This year is the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Friends of the National Collections of Ireland in 1924, and the centenary is being celebrated in galleries of art and museums throughout Ireland. In gratitude for the hundreds of works of art and objects of historical importance and purchase grants which the Friends have donated to public collections during the century, they are showing special exhibitions of some of those gifts. For details of these events, see below.
The exhibitions are free and are well worth visiting.
Do try to see as many of them as you can!
| 14 February to December 2024 | Waterford | Waterford County Museum, Dungarvan
Display of some works donated by the FNCI. |
| 14 February – 13 July 2024 | Waterford | Waterford Gallery of Art, 31/32 O’Connell Street
100 Years of the FNCI and Prints and Drawings A show highlighting works donated by the FNCI to the Gallery. |
| 14 February to October 2024 | Waterford | Waterford Museum of Treasures, Bishop’s Palace, Silver Museum, Medieval Museum and Time Museum, The Mall, Viking Centre
Waterford Treasures is captioning twelve objects that were donated/assisted by the FNCI, each one will provide information about FNCI. accompanied by a leaflet which will guide visitors to the twelve items. in four museum buildings: Bishop’s Palace, Silver Museum, Medieval Museum and the Time Museum. |
| 14 February to December 2024 | Wexford | Wexford Arts Centre, Cornmarket
Tours to view works donated by the FNCI on show in Wexford County premises are listed on social media. A feature on their website acknowledges the works donated by the FNCI to mark their centenary. |
| 15 February to 7 April 2024 | Limerick | Limerick City Gallery, Percy Square
Collaborative Exhibition: The show will highlight works donated by the FNCI to both Limerick City Gallery and the Crawford Art Gallery Cork |
| 16 February to December 2024 | Dublin | National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks
Several works donated by the FNCI to the NMI are displayed in a case on the second floor of the West Block galleries (adjacent to the main lift).
|
| 30 March to 12 January 2025 | Dublin | The National Gallery of Ireland, Merrion Square West & Clare Street
Works in the galleries donated by the FNCI will be marked with a label. A feature on the FNCI on the NGI website will have links to the works donated by the FNCI to the NGI. Exhibition: An Túr Gloine: Artists and the Collective .Sarah Purser founded An Túr Gloine and the FNCI.
|
| 14 April to 30 August 2024 | Dublin | Irish Architectural Archive, 45 Merrion Square East
The FNCI at 100, a show featuring gifts and works donated by the FNCI and the path these gifts took to becoming part of the IAA collection. |
| Spring to Autumn 2024 | Cork | Cork Public Museum
Display featuring several silver items donated by the FNCI. |
| 10 July to 5 January 2025 | Dublin | Dublin City Gallery, The Hugh Lane, Parnell Square North
Exhibition entitled MORE POWER TO YOU Sarah Purser: A Force for Irish Art. The exhibition will be. accompanied by a catalogue. |
| 6 July to 7 September 2024 | Drogheda | The Highlanes Gallery. 36 St Laurence Street
FNCI 100 Years – Artists At Work. Highlanes Gallery, Artist-Teacher, Researcher-Curatorial Panel presents an exhibition selected from works donated by the FNCI, along with the work of invited contemporary artists. |
| November-December 2024 | Dublin | The National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street
Items donated by the FNCI will be on display. |
| Autumn 2024 | Belfast | The Ulster Museum, (NMNI) Botanic Gardens
Works donated by the FNCI will form part of the Collections Story on the National Museums NI website. Social media posts featuring the FNCI will also be drawn from the Collections Story. |
| 25 October – 21 December 2024 | Sligo | The Model, The Mall, Sligo
‘Ever Present Celebrating 100 Years of Art’ exhibition |
| November to December 2024 | Kilkenny | The Butler Gallery, Evans Home, St Johns Quay, Kilkenny
A show highlighting works donated by the FNCI. |
| 26 July 2024 | Dublin | The Solomon Gallery, Balfe Street, Dublin 2
A reception in honour of FNCI, from 6 to 8pm on 26 July |
| October to February 2025 | Tipperary | Museum of Hidden Histories, Clonmel
A show highlighting works donated by the FNCI. |
Please Note: The above list is subject to modification as further details become available. We would like to express our thanks to colleagues in museums across the island, north and south for acknowledging the assistance provided by the FNCI to their institutions, together with their generous contribution to the FNCI Centenary Programme
