Kay and Bernie McAuliffe share a joke with Minister for the Arts Jimmy Deenihan TD

Thursday 25 August 2011, Listowel, Co. Kerry, Ireland.

Minister for Arts Jimmy Deenihan TD attended an event that was organized by curator.ie to mark the restoration “The Maid of Erin,’  one of the most iconic images of Ireland that was created in Listowel almost a century ago. ‘The Maid of Erin’ is the focus of a public artwork by Sean Lynch. It is dedicated to the work of Pat McAuliffe of Listowel. McAuliffe was active as a builder / plasterer over 100 years ago and created some of the most distinctive shopfronts in Ireland.

Lynch, from Moyvane, is developing an international reputation as an artist who deals with iconic images that have been lost or forgotten. Earlier this year he secured funding for the project in Listowel under the Per Cent for Art scheme administered by Kerry County Council. The ‘Maid of Erin’ premises was re-opened as a temporary centre for the study of McAuliffe’s legacy in North Kerry.  In July Freddie Chute of Listowel spent three weeks painstakingly restoring ‘The Maid of Erin.’ The project was curated by Ciarán Walsh | www.curator.ie. It concludes on Saturday 27 September 2011.

The event was  attended by the Minister for Arts along many members of the McAuliffe family and people involved in the arts and heritage in Listowel.

LINK: Sean Lynch on ‘The Stuccowork Of Pat McAuliffe of Listowel’