No 29, Art Workshops

Together with Catherine McAuley National School, Baggot Street, Dublin, No 29 has ran art work shops with pupils aged 8-12 years of this local school for the past 3 years. The curriculum changes each year. Clay was the medium in 2004. Textiles in 2005. Screen printing and Lino cuts in 2006. This is both challenging and exciting for the very dedicated teachers and assistants in the school, not to mention the team in No 29. However these very talented groups of children take it all in their stride and at the end of each year produce a superb body of work.

The Principle, Paula Treacy, is hugely committed to the school, the children, the staff and the programme. ESB is, of course, always close to the source of excellence. Paula’s father, Dermot O’Riordan, was a wellknown and respected ESB Engineer who played a major role in the construction of Turloug Hill Power Station. For the past two years, Paula has been so delighted with the result of the pupils’ work, she has launched an exhibition in the school. The Lord Mayor of Dublin visited the school last year to view the work done by the children. Paula also plans to keep these collections as documented evidence of the learning curve and development this programme has on the pupils.

Recently Management and staff from ESB were invited to the launch of the present exhibition. Four of the students presented ESB with four pieces from the collection: Darran Flynn, “Georgian Street Lamp Post”; Lea Byrne‚ “Wicker Basket“Joseph Nolan, “Jelly Mould”; Amy Fitzgerald, “Inlay pattern from 18th Century table”. All of the above pieces were inspired from items in No 29 or in the immediate vicinity.