Farmleigh House in Phoenix Park, Dublin is the venue for the 164th annual exhibition of the Water Colour Society of Ireland from today until September 30. On show at the Cowshed Gallery are works by 120 contemporary Irish artists. The exhibition features more than 200 paintings in watercolour, gouache and pastels as well as drawings and limited edition prints. Here is a small selection:
Western Seaboard by Michael Grogan
Farrier, Smithfield by Patrick Cahill
Island 11 by Holly Somerville
Watchful by Joan Gleeson
A rare Mitchell’s Old Irish Whiskey advertising mirror depicting Lismore Castle will come up at Victor Mee’s advertising and pub memorabilia sale in Co. Cavan on September 19. It is from the Crotty family of Lismore who have held the piece for at least four generations.
A 430 year old table, made from wood from the Spanish Armada, is due up at Adams Country House Collections sale next month. Lord Inchiquin, Conor O’Brien, has made the decision to sell the table with regret. In the autumn of 1588 as many as 27 ships of the Spanish Armada were lost off the Irish coast, two of them were lost off the west Clare coast. After their sinking the timber from the ships started to come ashore. The high sheriff of Clare recovered some of the decorative carvings from the galleon, which were then made into a three metre table. It was at Dromoland Castle in Co. Clare, home of the O’Briens, for 300 years before being removed in the 1960’s to Bunratty Castle, from where it was recently removed. Adams have estimated it at 100,000-200,000.
