Bag Of Excuses
‘Bag of Excuses’ is a multi-media installation inspired by source material obtained from the BBC Sounds Assume Nothing podcast Femicide:Eight Steps to Stop a Murder and this current iteration of the collaborative work between Halligan and O’Neill-Nicholl includes workshops aimed at young women, young men and older women. Halligan, a theatre maker, specialising in devised theatre and O’Neill-Nicholl, a sound installation artist with a research based practice have created a multi-media installation following their exploration of the research around femicide by Professor Jane Monckton-Smith.
Amadan Ensemble presents a new interdisciplinary exhibition and programme of tailored workshops ‘Bag of Excuses’ by Gemma Mae Halligan and Sinead O’Neill-Nicholl.
Prof Jane Monckton Smith’s research outlined eight stages that lead to virtually all instances of intimate partner homicide. The podcast series examines these stages through the cases of eight Irish women murdered by men who claimed to love them. Monckton Smith’s research is devastating and proves that femicide is largely preventable, if only we understood it more and believed the mythology of men killing women a little less. The installation and workshops aim to share Monkton-Smith’s research and improve understanding of violence against women and girls.
The exhibition and workshops have been presented at PSsquared (Paragon Studios Project Space) as part of the Imagine Festival, March 2026 and contains sound, video imagery and textiles. Workshop were also created to accompany the installation, more details available here.
Please be aware that this installation deals with themes of violence and murder against women and girls.
This exhibition and workshop programme has been supported by Belfast City Council and Arts Council NI.