There is a rich history of art in Ireland. The oldest engravings can be found on the tombs in the Boyne Valley. All manner of decorative work, often in precious metals, can be found from the bronze and iron ages. With the conversion of Ireland to Christianity came beautifil illuminated manuscripts like the Book of Kells and a continuing metalwork tradition incorporating Romanesque and Viking styles. Their is a great variety of stone carving work from High Crosses to the bizarre Sheila-na-gigs, opening their legs to scare off the Devil. A smaller amount of woodcarving survives. St Mary's Cathedral in Limerick has the only surviving misericords in the country.

 

Irish painting takes off in the 17th century and art education in the 18th century with the founding of drawing schools in Dublin. Irish art followed continental and British models. The 19th century saw the first moves towards a distinctly Irish contemporary art and the Irish Impressionists finally created an truly Irish style. From Walter Osbourne despicting rural and urban life to Jack Butler Years from Sligo and Paul Henry from Belfast, who was to home his style in the wild landscape of Connemara. Modern styles have been slower to reach Ireland than many places, probably because of all that inspiration in the landscape. See the links at the bottom of this page for access to websites of working artists.

 

The age of building grand houses in town and country in the 18th and 19th centuries saw a blossoming of the applied arts: Stuccowork, metalwork, statuary and stained glass. Glasswork and silverware also flourished into to fill the houses. The last and largest scale art was of course that of the landscape gardener. See information on historic buildings where the arts are usually to the fore on the A 5000 Year History to Explore page.

 

The rejection of modernism by Irish male artists in the early 20th century left the way open for women. The An Túr Gloine school for stained glass was founded by painter Sarah Purser. In 1944 Louis Le Brocquay, Norah Mc Guinness, Evie Hone and Mainie Jelliet founded the Irish Exhibition of Living Art to give a platform for Modernists work rejected by the more conservative Royal Hiberian Academy's annual exhibitions. There is a flourishing school of sculprors today with many open air works being commissioned.

 

In the  1950's a school of naive artists was born on Tory Island off the coast of County Donegal. The English painter Derrick Hill was painting on the Island. Local man James Dixon took a look at his work and said 'I can do that' and he did, with other islanders taking up brushes as well. They are still doing it.

 

 

As for almost everything else Dublin is the best place for Galleries, from The National Gallery on Merrion Square to the Irish Museum of Modern Art near Heuston Station.Other interesting Galleries include the Crawford Municipal Art Gallery in Cork City with historic and contemporary work and the Model Arts and Niland Gallery in Sligo with its principle draw, the paintings of Jack Yeats, brother to poet WB Yeats. In recent years Arts Centres have opened in many towns across Ireland with galleries for displaying work by local and national artists.

 

Triskel Art Centre Cork City

 

 

Ireland has a vibrant contemporary painting scene. Landscape painting is ever thrives as ever. You can walk into shop front galleries up and down the West Coast of Ireland and view the work of leading artists. The best places include Kenmare, Dingle and Westport. There is a concentration of artists working on the Beara Penisula where they are drawn the extraordinary beauty and the relative peace and quiet. The roving art hunter should always look out for signs pointing down lanes of the main routes. Many artists, from painters to sculptors and potters exhibit and sell in their own houses. They wouldn't put the signs up if they didn't want people to visit.

 

 

The Murals of Belfast and Derry certainly come into this category, and quite apart from their political messages there is no doubting the genuine artistic merit of many of them. Dublin has plenty of modern street and park sculpture, and many interesting pieces can be found by the roadside around Ireland. Visit the pyramidal sculptures at Sneem on the Ring of Kerry, or the sculpture trail in north west Mayo which has a comic side to it. I mean, does Mayo really need concrete sheep to go with the real ones?

 

 

 

Irish Artists Links Network access to many working artists web pages

Art on Browse Ireland - another portal to art sites

 

 

Bogside Artists  Mural painters of Derry City

Achill 24/7 All kinds of art from Achill Island

Tim Goulding  Paintings, Phiolosophy. Methodology from a contemporary Irish Master