2022 IGS conservation grant pledges clockwise from top left: Dromdiah House, Co. Cork; Larchill Arcadian Gardens, Co. Kildare; St Eugene's Church, Co. Tyrone; Temple House, Co. Sligo; and Termon House, Co. Donegal.

The Irish Georgian Society is inviting applications for its Conservation Grants Programme 2023 with submissions accepted until Monday 20st February. A total of €45,000 will be available which will comprise €35,000 from IGS London and €10,000 through the Homan Potterton Conservation Grant.

Structures of architectural interest from across the country are eligible for funding from IGS London while the Homan Potterton Conservation Grant is available only to Georgian buildings of architectural merit anywhere in the counties of Meath or Westmeath.

Since 2014 the Irish Georgian Society’s Conservation Grants Programme has been funded by IGS London during which time support has been given to over fifty conservation projects. These have included country houses, thatched cottages, townhouses, architectural follies, and churches with grants awarded for repairs to roofs, windows and rainwater goods, support for conservation plans and building appraisals, and for other essential conservation works.

In 2022 the Society pledged grants for the following projects:

IGS London grants

• Clonalis House, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon: €4,000
• Beaulieu House: Drogheda, Co Louth: €1,340
• Kilrush House, Freshford, Co Kilkenny: €4,000
• St Philip’s Parochial Hall, Temple Road, Dartry, Dublin 6: €2,500
• 7 Arch Bridge, Trim, Co Meath: €3,000
• Jamesbrook Hall, Midleton, Co. Cork: €1,000
• Kildrought House, Celbridge, Co Kildare: €3,000
• Myrtle Grove, Youghal, Co Cork: €2,000
• Saint George’s Arts & Heritage Centre, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork: €3,000
• Bantry House, Bantry, Co. Cork: €4,000
• 34 Main Street, Chapelizod, Dublin 20: €2,500
• Russborough House, Blessington, Co. Wicklow: €1,000
• Headfort House, Kells, Co. Meath: €4,000

Homan Potterton Conservation Grants 2022

• St Mary’s Church, Navan, Co. Meath: €3,000
• Tullynally Castle, Castlepollard, Co Westmeath: €5,000
• Malone Mausoleum: Kilbixy, Co. Westmeath: €2,000

Applications for the 2023 grants programme must be submitted by 5pm on Monday 20th February with forms available to download here.

For articles on previous grants recipients, please click  here.

Decisions on the allocation of grants will be made by mid April at which time applicants will be informed.

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The Irish Georgian Society is delighted to announce that the Desmond Guinness Scholarship 2022 has been awarded to Dee Ring, while a commendation has been given to Deborah White.

Dr Conor Lucey presenting Dee Ring with the Desmond Guinness Scholarship 2022

DEE RING: DESMOND GUINNESS SCHOLARSHIP 2022

Dee Ring is a PhD Research Student at TU Dublin, Grangegorman, who is undertaking a PhD thesis on the documentation of Ireland’s visual graphic heritage of vernacular shopfront lettering with Kilkenny shopfronts as a case study. Dee Ring’s thesis is being supervised by Dr Mary Ann Bolger and Dr Niamh Ann Kelly.

Dee will use the Desmond Guinness Scholarship to help defray the costs of two study trips to the UK. The first will be to the city of Stirling, Scotland to study recent signage initiatives for Stirling's historic shopfronts rolled out by the Stirling Heritage Trust

While in Stirling, Dee will also examine the methodologies employed in recent shopfront audits conducted for Stirling City Council by Dr Lindsay Lennie, Stirling Heritage Trust Manager, and historic shopfront conservation specialist.

The second study trip will be to Birmingham City University to test Dr Geraldine Marshall's METL system for capturing and cataloguing environmental lettering. The process will involve examining existing images to learn and experience the system first-hand with the creator. Additionally, this research exercise will assist in informing and validating the classification system and methodology devised for the Kilkenny Traditional Shopfront Signage Project 2021 pilot survey, which Dee was commissioned to undertake by Kilkenny County Council with the support of Creative Ireland.

DEBORAH WHITE: COMMENDATION & GRANT 2022

The Desmond Guinness Scholarship committee also recognised Deborah White’s application with a commendation and a grant. Deborah White is a PhD student at the Ulster University, whose thesis is providing an examination of hand-woven linen damask production and design in Ireland. Deborah’s research is being conducted under the supervision of Professor Karen Fleming.

The Desmond Guinness Scholarship committee have awarded a grant toward the technical investigation and analysis of a linen damask tablecloth point paper design (mise-en-carte) sold by Henry McCleary of Waringstown at Mountrath Street, Dublin in 1740.

This mise-en-carte is believed to be the earliest extant example of this kind of point paper design in Ireland, and Deborah anticipates that her research will help illuminate our understanding of linen damask design in eighteenth century Ireland, a trade then in its nascency, and now recognised by historians of material culture to be of international significance.

The Irish Georgian Society would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who applied for the scholarship in 2022.

The Society would also like to extend our gratitude to the Desmond Guinness Scholarship assessors (Professor Christine Casey, TCD; Associate Professor Alison FitzGerald, Maynooth University; Dr David Fleming, UL; Professor Kathleen James-Chakraborty, UCD; Associate Professor Conor Lucey, UCD; Dr Anna Moran, NCAD; and Primrose Wilson, OBE) for their generosity in sharing their academic expertise and investing their time in evaluating the applications.

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The Hon. Desmond Guinness (1931-2020)

The Desmond Guinness Scholarship is awarded annually by the Irish Georgian Society to an applicant or applicants engaged in research on the visual arts of Ireland including the work of Irish architects, artists and craftsmen, material culture and design history, 1600-1940. Preference will be given to work based on original documentary research.

The Scholarship is intended primarily for applicants who are not yet established at an advanced professional level in research or publication of the visual arts.

The Scholarship does not have to be awarded in any one year, and the decision of the assessors, appointed by the Irish Georgian Society, is final. The total value of the scholarship fund available for distribution is in the region of €2,000. The award will be made before the end of December 2022.

Deadline for applications is 12PM on Thursday 24th November.

Please note the following:

• Applications must be made online through this form: https://bit.ly/DesmondGuinnessScholarship2022
• No additional information or any other accompanying material will be accepted.
• All questions must be answered and incomplete applications will not be considered. Late applications will not be accepted.
• The Scholarship will not cover tuition fees.
• A confidential reference supporting the applicant (with subject heading 'Desmond Guinness Scholarship 2022 Reference) should be sent via email to emmeline.henderson@igs.ie. This emailed reference must be received directly from the reference provider's own email address (not the applicant's) and arrive by the closing date.

If you have any further queries about the scholarship please contact:

Emmeline Henderson (emmeline.henderson@igs.ie) or by phoning 01 679 8675.

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Georgian Homes: material culture of the domestic interior in 18th century Ireland.

The Irish Georgian Society is delighted to present our Conservation Education Programme autumn 2022 lecture series. These thematic talks will explore the material culture of the Irish Georgian house, in both town and country, focusing on interior decoration, furniture and fine art.

Commencing on Tuesday 11th October, the talks will run for nine consecutive Tuesday evenings.

The keynote introductory talk, Great Irish Households: understanding their inventories will be delivered by John Adamson, editor, producer and indexer of the new publication, Great Irish Households: Inventories from the Long Eighteenth Century.

Other distinguished speakers include: Dr Aidan O'Boyle (art collections); Dr Alison FitzGerald (silver); James Peill (furniture); Sarah Foster (shopping); Annabel Westman (textiles); Dr Patricia McCarthy (wine cellars); and Dr Mark Purcell (books and libraries). The concluding lecture in the series will be delivered by Dr Conor Lucey, who will provide insights into his forthcoming publication, House and Home in Georgian Ireland.

Enjoy the lectures in person at the IGS's City Assembly House or virtually through Zoom. *It is now possible to book for in-person CAH tickets on an individual basis.

To book visit our events page where talks can be booked individually or at a discounted whole course rate.

Download the full lecture programme here.

Photos of speakers (top left clockwise): John Adamson; Dr Alison FitzGerald; Dr Patricia McCarthy; Mark Purcell; Sarah Foster; Dr Conor Lucey; James Peill; Dr Aidan O'Boyle; and Annabel Westman.

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The Irish Georgian Society launched the 2022 Architectural Conservation and Original Drawing Awards sponsored by John Paul Construction in the Spring, receiving a total of 20 applications across the two categories. The Awards are open to Irish architects and architectural practices, building surveyors, contractors, engineers, and other professionals involved in the conservation of historic buildings on the island of Ireland.

Click here to learn more about the awards.

The judging panel consisting of Livia Hurley (Chair), Karen Latimer, Simon Lincoln, Frank McDonald, and Kevin V Mulligan, met in May to reduce the 16 applications for the Architectural Conservation Project category to a shortlist of nine projects. The panel gained Andrew Tierney as additional panelist for the shortlist tour which they completed at the end of August.

Please join us as we announce the winner of the 2022 Architectural Conservation and Original Drawing Awards at a reception hosted at the City Assembly House on Thursday 20 October at 6:30pm.

Congratulations to the shortlisted projects:

Alistair Coey - Gunpowder Store in Donaghadee

Howley Hayes - Carlingford Castle in Carlingford & 9 Merrion Square in Dublin

Fingal County Council - Casino Railway Museum in Malahide

Lotts Architecture - Riverstown House in Kildangan

FMP Architects - Honan Chapel UCC in Cork City

ACP Architectural Conservation Professionals - Dunraven Fountain in Adare

O'Neill Architecture - ONA Farmhouse in Nenagh

Office of Public Works - Gate of Justice at Dublin Castle

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The IGS is delighted to announce that it will once again have a stand at the Irish Antiques Fair in the RDS from 23rd – 25th September 2022. An invitation to attend can be downloaded from the following link and entitles the bearer plus one guest free entry to the event: Timeless 2022 invitation

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