Ever since 2012, the smallest of the Aran Islands, Inis Oírr, has been host to an extravagant festival known as Drop Everything. It boasts avant-garde elements of performance, visuals, food, music and sound. But what distinguishes it from others is the interaction between the attendees and the local populace, the surrounding landscape, and the fun-filled DJ sets that contribute to its unparalleled atmosphere and reputation. Many well-known creators, such as John Gerrard, Molly Nilsson, Manchán Magan, Lisa Hannigan, among many others, have shared their work at the event since its inception.
The festival in 2022, witnessed culinary delights from Cúán Greene of Ómós, who cooked a delectable seafood boil on the beach for approximately 180 people. In addition, attendees had the opportunity to browse merchandise brought by the Berlin-based Starstyling. With its organic evolution and fluctuating size based on circumstantial factors, Drop Everything has successfully set itself apart from conventional events, staying true to their early adage, “everything is subject to change”.
The event held last weekend was a toned-down version compared to past iterations. Spectators had the time to admire the sunset on the opening night from the comfort of a temporary beach hut, built on the rocks, that doubled as a margarita bar. The following day was filled with various activities, from a reading hour at Drop Everything’s library, to yoga, and even a dip in the sea followed by a sauna session. Highlights included a performance by FAED (Róisín Berkley accompanied by Gemma Dunleavy on the harp), held in a local church, beautifully festooned for a Confirmation ceremony. Towards evening, Sorcha Richardson entertained the audience at Teach an Tae, performing after a feast of arancini and crab claws curated by Cicchetti Snack Bar.
On Sunday, the local handball alley became the main hub, having hosted an impressive show from DJ Alan Schaffer and a striking audio-visual presentation by Pauric Freeman, weaving together a fascinating blend of musical tempos and beats with minimalistic yet incredibly vibrant visuals.
The person propelling Drop Everything forward is Mary Nally from Galway, who splits her time between Inis Oírr and New York City. The reduced scale of this year’s gathering was on account of the large amount of energy utilised at the Venice Biennale modern art display. Previously, Drop Everything commissioned Eimear Walshe’s film, Land Cruiser in 2022. This year, Walshe bore the flag for Ireland at Venice. When the task of organising Ireland’s party at this prestigious international art gathering emerged, Walshe turned to Drop Everything.
“I believe they embody the modern Ireland that I wish to see,” Nally emailed about Walshe after last week’s gathering, “I aimed to foster an event which primarily supported them, and I also aimed for Ireland to surpass expectations on the Biennale party scene. Other nations invest a lot into such events, while Ireland’s approach might not be the same. In my opinion, there is a certain anxiety around the concept of a ‘party’, instead of recognising it as a unique platform to nurture networking and ignite collaboration. A majority of the people I have collaborated with, I met at a party or a club.”
In pulling off that event, Nally attributes the success to the “impressive team”, and also to their collaborator, Iceland at Venice, represented by Hildigunnur Birgisdóttir. The event stood in unity with Palestine, through Dar Jacir, the arts centre, and the Artists + Allies x Hebron exhibit at Venice. Staged in an ancient shipyard, the party hosted performances by Irish harpist Roisín Berkeley, Icelandic artist Mr Silla, Kurdish-Syrian musician Mohammad Syfkhan, and DJ sets by Björk, Byron Yeates and DJ Rupture.
In 2018, Drop Everything unveiled an innovative education scheme, called Do Anything, partnering with local schools. Since then, students from Inis Oírr have showcased their talents at London Fashion Week, working with designer Robyn Lynch. In addition, Drop Everything joined forces with skateboarder and builder Phili Halton from Goblin Magazine, propagating a skate ramp on the island. Transition-year students have also composed and recorded with musicians Sorcha Richardson and Morgana.
The catalyst for the initiative, according to Nally, was a perception that “educational instruction in artistic disciplines is still strictly categorized into art, music or technical sketching.” Nally proceeded to show the students that numerous career prospects exist within the wide spectrum of creative fields, including publishing, lighting design, production, motion graphics, and artistic direction. “Coláiste Ghobnait’s headteacher, Bríd Ní Dhonnacha, has wholeheartedly embraced the scheme from its inception,” states Nally. “In short, we are given carte blanche to overhaul the curriculum for a week, so it’s a privilege to collaborate with an institution that understands the worth of such an endeavour.”
Nally refrains from describing Drop Everything as a “festival” and perceives it more as a transient community, abundant with a potpourri of artists, builders, chefs, and instructors. “Our capabilities extend from engaging an artist to constructing a library or skatepark, and producing a school performance – all simultaneously. Drop Everything’s ethos remains consistent since its initiation, premised on kindness and esteem. Esteem for the locals, the society that we foster, our natural locale, and the living beings we cohabit with.”
In Nally’s future ventures, she intends to devise a blueprint of the education initiative that could be replicated by other societies. Over ten years into the journey of Drop Everything, Nally derives most pride from parental reviews applauding the positive effects of the education model on the youth, particularly regarding self-assuredness and overcoming timidity. Numerous partnerships and artistic endeavours have also taken shape from connections made at Drop Everything. Nally shares: “Numerous individuals confide in me that the weekend getaway paved the way for major life choices, or signified a conclusiveness to challenging periods in their lives… to be told that, in some measure, Drop Everything offered individuals solace, or the necessary relief during specific times, is reassuring evidence that this extravagant pastime potentially holds some worth.”