Latest news with #NIVAL
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Wicklow author pens children's picture book inspired by Wexford memories
It was standing room only in Hodges Figgis in Dublin when Aileen, in conversation with RTÉ's Áine Lawlor and publisher Eoghan Mac Giolla Bhríde of Éabhlóid, described creating the book, its inspiration and the decision to publish it as Gaeilge. Attendees could view the original handmade book and a fine-art lithographic print collection, of which NCAD purchased one limited edition copy for their NIVAL collection. Aileen spoke about how, during a dark period in lockdown, she sought her happy places, Cahore beach being one of them, which brought back memories of walking with her mother and encountering foxgloves, lying in the grass, listening to the sounds of nature. Speaking at the launch, Áine recalled when her colleague Aileen from the RTÉ graphics department first shared the book, then a work in progress, how she was immediately drawn to it because of the language used in the book. 'I'm old enough to remember my grandmother using words like fairy fingers and God's little cows; these were the traditional names that I remember when growing up … the story is about a child finding redemption in our nDúchas, and this is a book that gives great meaning to that word Dúchas,' she said.
RTÉ News
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
The woman behind the song: Grace Gifford Plunkett's artistic legacy
The popular RTÉ series Aistear an Amhrán tell the fascinating stories behind songs we all know and love; a recent episode explored the life and times of Grace Gifford Plunkett, the subject of the popular ballad Grace - watch it here via RTÉ Player. Below, Ruth Hallinan from the National Irish Visual Arts Library (NIVAL) invites you to take a deeper dive into the life and work of the gifted Irish and cartoonist who inspired an singalong favourite... How does an artist succeed in growing their career? How was a particular artist's first exhibition received, and how did they make the artwork to begin with? How will you be remembered as an artist? The National Irish Visual Arts Library (NIVAL) was formally established almost 30 years ago as an initiative of the National College of Art and Design (NCAD) in partnership with the Arts Council of Ireland to collect these stories of 'how'. We actively collect documents that give insight into the development of Irish art practice, including invitations, sketchbooks, photographs, letters, posters, artist books and many other items that show how an artist's life and work develop over time. If you were to put our current holdings of thousands of documents back-to-back, they would be taller than Carrauntoohil! One artist who features in the NIVAL collections is Grace Gifford Plunkett. She was a gifted artist and cartoonist who attended the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art (which would later become NCAD) from 1904-08 and again from 1924-8. At the age of 16, Grace studied under William Orpen and it was around this time that her talent for caricature emerged. She went on to study Fine Art at the Slade School of Art in London and, when she returned to Dublin, she met Joseph Plunkett and joined the Republican movement. She wed Plunkett just hours before his execution - the tragic story of which is immortalised in the ballad Grace. Grace became a member of the Provisional Republican Government in 1917 and used her artistic skills to promote the cause of nationalism through cartoons, posters and banners. She is particularly associated with pen and ink caricatures of literary and theatrical personalities of the day, which can be clearly seen in a book held at NIVAL called Twelve Nights at the Abbey Theatre (1929). This rare publication, with a foreword by Lady Gregory, demonstrates Grace's playful and keen eye for character, all of which can be traced back to her time as a 16-year-old at the DMSA. NIVAL is fortunate to hold a unique copy of a hand-illustrated booklet that was created by Grace as a student, lampooning administrative and teaching staff including then Registrar B.I. Tilly. In this Familiar Faces booklet, characters such as lace design teacher, Miss 'Jocose' Jacob, and perspective tutor, Mr 'Remarkable' Reeves, are depicted looming over students. While the ballad Grace may be the best-known depiction of this artist's life, her legacy goes further still, with NCAD dedicating its newest building, Grace Gifford House on John's Lane West, to her memory. Her career as an artist is also preserved through the books and materials collected at NIVAL, which are available to anyone to view for free. NIVAL open to the public by appointment and is an institute for the whole island of Ireland. NIVAL is for you, whoever you are – there is something here for everyone, and we hope you come by.
