Who are the Young Irish Georgians?
The Young Irish Georgians (abbreviated and affectionately known as “the YIGs”) are a group of early career professionals and individuals interested in our built heritage who support the mission of the Irish Georgian Society (IGS): to protect, preserve and promote the art and architecture of Ireland.
From the earliest days of the Society when it was re-established by Desmond and Mariga Guinness in 1958, young people have been actively engaged and involved as volunteers with some of Ireland’s most iconic conservation projects (most famously Castletown House in Co. Kildare). Young people have been drawn toward the advocacy work the Society has led in subsequent decades.
Therefore the original YIG group was established in 2004 by Catherine FitzGerald and James Peill in London, to organise events to engage younger members of the Society. Their first event in Ireland that year was a ‘Meet the Founder’ trip to Leixlip and Castletown.
The YIG working group was reestablished by Zoë Coleman and Roisin Lambe in 2016. The working group became a committee in Autumn 2023.
The current Young Irish Georgians committee are: Zoë Coleman, John Geraghty, Cathal Dowd Smith and Edwina
Zoë Coleman is a graduate of University College Dublin, where she studied History and Art History, and the University of Glasgow. Her Masters thesis ‘The representation of Ireland at long nineteenth-century exhibitions’ was subsequently adapted for publication in Irish Architectural And Decorative Studies, Volume XVII (Dublin: Irish Georgian Society, 2015), pp. 136-157. Zoë has been the Chair of the Young Irish Georgians since 2017, and worked for the Society from 2015 to 2020 as its Programmes and Communications Coordinator. Zoë works as a communications manager for a higher education institution, and she is passionate about promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in the heritage sector. Zoë joined the Board of the Irish Georgian Foundation in September 2023.
Cathal Dowd-Smith is Curator and Collections Manager of Newbridge House and Malahide Castle for Fingal County Council. A graduate of Trinity College Dublin where he studied the History of Art and Architecture and History. Cathal’s current research interests are in the Irish country house, architectural and landscape history of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Thomas Emmet is the Vice President of European Historic Houses’ Next Generation board and the Next Gen officer for Historic Houses of Ireland. He is passionate about heritage and works to help houses open to the public and host festivals and events. He is also a huge advocate for progressive politics and currently works on fundraising for candidates running for election. Additionally he helped found an anti racism network in Wicklow. He is in the process of taking over the management of Altidore Castle (Co. Wicklow) and plans to open it to the public further with events around biodiversity and heritage preservation.
Edwina Hilton is a qualified solicitor, specialising in tax, and works with one of Ireland’s leading law firms. Edwina read Law with French at Trinity College Dublin and has undertaken additional studies in Art History, Art Law and Art Crime with the Sotheby’s Institute of Art. Edwina joined the committee in 2023.
Victoria Sharpe currently works in the communications team for a national cultural institution. She previously worked in Ulster Architectural Heritage, working to promote the preservation of Ulster’s built heritage and traditional building skills. Victoria studied History in Trinity College Dublin, specialising in the architecture of Georgian Dublin, which has informed her interest in preserving and promoting the legacy of this era. She is passionate about conservation, specifically the sustainable use of heritage buildings in an effort to combat climate change, as well as supporting and encouraging young professionals into heritage careers.
John Geraghty is an accredited Grade 3 Architect working in Conservation. John is passionate about Heritage and Conservation and has a strong belief that Heritage is for everyone. As a Young Irish Georgian, John hopes to create a comfortable and enjoyable environment for everyone to engage with the wonderful culture and heritage Ireland has to offer. If people involve themselves with our material heritage, buildings and traditional skills, doors can open that you never believed existed and it can help create a more sustainable and beautiful world! John has maintained an involvement with the Society for over 10 years. He is involved with the Young Irish Georgians funding projects and some event organisation with the rest of the team.
There are two groups of Young Irish Georgians, one in Ireland and one in London.
Young Irish Georgians (Ireland)
The current YIG working group was revived in 2016 by Zoë Coleman and Róisín Lambe. We organise an annual programme of events in Ireland, with 4 events per calendar year.
The objectives of the Young Irish Georgians are:
- To encourage an appreciation for, and promoting the protection of Ireland's built heritage, with a particular focus on 18th, 19th and early 20th century art and architecture
- To create an atmosphere of intergenerational knowledge sharing, through tours, talks and networking opportunities
- To provide opportunities to meaningfully engage with art and architecture, both public and private, prompting debate and discussion
- To engage young people with the work of the Irish Georgian Society, with the potential to become the next generation of IGS members
Want to get involved?
Contact Us: youngirishgeorgians@igs.ie
You can sign up to our e-newsletter here to be kept up to date on upcoming events and follow us on Instagram @youngirishgeorgians
2021/22 YIG Fundraising Project
In 2021, we decided that we would nominate an annual fundraising project for the YIGs to support. The revenue from our events and seasonal social will support this. Our pilot project for 2021/22 will be Termon House, Donegal: a former 18th century land agent's house in Maghery, near Dungloe, located in the heart of the Gaeltacht area. The house is currently managed by the Irish Landmark Trust, and came to our attention through a 2021 IGS Conservation Grants Scheme application.
Termon House was built c. 1770 for the land agent of the local landlord, the Marquess of Conyngham. The property consists of the house and adjoining stone-built dairy and barn set within a 3 acre plot. Much of this site is enclosed by a tall, tapering rubble stone wall built c. 1847 to provide famine relief for the local population affected by the Great Famine. Within these walls are also found the remains of an old lime kiin and a small clachán. The curtilage of Termon House encloses a landscape which has remained almost untouched since the mid 19th century and this with the combination of the famine wall and house, makes it the most historically significant property in the village.
The house was restored by Irish Landmark over twenty years ago but is now suffering from water ingress in a number of locations due to the severe exposure of the building immediately adjacent to the Atlantic shore. A number of important repairs have been carried out over the past two years but there are still a number of urgent priority repairs that are needed to address the impact of the weather over the last twenty years. Having completed work to the roof, most of the cast iron rainwater system and an extensive package of internal repairs, the next priority is to complete the overhaul and repair of the traditional timber sash windows which have been damaged by continued exposure to severe weather experienced on the Atlantic coast. The sash windows require a complete overhaul to include splice repairs, replacement of putty and rotted sills and draught stripping.
Timeline of YIG events:
2023
21 January - A Tour of Malahide Castle, led by Cathal Dowd Smith, Curator of Malahide Castle and YIG Member.
6 May - A walking tour of Drogheda's historic town centre with Aisling Durkan, recipient of the Desmond Guinness Scholarship (2016)
1 July - Summer visit to County Wicklow visiting Luggala Estate and Altidore House
2022
27 February - A tour of The Custom House, with Audrey Farrell, Senior Architect (Conservation) with the Office of Public Works (OPW)
27 April - A visit to 11 Parnell Square, with the Irish Landmark Trust
23 July - Day Tip to Cahir, Co. Tipperary
25 August - Heritage Social in the Georgian Garden with SPAB Ireland, ICOMOS Ireland Emerging Professionals, Building Limes Forum Ireland and The Industrial Heritage Association of Ireland
28 November - Seasonal Social: An evening at the Deanery
2021
11 July - "Lost Ireland": Southside Dublin walking tour. Led by photo historian Dr. Orla Fitzpatrick, author of 'Lost Ireland' (Pavilion Books/Rizzoli, 2021)
2020
3 March - Tour of 'Dublin Fragments: The Pearson Collection', City Assembly House. An after hours tour led by exhibition curator and artist Peter Pearson.
2019
1 December - Seasonal Social in Smithfield. Our group visited 81 North King Street, the home and practice of James Kelly, studying the built heritage on North King Street to place the house in context. Our tour was followed by social drinks in Walsh's of Stoneybatter.
17 August - Day trip to historic Limerick city and Newtown Pery. Tours of historic Limerick led by members of the Limerick Chapter of the Irish Georgian Society.
February - An architectural tour of North Great George's Street, with an introduction by architect Merlo Kelly. Residents Desiree Shortt, David Norris and John Mahoud graciously welcomed our group into their homes. Concluding the tour, Denis Byrne of Denis Byrne Architects gave our group a tour of his modern practise.
2018
November - YIG festive historic pubs of Dublin crawl.
27 September - Visit to 18 Ormond Quay, Dublin 7. Led by Graham Hickey of Dublin Civic Trust to visit their ongoing conservation project at 18 Ormond Quay.
22 September - Tour of the Castletown House Archive and historic Celbridge, Co. Kildare. Led by Nicola Kelly, archivist at OPW-Maynooth University Archive & Research Centre, followed by followed by lunch at a Kildrought House in Celbridge hosted by IGS member June Stuart and a tour of Tea Lane Graveyard, a conservation project supported by the Irish Georgian Society in 2017.
3 February - Visit to Newbridge House, Fingal, Co. Dublin. Led by Cathal Dowd Smith, Cobbe Family Archivist and YIG Irish Georgian Society member.
2017
27 September - A visit to Read's of Parliament Street (est 1670), Dublin 2. The YIGs were invited to a behind the scenes tour of Read's to learn about its history and recent restoration programme, followed by a social drink afterwards in nearby The Oak bar.
2016
22 September - Architectural and Lost Fashion History in the Liberties. Led by guide Ruth Griffin, our group visited Tailor's Hall as part of our tour, exploring the history of the Guilds that thrived in the Liberties district from the 17th century onwards.
Young Irish Georgians (IGS London)
More information to follow.