<p>The cousins finally start on their collaboration at the mystical fairy fort, that Brigit calls <em>‘the original diary room’</em>. It starts raining again. SHANNON is rescued by MALACHY, so she deserts BRIGIT. </p>
<p>BRIGIT takes shelter at Una's B & B. She finds the newly, chain-smoking AGNÉS, sculpting her latest masterpiece: The Madness of Ireland. It's a lopsided stack, fused with dog hair, and not unlike Ireland: broken into two. But where's Una's dog?</p>
<p>SKYE and MALACHY plot to take over the retreat. GUNTER picks up their voices on his hidden stoat cams. He learns of the plans to evict and send the artists to a workhouse dormitory, their artistry algorithmized, the local staff to be replaced so that the first batch of wealthy, art-collector tourists can come for the grand/opening exhibition and thrills. This may be the end of their creative haven. But... GUNTER has a hard time communicating the threat to the other bickering residents. If only OLIVOFF SMIRNOFF the famous, Russian dissident artist were around to help.</p>
<p>At dinner, SHANNON tries to impress SKYE and suggests a star-rating system for artists and unwittingly falls into SKYE's trap.</p>
<p>And what about the ghosts?... Still lurking. </p>
<p>🍀</p>
<p>Outro song: Down By the Sally Gardens</p>
<p><em>Voices: Aoibheann McCann, Andi Ipaktchi, Fred McCloskey, Gavin Morgan, and Helen Gregg. Audio: Yassaman Sarhangi</em></p>
<p><em>RETREAT is an Irish/Irish-American comedy series that depicts artists and writers at an Irish arts residency in a dilapidated manor house. Deceitful corporate sponsorship arrives with a promise to spruce-up the residency in exchange for the artists' detailed audio diaries of their creative process. Six 20-minute episodes, written by the female, comedy duo: Aoibheann McCann and Andi Ipaktchi. RETREAT has a playful look at the commercialization of the arts, genealogy, Irish history, cloning, heritage, ecology, globalization, the life cycle of stoats & the 1%. Season 1 launched in September 2022. It is available for download on audio apps like Spotify, Apple Podcasts and others.</em></p>
