Did I Ever Tell You Publication

Did I Ever Tell You publication is a culmination of a two-year, tri-County Arts and Health Partnership and celebrates three programmes of Art Practice in retirement care and palliative care health settings in Kildare, Offaly and Westmeath. This collaborative piece presents both the informed reflections and essays from the artists in residence, alongside the art created and collated from the participants.

Inspired by John Conway’s print workshops at Naas General Hospital, we leaned into capturing textures from everyday objects, such as paper cups, corrugated cardboard, even a nail brush, for the book’s concept. By engaging with these everyday materials, we discovered new ways to translate the tactile, often overlooked details of daily life into visual and textual form. In this way, we created an art book that offers a slow, attentive space for the essays, poems, and fleeting moments of exchange captured during the residencies, inviting readers to pause, reflect, and notice the quiet textures of the world around them.

By integrating the arts directly into the healthcare environment, the Did I Ever Tell You project has left a lasting legacy of connection and dignity. The impact of its creative engagement goes far beyond the individual sessions - by prioritising active listening, the project ensured that residents felt truly seen, transforming their personal memories into a shared heritage for their families and communities. This journey was equally significant for the practitioners involved. Through the reflective essays featured in the final book, the artists share their insights, and demonstrate that the intersection of creativity and healthcare is a space of deep, mutual growth - one where the listener is as moved as the storyteller. In bridging these two worlds, the project ultimately fosters a more empathetic and connected community.