Thomas is Musical Director and co-founder of Maracatu Ilha Brilhante (Maracatu of the Shining Island) is Ireland’s national percussion and dance ensemble specialising in the beautiful songs and powerful rhythms from Pernambuco, Brazil.

Using Afro-Brazilian roots traditions, the group focus on the delivery of both the energy and spirit of the Maracatu cultural expression including song, rhythm and dance.

The groups social model forges cultural and personal connections with members of the Brazilian communities that are the well spring for this form of communal artistic expression and those who enjoy this form internationally.

Founded in 2010, Maracatu ilha Brilhante acts as a conduit for many experienced percussionists, singers, musicians and dancers to express themselves whilst retains a strong emphasis is placed in mutual support, care and ongoing quest for excellence in performance. This replicates the strong communal base of this type of cultural expression in Recife in the North East of Brazil

In 2015 the group formalised its affiliation with Nação do Maracatu Leão da Campina in Brazil that acts as its Patron and recognises it’s status as advocates for the culture.

www.maracatuireland.ie

2004 Bronze, Wicklow Granite, 6.5m x 4.25m

Location: Sackville Place (Off O’Connell Street) Dublin City Centre, Ireland

This Memorial Sculpture was originally commissioned to Commemorate the lives of three innocent bus workers (Tommy Duffy, George Bradshaw and Thomas Douglas) murdered in Bombings in Dublin on December 1st 1972 and 20th January 1973 respectively.

The work depicts a strewn bouquet of flowers within the fabric of the path 13 paving slabs and a dedication plaque. the flowers allude to the ‘fallen’ victims of the bombings and include Forget-me-nots, Lilies, Roses and Thistles.

The Commemorative sculpture was a joint commission by Dublin City Council and C.I.E. The work, was brought to fruition through a facilitation process and discussion with other family members and the artist. A long term engagement with the human rights group ‘ Justice for the Forgotten’ led to personal exchange of emotion and personal histories that informed the work.

It was produced at Leitrim Sculpture Centre, Manorhamilton

NOTE: The sculpture was lifted for maintainence in 2018 and returned to its’s site in November of 2019

Sculptural Works responding to Residency at Cill Rialaig, Balinskelligs, Co Kerry.
Works were basd on natural, found objects ‘disrupted’ through the artists intervention.