Saturday March 8th, 1.40pm, The Regal Screen 2

Earth Echoes: Capturing Ireland’s Young Voices Through VR is an experimental, interactive project exploring Irish folklore, mythology, environmental preservation, and archival content. Using virtual reality, 3D scanning, drone footage, audio, and digital reconstruction, young creators weave past and present, breathing new life into ancient symbols, sacred places, and Ireland’s ever-changing landscape through immersive storytelling. We invite you to view this film through a VR headset, followed by an insightful Q&A with the filmmakers.

Earth Echoes is an exploratory project led by the First Cut Youth Advisory Council, YAC, in collaboration with visual artist Andrew McSweeney. Developed to explore Ireland’s cultural and environmental narratives, the project experimented with virtual reality (VR) as a storytelling tool. Through workshops and field visits in 2024/25, participants engaged with VR technology, collecting content that culminated in the prototype of a VR film. This project is supported by the Arts Council’s Young Ensembles Scheme.

Building on an introductory workshop about digital tools in filmmaking from the previous year, Earth Echoes is presented at the First Cut! Film Festival on March 8th 2025. Participants began by developing ideas for how VR could bring their concepts to life. Through brainstorming and practical sessions, they explored themes linked to environmental issues and cultural stories, considering how VR’s immersive qualities could enhance audience engagement. All participants had the opportunity to experiment with various aspects of the project, whether filming with a 360-degree camera, editing footage, or designing the VR experience.

Andrew McSweeney holds a BA in Fine Art from MTU Crawford College of Art & Design (2015) and an MA in Design from the Limerick School of Art & Design (2021). His recent projects include exhibiting work at 9.57 (SUNSET) – Cork Midsummer Festival at the Triskel Arts Centre (June 2024) and presenting Green World, an interactive augmented reality application – Earth Rising: Eco Festival at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (September 2024). His most recent work was featured in a solo exhibition at Studio 12, Wandesford Quay, Cork (February 2025).