The Asteroid and the Plastic Bottle

Guest Lecture by Julian Friars, Artist

Julian Friers, Artist, presents a guest lecture as part of the Civic Lecture Series.

The concept of ‘home’ is something that we take very seriously here. We identify ourselves by where we come from, where we live. We are easy in our own environment and give little thought to the other creatures with which we share it.

Palaeontology has shown evidence of a fascinating list of animals that once made Ireland their home but have since disappeared. Many more have gone in historic times, and more species are on, what seems to be, an inexorable path to extinction. Catastrophic natural events have caused mass extinctions in the past. Today its anthropogenic climate change, pollution, and an increase in human population - its us. Paintings of the animals that have left us create a landscape for our imagination, an image of Ireland in another time, a picture of home.