Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown’s Historic Houses Course autumn 2017 The Irish Georgian Society, in association with Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown County Council, has assembled a team of leading conservation experts to deliver a course on the understanding, care and repair of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown’s period and traditionally built houses. Talks will explain protected structure policy and legislation, the importance of preventative maintenance, the benefits of using lime, the correct care of historic ironwork, decorative plasterwork, bricks, roofs and windows, as well as addressing issues of how to sensitively extend your period house, tackle damp and implement energy efficient upgrades. The course will also benefit building professionals and practitioners and is recognised as CPD by the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, Engineers Ireland, the Irish Planning Institute and the Construction Industry Federation and its Register of Heritage Contractors. The talks will be held in the Royal St. George Yacht Club on six consecutive Wednesday evenings (7pm-9.30pm) in October and November, with two talks per evening.

Book in advance for the whole course at a special discounted price of €130, or attend an individual evening session for €25. Price includes tea/coffee. 

Click here to download the full programme. 

Book for the full course on-line through Eventbrite.

The IGS Conservation Education Programme is supported by Merrion Property Group and Heather and John Picerne.

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Image: Thomas Roberts A Frost Piece. Private collection. First exhibited in the Exhibition Room, South William Street, in 1769

Exhibiting Art in Georgian Ireland

An Exhibition
Celebrating The Restoration Of The City Assembly House 
Ireland’s First Public Art Gallery

16th June - 29th July 2018

To mark the restoration of the City Assembly House and to celebrate the Society of Artists in Ireland who erected the building over 250 years ago, the Irish Georgian Society will host a world-class exhibition in June and July 2018 of eighteenth-century Irish paintings. 

Celebrating the building’s original incarnation as the first purpose-built public gallery in Britain and Ireland, the Exhibition will re-assemble paintings, including those by Thomas Roberts, Jonathan Fisher, James Forrester, Robert Carver, Robert Healy and Hugh Douglas Hamilton, in the room in which they were first displayed between 1766 and 1780. What makes this exhibition even more exciting is the intention to hang these paintings in a similar manner as they were first exhibited.

Members will have special access to the exhibition, with guided tours and exclusive events to mark the completion of the City Assembly House. An accompanying publication will offer further occasion to revisit and evaluate these stimulating works; assessing Ireland’s first introduction to exhibition culture and the significant contribution it made to an increasingly self-confident national school of Irish art. This will be one of 2018’s great cultural events in Ireland, and should not be missed. 

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The Irish Georgian Society is delighted to be participating in this year’s National Heritage Week (19 – 27 August), providing locals and visits to Co. Meath with a rare opportunity to view Thomas Jervais’ stained glass window at Agher Church near Summerhill, Co. Meath.

During Heritage Week, visitors will be welcomed to Agher Church on Wednesday 23rd August (12.00pm to 4.00pm). Access is free and guides will be on hand to welcome visitors and to discuss the project. The church is wheelchair accessible. Visitors will have the opportunity to view the window, and learn about the significance of this rare example of eighteenth-century Irish stained glass. 

Depicting the biblical scene of St. Paul preaching to the Athenians, this rare eighteenth-century stained glass window was executed by the Irish artist Thomas Jervais in 1770. The window was originally located in a chapel in Dangan Castle, the childhood home of the Duke of Wellington, but was moved to its current location in 1809 following a devastating fire. Until recently the window was greatly at risk with the leadwork and putty holding the glass in place deteriorating rapidly. With the co-operation of the Select Vestry of Rathmoylan Union of Parishes, and the support of The Heritage Council, Meath County Council and donors in Ireland, the UK and US, the Irish Georgian Society was able to raise €50,000 to conserve this rare window. 

Read more about the conservation project here, or online in our annual magazine.

Image: Detail from the Thomas Jervais (d. 1799) stained glass window at Agher Church, photo: Nick Bradshaw.

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Exhibition: 'Burning Books, June 1922: The Destruction And Recreation Of The Irish Parliamentary Bookbindings' is on show at Dublin Castle until 1st September.

This exhibition details the reproduction of 14 volumes of the Irish Parliamentary Journals dating from the 1700s which were destroyed during the Irish Civil War in 1922. Also on display are the tools used in the process, as well as examples of 18th century Irish bindings and some of the printed editions of the Lords and Commons Journals in presentation bindings.

Supported by the Irish Georgian Society and OPW.

www.dublincastle.ie/exhibitions

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Through providing tax incentives for conservation works to buildings of significant architectural merit, Section 482 plays an important role in ensuring the protection of our built heritage and in facilitating public access to properties participating in the scheme. In doing so, it enables owners to fulfil obligations to protect their properties, constitutes a sustainable and cost effective means of public support for our heritage, and provides an important tourism and amenity resource. 

A review of the scheme is currently underway by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, and the Department of Finance. In its submission, the Irish Georgian Society emphasised the benefits of the scheme and proposed means by which it could be enhanced. This paper together with those of others is available through www.ahrrga.gov.ie

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The Irish Georgian Society's online shop has recently moved to a new online retail platform to make the shopping experience more convenient for our customers! To celebrate the occasion we will be including a surprise gift with all online purchases made throughout the month of August.

The shop accepts payment by credit card (Mastercard and Visa) and through Stripe.

If you have any feedback on the new online shop, get in touch by email: shop@igs.ie 

Visit the new look website at shop.igs.ie

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