Step back in time
A major exhibition depicting well known personalities from Cork’s past is set to launch today, Thursday.
Opening at the Frank O'Connor Library in Mayfield this morning, ‘Cork Faces and Places’ is a collection of new and recent work by celebrated Cork artist Kieran O'Callaghan.
The exhibition, which runs until 31 May, invites visitors to take a step back in time, bringing to life some of Cork's most beloved — and in some cases, long-departed — faces and places through O'Callaghan's distinctive command of pencil, charcoal, and colour.
Among the portraits are Tomás MacCurtain, Rory Gallagher, Michael Collins, and Frank O'Connor — the latter a particularly fitting presence given that the library itself bears his name.
A highlight of the exhibition is a charcoal sketch depicting the ruins of Cork City Hall following its burning in 1920, offering a sombre and poignant reflection on a defining moment in the city's history.
Alongside these historical works, the exhibition features a contrasting burst of energy and colour in a series of pieces capturing inter-county GAA action from the recent past — a testament to O'Callaghan's range and his deep roots in Cork life.
Kieran O'Callaghan was born and raised in Cork city in the 1960s, where his father, who was also a painter, first kindled a lifelong passion for art.
O'Callaghan studied at Coláiste Chríost Rí and attended evening sculpture classes at Cork School of Art, before relocating with his family in the late 1990s to an old schoolhouse in Béal na Bláth. There, the surrounding landscape — the River Bride, its birdlife, and shifting seasonal light — became an enduring source of inspiration.
Now retired, O'Callaghan works daily in his studio, producing work in oils, watercolour, charcoal, and pencil that spans landscapes, wildlife, portraiture, and figurative studies. His work is held in private collections worldwide and has been acquired by or gifted to notable figures including Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Steve Collins, Liam Neeson, Dermot Desmond, and Bernie McGuinness.
To view his full collection, visit bealnablathart.com.