18/02/2004
Archived item. This item is published here for historical reasons. The information below may be out of date.
Your Excellency the Italian Ambassador Alberto Schepisi, Reverend Trevor Morrow, Councillors, Deputies, Management, Staff of Lucan Library and Guests
Good Evening and Welcome to Lucan Library to the opening of a beautiful exhibition of paintings by local Artist: Gillian Byrne. The title of the Exhibition is "ASPECTS" which will run until the 28th February.
This is my second visit to Lucan during my term, I visited middle of last year when I was first Elected and was very pleased to get the opportunity to see this the newest of our Branch Libraries. Indeed, I was delighted to get an opportunity to come back again, so thank you all.
The exhibition is really magnificent and Gillian has done tremendous work in preparation. Her work includes landscapes & seascapes painted in oils, watercolours and pastels. The paintings are of the West and the East of Ireland and of places of interest in Lucan that I am sure Local people will know and love. This is not Gillian 's first exhibition in the County I understand that her work has previously been displayed both here and at County Hall in Tallaght, I hope that she will continue to exhibit and invite her to include County Hall and our Regional Offices at the Civic Centre Clondalkin in her future plans.
South Dublin County Council celebrates its Tenth year this year and since its inauguration in 1994 has put in place a support programme though our Arts Office. This support includes venues for exhibition space, Arts Bursaries, Community grants for Local Initiatives and this year through the Councils Strategic Policy Committee we hope to approve an Arts Plan for the future development of our role in this area.
A new Arts Centre for the County is planned and will be constructed beside County Hall in Tallaght. The centre will be a state of the art facility which will cater for community arts needs across the county. Estimated to cost approximately €4 million it is the most significant investment in the arts in the county to date. The centre will include space for Tallaght Community Arts Centre Project as well as facilities for other arts practitioners and groups in the County such as music rehearsal space, music tuition, painting, pottery etc. The sharing of arts space among groups will enable more programmes and activities to be made available.
Our Libraries also have continued to play a major role in this area by providing venues for exhibitions and by encouraging involvement in artistic activity through its Schools programmes and by organising creative activities for our younger (and older) customers.
I am delighted to welcome and meet with the Italian Ambassador Mr Schepisi, and thank him for this presence here this evening. I would like to join with His Excellency in launching the exhibition and wishing Gillian our very best wishes and congratulations on her wonderful achievement. We hope to see more of her work in the future and I look forward to enjoying her paintings with you all when the formalities have concluded
Thank You
Maire Ardagh Mayor
Issued on behalf of the Council by Head of Corporate Services Benny Hickey
benny.hickey@sdublincoco.ie
Tel 4149000 Ext: 5008