Athy Art Group
Exhibition 2009
The 31st Athy Art Group Exhibition ran from Tuesday 9th June until Sunday the 14th June 2009. There was over 160 pieces on exhibition for the week, from a wide range of artists from the Athy area.
The exhibition was officially opened on the night by Fr. Dermod McCarthy, former head of religious programmes on RTÉ and one of the main organisers in the Athy Arts Festival Weekend in 1971.
Fr. Dermod McCarthy's Opening Speech:
First a word of sincere thanks to the Athy Arts Group for asking me to launch this splendid collection of art. And straight away I want to compliment the members of the Arts Group for all their efforts in bringing together what is clearly a first-class collection of works from local artists. I consider it a real honour and am delighted to be here in the company of such gifted people.
It's a pleasure for a number of reasons. First a word about history. I spent two very happy years in Athy from 1970 to 1972. I came here in summer 1970 from the world of film-making, producing Radharc documentaries for television. I didn't know a single soul in Athy at first but in the all too short time I spent here I came to know the people of this town very well. I still am fortunate to have dear friends from my Athy days.
But among the highlights in my memories of those two years is the arts festival of 1971. It had begun the previous year with a small exhibition run by Aontas Ógra in St John's Lane. However in 1971 we went all out to make it a fully fledged week- long festival. The old Dominican church was the exhibition area. Along with a paintings exhibition we had master classes, seminars and workshops, and a couple of concerts to broaden it beyond the visual arts.
I undertook to twist arms of various broadcasters to mention it on their programmes – and indeed they did. Rodney Rice put me to the pin of my collar on his live radio show when he asked 'If I drove through Athy tomorrow, would I know there was an arts festival on? Is the town festooned with banners?' 'How many arts are on show?' I couldn't tell him that we hardly had the price of a single banner – never mind decorate the whole town!
It's also a pleasure to celebrate the wonderful and varied talents that are displayed on these exhibition stands. I can only stand in silent awe before the wealth of creativity and imagination all around us. I'm a musician and a film-maker but when it comes to painting I'm a coward! I'm a classic victim of the tyranny of the blank canvas! Yet I have stood in admiration in art galleries all over the world and marvelled at how artists put their God-given talent to use.
On a recent edition of 'The View' on television, the writer and broadcaster Melvyn Bragg talked about the transforming power of art. It's a theme that the late Pope John Paul 2 often talked and wrote about – he called it an essential component in the raising up of human society. Sometimes people think that the art world is elitist and snobbish, and that critics both amateur and professional get too hung up on the 'isms' – impressionism, pointillism, cubism, surrealism, symbolism, modernism etc. Whereas what we are really looking at is Beauty. Art transforms because beauty transforms.
Works of art like these, whether painted, or crafted in wood, in precious metals, in glass or in stone are strong reminders of the beauty of God's creation, of the beauty of the world around us, and boy, do we need constant reminders of beauty in our troubled times. Artists! – you provide us with moments of calm, of transcendence, of admiration, of transformation. You raise our hearts and minds and so make life a bit more liveable. Thank you, thank you!
It's also a pleasure to launch this festival in this lovely new centre. It's a credit to the Church of Ireland community here in Athy. Congratulations to everyone involved in its conception, funding, design and building. It's an ideal location to house this stunning collection of works of art. It is no surprise to discover that the rector here is no stranger to the artistic world – in his case music! Rev Cliff Jeffers is a member of the 'Jeffers of Bandon' family – well known as suppliers of organs and pianos throughout the country. I bought a piano from his twin brother a few years ago!
I know that these pictures will give much pleasure in many homes over many years to many people. I must tell Rodney Rice to come and buy one for auld times sake!
I now declare the Festival open.
Dermod McCarthy
The Athy Art Group is extremely delighted and proud of this years exhibition, and would like to thank the Church of Ireland for the use of their hall and to everyone who visited the exhibition during the week.