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Hugh Lane Gallery

Hugh Lane Gallery, Parnell square is my favourite gallery as it has not only a great history and dynamic future, having recreated Francis Bacons studio in situ but also because it contains the Lavery paintings which are not only beautiful but a colourful and haunting portrayal of Irelands past history. Did you know it was his wife Hazel who was the face of Ireland on the old Irish pound note?
Sir Hugh Lane was the nephew of Lady Gregory who along with William Butler Yeats led the revival in Irish at the turn of the century. Well connected he amassed a valuable collection of works of art from leading impressionists such as Monet, Manet, Renoir and Degas which he bequeathed to the Irish nation, who unfortunately lost out on some of them due to ambiguities in his will, this case is ongoing but unlikely to be resolved in the near future......

Hazel Lavery

However the Gallery has scored a major coup in acquiring the entire Reese Mews Studio of Francis Bacon which was generously donated by his sole heir Michael Edwards. Francis Bacon was born in Dublin but lived and worked in London. 7000 items from his Reese Mews including pieces of the wall he had wiped his paintbrushes on were moved transported here from London and faithfully reconstructed at the gallery. There is a current retrospective including many previously unseen works of his at the gallery celebrating his centenary.
Which is not exactly my thing, I have a soft spot for tradition but one has to be open to innovation and admire the foresight in the Huge Lane gallery staging it, well worth a visit and again its FREE.

10 other things to do and see in the area are.....

1 Visit the Writers Museum on Parnell Square.
2 Enjoy quiet time in the Garden of Remembrance.
3 See The Moving Crib, a very Dublin Christmas tradition celebrating 50 years in 2009.
4 Take a peak at the Rotunda Maternity Hospital.
5 Enjoy the banter in Moore Street Market.
6 Check out the shopping in the ILAC centre.
7 Wander up to the infamous Black Church.
8 Take a bus out to the Botanic Gardens.
9 Visit Glasnevin Cementry burial place of Irelands heroes.
10 Have a pint in the Gravediggers Arms.

For more information on things to do and see in Dublin click here

For more information on the Hugh Lane Gallery please click here.