Strike Film worked with Helen to respond to what they learned with their own film work. Their film portrayed a group of Children who use collective action protest about an injustice.

Pupils in Scoil Damien worked with community development worker and poet Sara Clancy and artists Alec Moore and Helen to respond to the idea of home and community through poetry, objects and sculpture.

Pupils in Inchicore National School and Our Lady of Lourdes worked with Artists Spaceforms to build a sculptural House In IMMA, the Irish Museum of Modern Art. The pupils learned building skills, made furniture and built a house.

Helen worked with pupils in Inchicore NS and Our Lady of Lourdes to make film work responding to what they had learned about how houses get built. The children came up with their own builders company and went through an imagined planning process and building saga. The work was screened on a tv made by the children in the house.

The work and house built by the children was exhibited in IMMA for a week in January 2025. The exhibition was attended by children from all of the participating schools as well as parents, people from the wider school communities and the general public.

The project was supported by the Arts Council.

Our House was directed by led by artist Helen Flanagan in partnership with lead teachers Joanna Rooney and Seth Weir and pupils in 6th Class in Our Lady of Lourdes NS, Inchicore NS, St. Jame’s National School and Scoil Damien. Collaborating artists were Frank Phelan, Asbestos, Jo Hicks, Megan Scott, Alec Moore and Sara Clancy. Contributing community members include CATU, Henrietta Street, Rita Fagan, John Bisset, Dr. Thomas Coombes, Roz Purcell, Helen, Nicky and Kiera.