Out of Place
Hugh Heffernan and Laya Meabhdh Kenny

The subject of this work is a small music scene composed of individuals who share Limerick City as a place to work, play, and live. Some of these artists thrive in dive bars, others set their sights overseas. While goals may differ, they all share a deep-rooted connection with the city and spaces they alter through their art.

Local music scenes have always been volatile. From global economic shifts to the all-too-familiar news of a venue closure, these communities are vulnerable to factors beyond their control. We don’t know what venues will be open in the future or which artists will still be performing or who will be in attendance. What happens next could be better or it could be worse. The only guarantee is that it will be different.

This is a book about artists doing something meaningful in an environment often indifferent to their existence. You could call this a testament to perseverance in a state of emergency, but in reality their drive is not defined by some new disease or disaster. This is how artists work, whether in the context of Covid-19 or during any other point in history. Their struggle continues.

The images in this book account for little more than one second caught over the span of three years. This is a pinhole view capturing a passing moment. The story is neither polished or neat, it is rough and taped together at the seams, fragmented and utterly incomplete.

Created with a DIY spirit, this is both a celebration of collective expression and condemnation of the privatisation of urban space.

Photography and essays by Hugh Heffernan and Laya Meabhdh Kenny. Illustrations by Hugh Heffernan, Laya Meabhdh Kenny and Graham Patterson. ¹

Hugh Heffernan is an Irish designer. He has a background in brand development and packaging design, bringing a passion for storytelling, typography and strategic design systems to every project he undertakes. ²

Laya Meabhdh Kenny is a film photographer from Limerick City. ³