The Irish Georgian Society offices will close on Friday 21 December at 2.00pm, and will reopen on Tuesday 2 January, resuming normal office hours of 9.30am to 5.00pm.

The IGS bookshop will open on Sundays for the month of December, and will remain open until 6.00pm on Sunday 23 December.

The bookshop will close for the Christmas break, reopening at 10.00am on Saturday 29 December. You can collect purchases from the bookshop until 6.00pm on 23 December.

(Photo: Nicola Woods)

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Our 2018 Christmas card design features an illustration of Conolly's Folly, Castletown, Co. Kildare, by Silvie Cahill, with 'Merry Christmas' seasonal greeting on the front, and a festive wreath on the reverse.

A pack of five cards with red envelopes costs €10.

Card is blank inside for your own message.

All proceeds support the Irish Georgian Society's education programmes.

Buy online from shop.igs.ie or instore at the City Assembly House.

Remember the final postal dates for Christmas!

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Dublin Civic Trust is pleased to announce details of its winter 2018 conference focusing on the history, development and future potential of Parnell Square and the Rotunda Hospital complex. The event takes place in the magnificent 18th-century setting of the little-known Pillar Room of the Rotunda Hospital, located beneath The Gate Theatre.

Sited at the northern end of O’Connell Street, Parnell Square is Dublin’s first Georgian square, developed c.1755-1795 as a series of residential terraces enclosing the grounds of the Rotunda Hospital. The square has its origins in the establishment, in 1749, of the New Pleasure Gardens, the fundraising enterprise of the Rotunda Hospital’s founder Dr Bartholomew Mosse, who attracted aristocratic patronage through annual subscriptions and concert events. The maternity hospital opened in 1757, built to the design of leading architect Richard Castle. This was followed by the construction of the great Rotunda entertaining room in the 1760s and the establishment of the New Assembly Rooms designed by Frederick Trench and Richard Johnston in the 1780s: the latter now forming part of The Gate Theatre. The mansions surrounding the square contain some of the best examples of 18th-century interiors and decorative plasterwork in the city, complemented by modern cultural institutions including the Dublin City Gallery - The Hugh Lane. Within this historic setting, the Rotunda Hospital continues to operate its original function as a leading provider of maternity services, with various plans afoot to expand facilities or move to an alternative site in the longer term.

Ticket: €75
Ticket with CPD Certificate: €100
Ticket Student/Senior Citizen: €40 (proof required on the day)

Purchase tickets and download a conference programme from www.dublincivictrust.ie

Image: Rutland (Parnell) Square extracted from 'Dublin from the Spire of Saint George's Church' by James Mahony, 1854

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This is an exciting chance for a new innovation at the Reform Club dinner in London on 27 November with the chance to participate in an auction for items you always wanted and now have the chance to have. Some of the lots on offer include: one week’s use of a townhouse in Majorca with its own small pool, dinner with wine at the Rac Club Pall Mall, with a tour of the club, two nights stay at Salterbridge Gate Lodge, Co. Waterford, 2 nights stay with breakfast at the 5 star Merrion Hotel Dublin, dinner in a central Dublin french restaurant and two nights stay at Kilbrogan House, Bandon, Co. Cork, with breakfast.

Full details of each lot can be downloaded here.

All items for the auction have been donated by members or with help from the Irish Georgian Society in Dublin. Please do join us on 27 November. If you are unable to attend you are welcome to place a commission bid.

Please contact John Barber before 1pm on Tuesday 27 November (johnbarber@lmkendon.co.uk) if you wish to place a commission bid.

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The Irish Georgian Society, in association with The Heritage Council, presents a day-long seminar examining the critical role grants play in preserving our architectural heritage. Showcasing best conservation practice achieved and the technical lessons learnt through funding provided by the Irish Georgian Society, The Heritage Council, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and other governmental and non-governmental grant giving bodies.

Case studies under review include: stained glass window of Agher Church, Co. Meath (Deirdre McDermott & Emma Newman); and the slate roof at Bridge House, Westport, Co. Mayo (Nicolas Prins); lime wig pointing at the City Assembly House, Dublin City (Shane Nolan); plasterwork ceilings at Collen Church, Co. Louth (Frank Keohane); conservation of the thatched vernacular cottage at Lenankeel, Co. Donegal (Duncan McLaren); Coadestone lion at Mote Park, Co. Roscommon (Alasdair Rennie); conservation of timber windows at Myrtle Grove, Youghal, Co. Cork (Lucy O’Connor); O’Brien Column, Liscannor, Co. Clare (Úna Ní Mhearáin); and wrought iron gates at St. John’s Monsterevin, Co. Kildare (Richard McLoughlin).

Thursday 22 November 2018
City Assembly House
58 South William Street
Dublin 2

Tickets: €60 (queries to info@igs.ie / 01 679 8675)

BOOK ONLINE

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7 to 20 November 2018
City Assembly House, 58 South William Street, Dublin 2

The Irish Georgian Society is delighted to host the exhibition ‘Rugs and Jewels’ Originally shown in Milan where Irish artist Nuala Goodman and Italian designer Donatella Pellini live, Nuala Goodman's seven rugs and Donatella Pellini's seven pieces of jewellery draw inspiration from the 9th century illuminated Celtic manuscript 'The Book of Kells', a world famous Irish historic source. The illustrations in the Book of Kells are timeless; the intense colours and the fantastical creatures twisting around the ornate lettering are startlingly modern. In these rugs and jewellery presented at the Irish Georgian Society, the famous books' illuminated illustrations have been reinterpreted in a contemporary way.

The ornate celtic lettering has been recomposed into words, some of which resonate particularly in today's world, others are eternal. References can be found to the popular culture of graffiti and tattoos.

The Irish Georgian Society promotes and encourages an interest in the Decorative Arts of every period in Ireland. For this reason it is an ideal location in which to present this work which crosses the boundaries between art, design and fine craftsmanship.

Nuala Goodman’s Rugs or ‘Arazzi’ are produced in a limited edition of 7 pieces each. They are suitable for being displayed either on a floor or as a wallhanging. They are in wool and silk, handknotted by master craftsmen in India. Donatella Pellini’s resin jewellery pieces contain the same words and become 'wearable messages'. They are hand-made in the Pellini workshop in Milan, also in a limited edition.

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