Leonardo da Vinci - The Genius in Milan

Leonardo da Vinci - The Genius in Milan is a documentary film by Luca Lucini and Nico Malaspina.  Through scenes of fiction and interviews with the greatest Leonardo da Vinci world experts, the film explores the years that the artist spent in Milan at the court of Ludovico il Moro and reveals some of Leonardo's greatest works.

This film will be shown in SGC Dungarvan Wednesday 10th January at 8.30pm.  In collaboration with SGC Dungarvan, Waterford County Museum will be selling tickets for this film at a reduced rate of €10.  This is a film not to be missed.

Muiris O'Keeffe RIP

We were saddened to hear of the death of Muiris O'Keeffe just before Christmas.  Muiris was a committee member of the museum society.  He gave an excellent presentation on Frank Hugh O'Donnell as part of our winter talks in 2016.  

He was also a playwright and in 2012 he wrote 'Days of Our Youth' based on the life of George Lennon which was premiered at Dungarvan Town Hall Theatre. 

His friendship with the museum will be sadly missed and we wish to extend our deepest sympathy to his relatives and friends.

Ar dheis de go raibh a anam.

Object of the Week - Card Poster for Player's Cigarettes with a reproduction of an oil painting 'His Old Ship' by A D McCormack. Late 1920s.

Arthur David McCormack was born in Coleraine in 1860 and attended the Royal College of Art. 

The painting featured here is in the collection of Coleraine Museum.  He also painted a head of a sailor in 1927 for another Player's advert.

Object of the Week - Certificate Presented to Mr Richard Barry, 2nd Class Petty Officer Coast Guard, by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution London, 13th April 1911

‘In recognition of his very gallant and intrepid conduct in attempting to swim out, and in afterwards putting off in a boat, for the purpose of saving the crew of the schooner ‘Teaser’ of Montrose, which was wrecked in Ardmore Bay during a whole S.E. gale and a very heavy sea on the 18^th March 1911’.

The document is signed by The Earl Waldegrave, President, and the Secretary George F. O’Shea.

Waterford County Museum Gets More Great Reviews on TripAdvisor

We have recently had two more very positive reviews on the TripAdvisor website.

A visitor from Sydney, Australia wrote: 'Definitely worth a visit in Dungarvan Town.  Very informative regarding historic topics through the ages, such as WWI, maritime history, the famine and other events that had a heavy impact on the history of Waterford County.  The displays are well presented, easy to spend an hour or so taking it all in'.

Another visitor from Dublin wrote: 'This museum houses many local artefacts with its free admission it is well worth a visit to discover the history of Dungarvan and its locality'.

Over the years we have received many excellent reviews both on TripAdvisor and in our visitor book in the Museum.  Waterford County Museum is a very strong visitor attraction for both Dungarvan and the whole of County Waterford.

Exhibition Currently at the National Gallery of Ireland Until 14th January 2018 'Frederick William Burton: For the Love of Art'

There is currently an exhibition at the National Gallery of Ireland until 14th January 2018 called 'Frederick William Burton: For the Love of Art'.

This is the first time the artist has been given such a comprehensive exhibition.  He specialised in watercolour, achieving rich deep colouring.

What is not generally known is that he became engaged to Mary Palliser of Comeragh House, County Waterford.  She is represented in the exhibition by a splendid portrait on loan from the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan.

Tragically Mary died of pneumonia in 1879 before she and Burton could be married.

A full colour book of the exhibition is on sale.

Venue:              National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin

Date:                 Now Until 14th January 2018

Time:                 Monday to Saturday 9.15am to 5.30pm, Thursday 9.15am to 8.30pm,
                          Sunday 11am to 5.30pm 

Admission:       Admission Charge Applies, Free to Members 

Exhibition Currently at Crawford Art Gallery until 24th February 2018 'Stones, Slabs and Seascapes - George Victor Du Noyer's Images of Ireland'

An exhibition which is of a County Waterford interest is currently running at Crawford Art Gallery in Cork until 24th February 2018.  It is called 'Stones, Slabs and Seascapes - George Victor Du Noyer's Images of Ireland'.

Du Noyer was employed by the Geological Society of Ireland which was established in 1845 to map all of Ireland, documenting geological, archaeological, and historical sites.  While his main work involved recording geological features, he also sketched anything of interest he saw, people, ruined churches, castles and towns.  He was not a trained artist but produced drawing of a very high standard.

While in County Waterford Du Noyer sketched and mapped areas of the Copper Coast and beyond, the Comeragh Mountains etc.  A number of his Waterford drawings are included in the exhibition.

This is an impressive exhibition which should not be missed.  There is also an attractive hardback book available on the exhibition.


Venue:             Crawford Art Gallery, Cork

Date:                Now until 24th February 2018

Time:                Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm, Late Opening Thursday to 8pm

Admission:      Free

Object of the Week - Calendar for Thomas Power & Co. Brewery, Dungarvan, 1957

The calendar features one of the brewery employees, Mr. Thomas Greaney.

He is described on the calendar as:

Thomas Greaney foreman bottler at Power’s Brewery for more than forty years.  His job needs constant attention to changing temperatures, as well as day-to-day consumption of beer.  During his forty years Tommy has been absent once when ill for a few days.  To Tommy goes all the credit for perfection of Power’s bottling.  He has seen many changes in the old Brewery, but in all today’s modern equipment and plant, none has pleased him so much in his care of Guinness’ Stout as today’s delivery in stainless steel tankers which maintain an even temperature in all weather, due to their insulation.  Greatly increased sales in recent years of Guinness by Powers today is due to this big change in delivery and storage of stout before it goes into bottle.  Behind all these modern efforts towards perfection are men of the high calibre of Thomas Greaney.