'95
When the construction of the maze was almost completed, the group sourced display units for each of the seven spaces within the maze. The spaces contain alcoves that house information relating to each period. The information is provided in specially constructed display units which the visitor can easily access and read. All the units were created together by a company in Kilkenny and were delivered for installation.
When the time came to install each text (two for each space), the relevance of the whole project started to become clear. As the text for each section was laid out on the ground and each text matched with the other, it became obvious that the Aistear was not just a journey through time, but it was a record of the changing spiritual beliefs and ancestral patterns over millennia.
This awareness brought a new focus on the significance of Aistear as a metaphor for journey. It was clear that as one stood at the end of the journey through the maze, one could see the path that had been traversed by those who had gone before. Though perceptions and beliefs were changing, the influences that had inspired and shaped the lives of the ancestors were still apparent. At that stage, the labyrinth had not been created and it was years later, when it was in regular use, that the significance of this important symbol emerged. It was then also that the importance of the maze as a stepping stone in understanding the evolution of spirituality became clear.
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'99
In 1999, though awareness of something new was emerging, the focus was on the completion of the maze and Aistear grounds for the New Millennium. At that stage, the work was five years in progress and continuing. In September 1999, InisCealtra Community Development Ltd. found themselves seriously short of money to pay for the materials going into the construction of the Aistear. After a lot of discussion on how to deal with the issue, the Company decided to invite Clare County Council back to the village and to make a presentation on the state of affairs of the project.
The meeting with Clare County Council
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