While in a research residency at the Curfew Tower in Cushendall Northern Ireland, we created, from the available materials, a beta-version of a board game of a double purpose. The game serves both as a pass-time and as a story-telling generator and collector. In its final version, the game would include an embedded recording device to actually store the stories told.

Idlers & Rioters were the original target group of the Curfew Tower. It was built as part of a bigger project of its builder — to bring prosperity and civilise the small coastal town of Cushendall. The tower included a prison cell in which idlers  and rioters were occasionally put. Today, being an artist residence, we would like to believe its main occupants are still idlers and rioters.

During our stay in the Tower we could witness the major place that tales and story-telling still occupies in the region. Ordinary events, anecdotes and opinion seem to be instantly amplified and mythified in the words of the people. With the Idlers & Rioters game we put this local talent into action.