A painting has been unveiled of the Dysart Enos old Church by artist Aileen Donovan at Park-Ratheniska GAA Club.
This project was funded by Creative Laois/Creative Ireland as part of their Heritage through Art grant scheme.
Laois County Council, with financial support from Creative Ireland, had previously announced a grant scheme for communities and artists to work together in exploring and presenting aspects of Laois’s heritage through varying art forms.
These individual grants ranged from incubator grants to project delivery grants.
Guidelines specified that projects could be phased over a number of years, exploring concepts and developing relationships between the artist and community in year one and the building on this in future years.
Themes included:
- Monuments,
- Archaeological objects,
- Heritage objects including archives,
- Architectural heritage,
- Flora, fauna, and wildlife habitats,
- Landscapes,
- Geology,
- Heritage gardens and parks,
- Inland waterways,
- Folklore,
- Local history.
There were several successful applications including Dysart Enos Old Church Conservation Committee who commissioned artist Aileen Donovan to paint in acrylic form the Dysart Enos Old Church which is undergoing final conservation at present.
Artist, Aileen Donavan, is inspired by her surroundings and environment.
She paints with a glue gun to give her paintings a 3D affect.
Her works are very much in demand and is currently exhibiting at Mountmellick Library.
Dysart Enos Old Church is one of the outstanding features of it’s locality and dates back to 780 AD when it was founded by St. Aoengus
The competed painting was unveiled at the Park-Ratheniska GAA club house on Sunday, October 29, and a large crowd was in attendance.
Creative Ireland Laois was delighted to attend the unveiling of the amazing painting of Dysart Enos old Church at Park Ratheniska GAA Club on Sunday last.
MC for the launch was James Deegan, Chairman of the Dysart Enos Old Church Conservation Committee.
James introduced David Broderick, Creative Communities Engagement Officer who spoke on behalf of Laois County Council and Creative Ireland.
Kevin Fingleton, Chairman of Park-Ratheniska, welcomed everyone on behalf of the GAA Club and was followed by Har Ramsbottom and Artie Drennan, who jointly unveiled the beautiful painting by the extremely talented artist Aileen Donovan.
Aileen told the large crowd in attendance how grateful she was to be part of this project and how the stone grave markers were a very important and poignant part of her painting.
The proceedings were closed by Kate Ramsbottom Secretary of the Dysart Enos Committee who also remembered those past committee members who are no longer with us to see this unveiling.
A special mention on the day was given to former Laois Heritage Officer Catherine Casey for all her support over the years on the conservation of Dysart Enos Old Church.
Picture: Alf Harvey.
