‘Arts for Connection’ brings creativity and wellbeing to Sacred Heart Hospital

The residents and staff at the Sacred Heart Hospital, Roscommon Town, recently took part in ‘Arts for Connection’, a four-week artist-led creative programme curated by award-winning writer, poet and creative facilitator Amy Abdullah Barry.

The programme brought together poetry, storytelling, visual art, song and live music in a series of gentle, participatory sessions designed to foster wellbeing, encourage meaningful connection, and promote self-expression among residents. Amy collaborated with visual artist Deirdre Hannon, musician Ciaran Harte, and singer Anthony Merrigan.

Reflecting on the project, Amy said: “I am delighted to have had this meaningful opportunity to engage with the residents. Through the creative process, art becomes both a cultural and human experience, affirming each participant's dignity, identity and voice.” Amy Abdullah Barry is an award-winning writer, poet and creative facilitator whose work has been translated into Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Turkish, Irish and Malay. She regularly organises poetry and music events in Athlone, Dublin and Roscommon, and has performed her work throughout Ireland and internationally.

She has facilitated creative writing workshops for Poetry Ireland, the Irish Writers Centre, libraries, hospitals, Athlone Community Radio, Athlone Education Centre, and many other organisations.

Amy continues to receive national recognition for her writing. Her winning poem, ‘The Funk Concert on Rheingau’ won the Subscribers' Poetry Competition 2026 and was published in issue 50 of Southword. The poem will be featured in the Southword Poets segment at the end of an episode of the Southword Poetry Podcast. She was also one of five poets shortlisted for the Strokestown Poetry Festival International Poetry Competition 2026 from almost 700 entries. Amy won the Roscommon New Writing Awards 2025 in the fiction category.

Her debut poetry collection, ‘Flirting with Tigers’, was published by Dedalus Press in 2023, and she is currently working on her second collection.

Colette Carrol, Head Nurse at the Sacred Heart Hospital, praised the project and its impact on residents: “The feedback from the residents was overwhelmingly positive. One resident said, 'I loved it. Is she coming back?' Another simply said, 'It was beautiful.'

“From day one, your connection and engagement with the residents were fantastic. The creativity, colour and conversation gave everyone a wonderful shared experience. We all know how beneficial art and creativity are for older people, helping to maintain cognitive function and mental agility, build friendships, and reduce stress and anxiety. We are deeply grateful for your time, expertise, and for leaving us with a beautiful piece of art and lasting memories.” Amy, who lives in Cornafulla, South Roscommon, extended her sincere thanks to Creative Ireland for the continued support in making the project possible.