County Wicklow: Arts

Lying south of Dublin on the east coast of Ireland in the province of Leinster, County Wicklow (Cill Mhantáin) has a population of 114,676 and is named after the town of Wicklow, although its largest centre is now Bray. County Wicklow is known as 'the last county' from the fact it was the last one in Ireland to be formed, in 1605.

Famous Artists

Famous Irish artists born in, or associated with, Wicklow include: George Campbell, (Still Life and Landscape Artist); Lilian Lucy Davidson, (Landscape, Portrait and Genre Painter); Richard Kingston, (Landscape, Still Life and Flower Painter); Brian Maguire, (Expressionist Painter); Rasher (Mark Kavanagh) (Contemporary Figurative and Still Life Painter); Camille Souter, (Landscape Artist); Michael Cullen, (Modern Artist); Damien Flood, (Contemporary Pop Artist); Brian Henderson, (Contemporary Abstract Artist); John Jobson, (Painter and Sculptor); Cecil King, (Abstract Artist); Eoin O'Connor, (Contemporary Abstract Painter); Laurence O'Toole, (Contemporary Figurative Painter, Landscape Artist); Stanley Pettigrew, (Landscape Artist and Illustrator); Yann Renard-Goulet, (Sculptor); Liam Treacy, (Impressionist Style Still Life and Landscape Painter); Mabel Young, (Landscape Artist).

Mountain Sheep, by Wicklow artist
Lilian Lucy Davidson.

Wicklow Art Galleries

Venues and galleries in County wicklow offering quality Irish painting and Irish sculpture, include: Arklow Visual Arts Centre, Arklow (0402-33575); Arklow Fine Art Gallery (040-239-080); Cherrylane Fine Arts, Killincarrig (01-287-5565); Tinahely Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely (0402-38529); Signal Arts Centre, Bray (01-276-2039); Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray (01-272-4030); Brockagh Resource Centre (0404-45611); Aisling Gallery, Wicklow Town (01-281-9112); Downshire House Gallery, Blessington (045-865199); O'Sullivan Bewick Galleries, Enniskerry Village (01-286-2065); River Gallery, Aughrim (0402-36878); The Gallery, Greystones (01-201-7269); Irish School of Landscape Painting, RiverRun Studio, Ashford (0404-42884).

The Edge of The Seat, by Wicklow
artist Rasher, Mark Kavanagh.

Festivals

The county is home to several annual festivals of culture, including:

Wicklow Arts Festival
Held in May, this festival includes visual arts, classical music, dance, drama and popular entertainment for all age groups. Shows are staged throughout Wicklow Town. For details, phone: (0404-67252)

Dunlavin Arts Festival
This festival includes one of Irelands largest craft fairs, together with flower shows, agricultural shows, pet shows, street entertainment and plenty of traditional music. For details, phone: (045-401459)

Greystones Arts Festival
The biggest weekend festival in Wicklow, it incorporates some of Europe's foremost street theatre companies, visual arts, workshops, comedy, music, and a Mardi Gras Parade. For details, phone: (086-83296860)

Bray Jazz Festival
Includes a broad program of contemporary jazz and world music featuring artists from Ireland, the United States, Brazil, Cuba, Iceland, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and Senegal. For details, phone: (01-286-4000)

Siamsa an tSamhraidh, Greystones
Celebrates traditional and contemporary Irish culture, through Irish Arts Performers, Music, Heritage, Dance and Theatre.

Duchas Heritage Week
Includes over 400 events and activities throughout the country from art exhibitions, lectures and music recitals, to pageants, bat watches and art workshops. For details, phone: (01-6472455/6472466)

Figure Silenced, by Wicklow painter
Brian Maguire.

County Arts Projects

Wicklow Arts Office organizes a wide variety of art exhibitions, educational, outreach and community arts activities. Here are two examples of specific cultural projects.

Sculpture in Woodland Education and Outreach Project
Founded in 1994 to help raise awareness of wood as an artistic and functional medium, the project aims to provide artists with the resources and support necessary to create and exhibit works of artistic excellence, while at the same time providing benefits for the community. Incorporates a mobile exhibition, put together by Coillte, Wicklow County Council and professional graphic artist services.

Literary Weekend
This has included readings, workshops and performances, a workshop on screenwriting for Film and Television, as well as workshops in poetry and fiction for adults and children.

• For more about Irish culture, see: Visual Arts in Ireland.
• For more about the cultural heritage of Ireland, see: Irish Art: Visual Arts in Cork.

• How to Update This Mini Review of Art in Wicklow.