History Of the O' Dwyer Art Centre

The History of O' Dwyer Art Centre

The O' Dwyer Art Centre was opened in 2008, the building was originally the local school where Patrick and Bridget O' Dwyer taught. The O' Dwyer family have a long history with the Lismirrane old school. Bridet and Patrick married and settled in Lismirrane, they had two sons, william who became famous in America for both his political and human rights work, and Paul also a famous lawyer and involved in human rights work. Paul O' Dwyer, one of the main people involved in the setting up of the O' Dwyer Forestry Foundation, who are a support organisation to the O' Dwyer Cheshire Home. The school was purchased in the late eighties and as a result was turned into the local community Art Centre. The Art Centre was originally created as a venture to benefit the residents of the Cheshire Home, it has however become a great venue for local artists and the general public with an interest in art aswell as the residents from the Chesire Home.
The centre offers  facilities for printmaking,digital and black & white photography, pottery and painting. We offer many classes and workshops to both locals and professional artists, residents from the O' Dwyer Cheshire Home attend art sessions on a weekly basis.
In Autumn we hold annual Music in the Community sessions where noted musician John Hoban facilitates an evening each week where locals can recite poetry, tell stories, sing songs or play music, all are welcome to these sessions and all who attend enjoy immensely.
Life Drawing is available at the centre twice weekly and is very popular. Some artists groups also rent our centre each month to discuss and create work. The pottery room is also used on a weekly basis by another art group. Local craftmaker Lisa Fahy facilitates a weekly afterschool workshop, where she guides her students through many art mediums. We update our art programmes on a seasonal basis, always taking into account any feedback given inregards to courses sought after.