The Clare Arts Office in conjunction with Scariff Library Gallery is delighted to present “Vial” an exhibition of art by Marie Connole exploring Ireland’s Revolutionary Years. Since 2021, the Clare artist has been commissioned under the Decade of Centenaries Programme to create artworks highlighting events in Ireland, and particularly Clare, from 1913 to 1923.
This latest exhibition brings together two recent projects completed by the North Clare artist, the Irrepressible Women of Clare Series, first exhibited in 2021, and the An Alchemy of the Civil War, first shown in 2022. Both of these exhibitions were developed from extensive research and a range of historical sources by the artist.
The five portraits of ‘Irrepressible Women of Clare’ focuses on the lives of diverse women living in the county to understand the effects of Ireland’s War of Independence. The women are Georgina Frost, Kathleen Talty, Peg Barrett, Kathleen Griffin and Lady Beatrice Hare O’Brien. ‘An Alchemy of the Civil War’ is a series of watercolour paintings depicting events from the Civil War inside scientific beakers. These delicate, surreal works are inspired by 16th century alchemical illustrations.
The location of the exhibition is particularly relevant and this year the artist has developed new work centred on the Scariff Martyrs, to be launched on September 1. In conjunction with this work, a free public talk will take place in the Scariff Library Gallery on September 14 from 6.30pm.
Historian Dr Tomás Mac Conmara has been invited to discuss his book ‘The Scariff Martyrs: War, Murder and Memory in East Clare’. This will be followed by a tour of the exhibition with the artist Marie Connole.
‘Vial’ adopts a new approach to history so that contemporary audiences may learn and understand historical events from new perspectives. To assist this YouTube videos and Free downloadable Posters entitled ‘Irrepressible Women of Clare’ by Marie Connole are available from Clare Education Centre and Clare County Library History Week websites. Interviews with the artist can be viewed on the Clare Arts Office and Clare Library YouTube Channels under ‘Decade of Centenaries’.
This exhibition is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Community Strand of the Decade of Centenaries Programme.
A separate exhibition by Marie Connole, entitled ‘Dúlamán na Farraige’, is currently on display in the Clare Museum in Ennis. Open everyday and entry is free.
For more information on both exhibitions visit www. marieconnole.com and on Instagram at marieconnole.art.
Andrew Hamilton is a journalist, investigative reporter and blogger who has been working in the media in Ireland for the past 20 years. His areas of special interest include the environment, mental health and politics.