2025-2026 Programme (draft)
Welcome to our 12th Season!
All lectures will take place in the conference room at Nano Nagle Place, Douglas St, T12 X70A, at 11:30am on the second Saturday of each month (apart from our free public lecture at Cork Central Library).
We hope to see you there – refreshments will be served from 11am.
24 September 2025
Dr Mathew Whyte: ‘Cork Public Sculpture’
Lecture (free for all), Cork Central Library
Dr Matthew Whyte teaches and researches in the History of Art Department at University College Cork, where he is College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences Excellence Scholar. He received his BA in History of Art and Philosophy from UCC, followed by an MRes in History of Art, specialising in Renaissance Italy and the work of Michelangelo Buonarroti. He teaches across the undergraduate programme in History of Art, and is Coordinator of the Diploma in European Art History for the Centre for Adult Continuing Education. For the latter, he regularly offers public Short Courses on aspects of Italian art, leading field trips in Italy to support learning. Since 2018, Matthew has led both private and public tours for the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork. He works as an Art History Lecturer for Zegrahm Expeditions. Currently, Matthew’s research engages with cultural exchange in Renaissance Italy, examining the impact of 13th and 14th century sculpture on that of the High Renaissance.
28 September:
Mathew will lead a walking tour of Cork sculpture on Sunday 28 September at 12 noon
Members go free!
11 October 2025
Vivienne Roche -Artist: ‘Crosshatching: Sculpture and Drawing’
Photo Jed Niezgoda
Over her long career as an artist, Vivienne Roche RHA has contributed in many ways to the arts in, and from, Ireland.
Her solo exhibition Abridged was presented in the main gallery of the RHA from September to November 2024.
Her works of public art range from her early-career memorial sculpture to President Cearbhall O’Dalaigh in Sneem (1983), through sculptures such as Liberty Bell (1988) and Sentinel (1994) outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin to major pieces such as Flow (2002) in the Council Chamber of Fingal County Hall, NC Iris (2006) outside the National College of Ireland Dublin, Whitelight Garden (2006) in Park West, Dublin and Light Ensemble (2009), MTU Cork School of Music.
Her most recent public sculpture is The Book of Climate Bells & Sunbell Garden (2017) for Esker Educate Together National School in Lucan, Dublin. Her Climate Bells (2016-2018) sculptural series has been presented by President Higgins to various Heads of State.
She was a founder member, and first chair, of the National Sculpture Factory in Cork and a member of The Arts Council (1993-98).
Honours include membership of Aosdána since 1996, an honorary Doctorate of Laws by UCC in 2006 and the MTU Alumni Award in 2010.
Baby Teeth in Perspective, photo Ros Kavanagh, image courtesy of the RHA
8 November 2025
Angie Shanahan – Painter: ‘The Fresh to the Salt’
When the Tide Went Out, acrylic on canvas on board
13 December 2025
Finola Finlay – stained glass expert: ‘The Not-So-Dark Ages: Stained Glass in Ireland Before 1860’
Unlike most European countries, Ireland has no in-situ examples of medieval stained glass. This talk will look at why this is and why most pre-1860s churches were distinguished by their plainness and lack of decoration, particularly of representational art. However, glass continued to be imported into and produced in Ireland and examples exist of 17th century Netherlandish glass and of 18th century enamelled glass. In fact, many of the well-known British enamel glass painters started their careers in Ireland. The Gothic Revival and Anglo-Catholic liturgical changes did not get fully underway in Ireland until the mid-19th century and when it happened the introduction of stained glass into churches was a slow and hesitant process, marked by resistance, mis-steps and controversy. This presentation will chart what happened in Ireland between the total loss of stained glass in the Medieval period and its re-birth in the 19th century.
St Michael detail SandyfordFinola Finlay trained as an archaeologist and historian, excavating at Newgrange with Prof O’Kelly, and researching prehistoric Irish rock art. In Northern Canada she excavated forts and researched the history of the fur trade. She spent most of her working life in higher education executive positions in Canada. Back in Ireland since 2012, she has written, with her late husband Robert Harris, the arts and culture blog Roaringwater Journal (https://roaringwaterjournal.com/), and contributed many articles to historical journals. She studies and photographs stained glass for her own blog and for other publications, including the Irish Arts Review and Glass Ireland. She is a contributor to the Gazetteer of Irish Stained Glass and has a chapter in Glory Azure and Gold: the Stained Glass of Thomas Denny.
14 February 2026
Orla O’Byrne – Artist & Researcher: ‘The Burges Maquettes at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral’
14 March 2026
Jan McCullough – Sculptor and Photographer (Belfast)
Title to be confirmed
11 April 2026
Susan Herlihy – Ceramicist: ‘Talking Clay’
9 May 2026
Dr Danielle O’Donovan: ‘The Statue’: John Henry Foley and the Father Mathew Monument, Cork City’
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Trips are also planned to the Chester Beatty Museum, Lismore Castle, Cahir Castle, Cork Archives, and Barry’s Court Castle
Keep an eye on this space!