Irish Georgian Society

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The Irish Georgian Society promotes the protection of Ireland's architectural heritage and decorative arts. Charity Number: 20011505

06/10/2026

Tonight (Tuesday 6th October) our 'Curating the Country House' lecture series continues with talk two 'Recruitment: Specialist Generalist (Curator), Russborough, County Wicklow'.

In talk two Pauline Swords, Head of Collections & Conservation at Russborough House, County Wicklow, discusses her work at Russborough and the multi-faceted role of a curator - not simply to manage collections, but to act as an advocate for the historic place as a whole.

This talk will be available to watch in person at the City Assembly House and online, and as a recording for a limited time.

The whole lecture series can still be purchased at a discounted rate for a limited time (with lecture one made available to watch as a recording).

For more information on this lecture series go to https://www.igs.ie/events/curating-the-irish-country-house-autumn-talks-programme

Images:
1. Dinning room at Russborough House. Alfred Beit Collection.
2. Vernet drawing room at Russborough. www.russborough.ie

Russborough House and Park The Heritage Council Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

02/10/2026

Last week our members returned from a memorable six-day trip to Austria devised and led by Harriet Landseer.

The tour brought us to the Styria and Carinthia areas of southern Austria. Based firstly in the city of Graz and then Klagenfurt, members enjoyed special visits to a number of private castles and villas, and to some of the key heritage sites in the locality.

Trip participants learned about the history of the region, and had the opportunity to see the finest examples of architecture and decorative arts in the region.

We would like to thank the local guides and home owners who welcomed us to their properties and provided a wealth of information to our members, and Travel Escapes Ireland for their assistance.

We have a number of international tours in development for 2027.
These tours are open to members only. For information on our membership options go to https://www.igs.ie/support/membership

Vacation in Austria

27/09/2026

**Our Autumn Lecture Series Starts Tuesday Evening**

The first talk of our 'Curating the Country House' lecture series is delivered by renowned curator Christopher Moore.

In his talk 'Conjuring up the past: curating Irish houses 1983-2026' Moore, former curator at Castletown House, Patron of the Castletown Foundation and Chair from 2013 to 2018, will discuss his extensive experience curating and working on conservation projects in some of the finest country houses on the island of Ireland - including his own home.

This talk takes place at 6pm, Tuesday 29th September at the City Assembly House and will be available to watch online.

The full ten-week course can still be booked at a special discounted rate of €120 and the lectures will be made available to all attendees to watch as recordings for a limited time after each talk. For information go to https://www.igs.ie/events/curating-the-irish-country-house-autumn-talks-programme

Image: Dangan House by Simon Watson.

We would like to thank The Heritage Council and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for supporting our Conservation Education Programme.

OPW - Office of Public Works Castletown House & Parklands

17/09/2026

Applications are open for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s 2027 built heritage grants.

The Built Heritage Investment Scheme (BHIS), the Historic Structures Fund (HSF), and the dedicated Historic Thatched Buildings (HTB) are administered through you local authority (county or city council).

Application deadline for the BHIS & HTB is late October, and early November for the HSF (please note the date varies under each local authority).

For more information go to
https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/press-releases/minister-osullivan-opens-built-heritage-funding-schemes-for-2027-applications/

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

09/09/2026

Last Thursday (3rd Sep) the winners of our 2026 'Architectural Conservation & Original Drawing Awards' were announced at a w**e reception in our Knight of Glin room.

This year Consarc Design Group took the top prize for best overall conservation project for their work at Glenstal Abbey, Co. Limerick, while Fergal MacCabe took top prize in our Original Drawing category for his depiction of O’Connor Square, Tullamore. There were also a number of commended and highly commended certificates awarded during the evening.

An exhibition of all applicants can be viewed in the Knight of Glin room until 3pm this Friday, 11th September.

We would like to thank this year's sponsors Ecclesiastical Ireland Ecclesiastical Ireland ,and Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the IGS London Chapter for their additional support. We would also like to express our sadness at the recent passing of Frank MacDonald who served as a members of our judging panel.

For a full list of award recipients go to https://www.igs.ie/education/awards/2026-awards

Images:
1. Livia Hurley, Chair of the judging panel, announcing the recipients of this year's awards.
2. John Devitt from Ecclesiastical and Livia Hurley presenting the award certificate to Consarc's Una Ni Mhearain.
3. The winning entry by Fergal MacCabe in our 'Original Drawing' category.
4 & 5. The exhibition of applicants in our Knight of Glin room

05/09/2026

Frank McDonald (1950-2026) was a great champion of Ireland's built heritage and, through his role as Environment Editor of The Irish Times and his many publications, highlighted and campaigned on planning and environmental issues since the 1980s. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him and by anyone who followed his important work. May he rest in peace.

04/09/2026

There is just under two weeks left to see our exhibition 'IGS Exhibition: Irish Parliamentary Bookbindings Revisited' in our HQ the City Assembly House on South William Street.

This exhibition end on the 17th of September and is a must for anyone with an interest in bookbinding or Irish decorative arts.

The exhibition is produced in partnership with the OPW - Office of Public Works, with funding from The Northern Tust and support from the and The Heritage Council

Location: Daniel O'Connell room, City Assembly House, Dublin 2
(Please note our Daniel O'Connell room is not wheelchair accessible)
Opening Times: Tues to Fri, 12pm-5pm
Admission is FREE

For more info on the exhibition go to https://www.igs.ie/events/igs-exhibition-irish-parliamentary-bookbindings-revisited-18th-august-to-17th-september

28/08/2026

We are pleased to announce the eleven short-listed projects in Category 1 of this year's IGS 'Architectural Conservation & Original Drawing Awards' sponsored by Ecclesiastical Ireland

- Trinity Campanile, Dublin, Howley Hayes Cooney Architects (image 1).

- 11 Parnell Square, Dublin, McCullough Mulvin Architects (image 2, left).

- St Anne's Church, Shandon, Co. Cork, James Bourke Architects James Bourke Architects (image 2, right).

- Athy Model School, Co. Kildare, Bluett & O'Donoghue Architects (image 3, top).

- Midleton Library, Midleton, Co. Cork, Cork County Council Cork County Council (image 3, bottom).

- Abbey Church, Dublin, Sean Harrington Architects (image 4, left).

- Skerries Carnegie Library , Co. Dublin, Fingal County Council Fingal County Council (image 4, right).

- Sam's Cottage, Ballymena, Co. Antrim, Patrick Bradley Architects (image 5, top).

- Blackrock Tea House, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, 7L Architects (image 5, bottom).

- Magazine Fort, Phoenix Park, Dublin, OPW OPW - Office of Public Works (image 6, top).

- Glenstal Abbey, Co. Limerick, Consarc (image 6, bottom).

The winners will be announced next Thursday evening (September 3rd) in the IGS HQ at 58 South William Street, Dublin 2.

We would like to thank our 2026 awards sponsors Ecclesiastical Ireland Ecclesiastical Ireland and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and The Heritage Council for their support.

For more information on our awards go to https://www.igs.ie/education/awards/about-the-awards

17/08/2026

Happy Heritage Week 2026

In celebration we are pleased to offer the following events in Dublin and Cork.

- 18th August to 17th September 'Irish Parliamentary Bookbindings Revisited', an exhibition on the recreated parliamentary bindings, 12pm -5pm, Tues to Fri, Daniel O'Connell room, City Assembly House, Dublin 2.
https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings/irish-parliamentary-bookbindings-revisited

- 18th August: 'Almost Never Beyond Repair', a talk on paper conservation by Liz D'Arcy, 1pm, City Assembly House, Dublin 2.
https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings/almost-never-beyond-repair-lunchtime-talk-by-paper-conservator-liz-darcy

-18th August: ' A Day in the Life of a Georgian Lady, a talk and demo from Dr Melissa Shiels about the clothing, etiquette and activities of a Georgian Lady, 11am, Cork Civic Trust House, Cork T23R6XC.
https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-georgian-lady

- 22nd August: 'The Congreves of Mount Congreve, Co. Waterford, and the Congreve Family' a talk by Julian Walton, 11am, Christ Church Fermoy, Co. Cork.
https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings/irelands-heraldic-heritage-with-gerard-crotty

We would like to thank The Heritage Council for their vital and continued support of the Irish Georgian Society.

14/08/2026

IGS Exhibition Opening Next Tuesday!
'Irish Parliamentary Bookbindings Revisited', 18th August to 17th September.

The Irish Georgian Society in partnership with the Office of Public Works present this exhibition that explores the destruction and recreation of the Irish Parliamentary Bookbindings.

Commissioned in the 18th century and destroyed in the fire in the Public Record Office during the Civil War in 1922, these works were recreated under the guidance and passion of oncologist and book collector Dr Philip Maddock who worked with bookbinder Trevor Lloyd using surviving photographs and rubbings of the bindings that had been taken in the 1890s by Sir Edward Sullivan.

The exhibition is produced in partnership with the OPW - Office of Public Works, with funding from the and support from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and The Heritage Council

Location: Daniel O'Connell room, City Assembly House, Dublin 2
(Please note our Daniel O'Connell room is not wheelchair accessible)
Opening Times: Tues to Fri, 12pm-5pm
Admission is FREE

For more information go to https://www.igs.ie/events/igs-exhibition-irish-parliamentary-bookbindings-revisited-18th-august-to-17th-september

Heritage Week

Address

58, South William Street
Dublin
DUBLIN2

Website

http://www.igs.ie/conservation/project/city-assembly-house-a-history

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