State of the Arts 1 : Upcoming Events & Exhibitions

YEATS: The Life and Works of William Butler Yeats at National Library of Ireland


Current Exhibitions – National Library Of Ireland

People & Places: Ireland in 19th & 20th Centuries

People & Places: Ireland in 19th & 20th Centuries

Look back through the camera lens at 150 years of life in Ireland in images selected from some of our most popular photographic collections. The National Library of Ireland holds over five million photographs in its collections, creating a unique and fascinating record of life in Ireland. This exhibition showcases 50 of those photographs, revealing the people and places of the island of Ireland from the 1850s to the turn of the 21st century.

Exhibition location: National Photographic Archive, Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, Dublin 2.

Seamus Heaney: Listen Now Again

Enjoy an immersive experience that guides you through Seamus Heaney’s life and work, revealing the internal and external forces that shaped his work. Heaney’s own writing desk is the focal point of an experience that explores his creative process through original manuscripts, as well as letters, unpublished works, diary entries, photographs, personal artefacts and multimedia recordings.

Exhibition location: Bank of Ireland Cultural and Heritage Centre, College Green, Westmoreland Street entrance.

YEATS: The Life and Works of William Butler Yeats

Experience the award-winning exhibition on William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), one of the great writers of the 20th century and a significant influence on modern Irish cultural identity. This exhibition draws on items from the National Library’s Yeats Collection, the largest collections of books, manuscripts and personal items relating to WB Yeats in the world.

Exhibition location: National Library of Ireland, 7/8 Kildare Street.

Entry is free to all exhibitions. Visit www.nli.ie for opening hours.

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The Clock is Ticking on A Matter Of Time at Crawford Art Gallery

Dorothy Cross at A Matter of Time

There are just weeks left for art lovers to pay a visit to A Matter of Time, the critically acclaimed exhibition on the theme of time, running to June 3 in the upper and lower galleries at Crawford Art Gallery, Emmet Place, Cork City. Featuring over 60 works by 25 Irish and international artists, A Matter of Time is an expansive, ambitious and thought-provoking exhibition in which gallery-goers can truly immerse themselves. The artists whose work can be seen at the exhibition – including Dorothy Cross, Kevin Atherton, Joy Gerrard, Sara Baume, Nick Miller, Yinka Shonibare CBE, Gail Ritchie, Phillip Toledano, Rula Halawani and Gary Coyle – all contend with the concept of time in their own unique fashion.

Displayed over two gallery floors, the exhibition alludes to many of the human constructs around time and includes themes of nationhood, post-colonialism, appropriation, memory, health, urbanism, mediation, re-emergence, hope and legacy. A Matter of Time opened in February with a packed preview night, with 15 of the exhibiting artists in attendance. Now, the clock is ticking for gallery-goers who would like to spend a little time getting to know this extraordinary exhibition. If you hurry, you’ll make it in time. Crawford Art Gallery is open seven days a week. For opening hours and more information visit www.crawfordartgallery.ie

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Shadows Of Heritage: Celebrating 30 Years at County Museum, Dundalk

There is a great saying in Irish, ‘Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine’, which translates as ‘people live in each other’s shadows’. As the County Museum, Dundalk celebrates its 30th anniversary, the importance of this ‘seanfhocal’ grows in relevance with every passing day. At first this can be interpreted as a reflection on the strong interconnected nature of people and communities as they seek to live out their lives from day to day. However, from a museum perspective its meaning takes on a greater relevance as it highlights not only the emotional ties between generations, but also captures the nature of how each passing generation’s future is shaped and determined by those who preceded it.

Over the past three decades the County Museum, Dundalk has built a collection of over 80,000 items that reflects this process and presents the historical development of Louth in a way that is immediate and, most importantly, relevant. This is a story documenting the human experience; it is a story steeped in archaeological and mythical lore. It is one about Vikings and colonisation, of industrial boom and bust, and of sporting and artistic accomplishment and disappointment. In short, it is the Irish historical experience in microcosm, it is a story that highlights the aspirations and achievements of our forebears while reflecting on their disappointments and how these combined (and continues) to inspire and motivate those who came after them. As it celebrates its 30th anniversary the museum will celebrate these achievements through exhibition, workshops and lectures over the course of the year.

Admission is free and you can call 042 939 2999 or go to www.visitlouth.ie for more information.

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Sustainability by Design

Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) serves as Ireland’s primary agency for craft and design, dedicated to fostering sustainable growth among designers and makers while advocating for the societal merits of their work. Earlier this month DCCI launched the 2024 Irish Business Design Challenge (IBDC), inviting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability through innovative design and ethical practices. This year’s challenge, boasting a prize fund of over €50,000, seeks businesses that repurpose products, implement eco-friendly processes, enhance efficiency, and address societal and environmental issues through sustainable design. Judged by a panel including fashion designer Róisín Pierce, the IBDC seeks enterprises with sustainability at the core of their products or services.

Rosemary Steen, CEO of DCCI, commented: “It has been hugely inspiring to meet with the businesses that have emerged through this programme and to create a national platform for their endeavours. We are encouraging any medium, small and micro businesses to apply for the awards to help add more value to your business and to be recognised for the hard work you are already doing in the sustainable space.” The total IBDC prize fund is over €50,000 and there are winners and runners up across the three categories. The awardees also stand to gain from expert guidance on integrating sustainable design principles into their business models. For more details and to apply for the Irish Business Design Challenge, visit www.dcci.ie/ibdc.

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Revive Your Hearth: Expert Antique Fireplace Restoration

With more than 25 years of experience in the restoration of period fireplaces, David O’Reilly of Antique Fireplace Restoration is the right man for the job when sourcing or restoring antique fireplaces.

Whether marble or cast iron, stone or slate, there is an abundance of choice in the showroom and David and his team can advise you on choosing suitable inserts, surrounds, and hearths for your chimneypiece. Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian period styles are all provided, and you can view images from previous restoration works and installations on the website.

Visit the showroom on Francis Street, Dublin 8, to view the full collection or see www.irishchimneypieces.com for more.