Kennys Bookshop & Art Gallery

To cut a long story short...well anybody who has ever been there is going to know that’s never going to happen, especially if you get chatting to Tom.... Born and raised into the family business, it was more a baptism of fire, than a rite of passage, Tom will tell you of his legendary parents who demanded a hands-on approach of their children. From scrambling around on hands and knees, sorting through auction buys, Toms father often bought whole libraries to listening in on conversations with various artists such Sean Keating and Paul Henry, who were totally unknown at the time. Tom's father Des was a visionary who opened the first art gallery in the West of Ireland, when such a thing was unheard of much less appreciated. Ireland had a reputation for literature at the time not 'paintings'.
But, Tom’s father Des was a visionary and subsequent patron of the arts , by default, there’s no stuffiness about the Kenny’s. His mother Maureen was pragmatic and a matriarchal figure to generations of Galwegians who have fond memories of her behind the counter in the shop in High street. A higgledy piggledy kind of a place which dated back to medieval times which wound, around, up and down, book and picture lined rooms and odd spaces, with stacks of books or pictures piled here and there, on into Middle street. A magical place and a peaceful haven where you could lose yourself for hours, in search a good book or simple browsing through the wonderful and varied collection of art and sculpture. At the time Kennys specialised in secondhand books, mainly of Irish interest, which were often rare and difficult to find which led to their services being much in demand from far flung places and academic institutions worldwide, especially in America....

Tom tells a story, another one, of a yank who walked in one day in the 60’s looking for a book on the history of Ireland? He was a bit off hand and indifferent, but Tom being Tom, paid no attention and sorted him out with a couple of Irish history books. However, when it came to paying the American gentleman got all embarrassed as he’d apparently he’d forgotten his wallet and had no cash on him? No problem, he could pay again whenever he came in, but no he wouldn’t hear of it, insisting he’d pay by cheque if that would be acceptable. Certainly said Tom, who when he looked down at the signature realised that it was Randolf Hearst, yes the same lad newspaper magnate etc. They became firm friend and for after Kennys were getting orders for the same history books and more besides which just shows you, you never know who your talking to?
Yet, Tom has the same welcome for everybody, and not only is a visit to Kennys who have since moved out to Liosban, for reasons I will explain in a minute, an experience, it’s an education. Tom nurtures and encourages an appreciation and interest in the arts whether you’re a customer, no purchase necessary as they say, or an artist often bringing them from obscurity and timidity to being confident players in a worldwide market. Which is where the Kennys are going at the moment with their bid to take on online book giant Amazon, but that’s another story ....

For more information on Kennys Art Gallery & Bookshop please click here.