Artistic lineages and lively spirits at new art exhibition in Limerick

ON a dark and dreary December evening in Limerick, the stately Georgian facade of The People’s Museum glowed with a quiet sense of anticipation. The occasion was the long-awaited opening of a multi-generational art exhibition that brings together the works of Michael Collins, Clare Hartigan, Barbara Hartigan, Oisín Cleary, Teresa Collins, and Martin Finnin - an ensemble of artists whose connections, contrasts, and creative energies made the launch as intimate as it was momentous.

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Running from December 2, the exhibition represents not just a showcase of individual works but a living conversation across generations, families, and artistic disciplines. It is the type of event one might expect in a major contemporary art centre, yet it feels all the more resonant and rooted because it unfolded within the elegant rooms of The People’s Museum - a space devoted to Limerick’s cultural memory.
And, in unmistakably Limerick fashion, the atmosphere was lifted by the generosity of Rocky from The Commercial, who supplied wine for the evening before the celebration continued with a spirited after-party at The Commercial itself. What began as an exhibition opening quickly evolved into something richer: a gathering of community, creativity, kinship, and celebration.

A Museum Filled With Conversation
The People’s Museum is no stranger to art, but the character of this exhibition was unique. Upon entering, visitors immediately sensed that this was more than a lineup of polished works displayed in sequence. Instead, it felt like stepping into a family’s collective imagination - one that spans decades, disciplines, and artistic philosophies.
What made this evening particularly distinctive was the way it celebrated relationships - between mediums, between meanings, and between artists who share histories not only in the artistic sense but in the familial one.

Michael Collins: The Quiet Architect of the Exhibition
For many visitors, the work of Michael Collins provided a grounding anchor - a steady visual voice amid a chorus of diverse approaches. Collins, long admired for his ability to coax emotional resonance out of form and colour, offered pieces that balanced discipline with intuition. His works in this exhibition carried the hallmarks of an artist who has spent years refining his visual language: clean yet expressive lines, controlled palettes, and a serene confidence.
Collins’ presence was also symbolic. Not only is he a respected figure in Limerick’s art community, but his involvement signalled the interwoven nature of the exhibition. He is both participant and mentor - an artist whose influence can be felt in the community’s younger generations, several of whom were exhibiting alongside him.

Clare Hartigan: Energy, Emotion, and an Artist at Full Flame
If Collins' work provided the exhibition with its steady heartbeat, Clare Hartigan’s contributions supplied its fiery pulse. Hartigan has long been an artist who embraces both experimentation and emotion, and her presence at the exhibition drew excited murmurs from visitors long before the official launch.
Her pieces - layered, textured, alive with motion - felt like the visual embodiment of music or performance. They stood boldly in contrast to the quieter works nearby, yet never overwhelmed them; instead, they seemed to cast an energizing glow across the room.
Hartigan’s creative world extends far beyond the canvas, and on this evening her work served as a reminder of the relentless curiosity that drives her.
Guests could be overheard swapping stories of past exhibitions, collaborations, and the ways her artistic life has influenced the next generation. That influence was visible - literally - just around the corner.

Barbara Hartigan: A Mother’s Voice, A Distinct Artistic Vision
One of the most touching aspects of the exhibition was the inclusion of works by Barbara Hartigan, Clare’s mother. Barbara’s contributions offered viewers a glimpse into the origins of a creative lineage. Yet her work stood firmly on its own – landscapes of light and shade - delicate without being fragile, expressive without being loud.
Many visitors lingered before Barbara’s pieces, struck by the confident landscape compositions and the chiaroscuro of dappled light and shade. There was a contemplative quality to her work, as though each piece invited viewers into a quiet conversation about nature.

Oisín Cleary: The Next Generation Speaks in Ink
Oisín Cleary, Clare’s son, brought a fresh and contemporary energy to the exhibition through his screen-prints, which quickly became one of the evening’s talking points. His work demonstrated a bold confidence in graphic form, with pieces that seemed to vibrate with urban rhythm and youthful sharpness.
Screen-printing suited Oisín’s youthful voice. His colour choices were striking, his compositions clean and exciting, and his themes resolutely modern. While the older generations of artists in the exhibition often leaned toward the painterly or the abstract, Oisín’s screen-prints anchored the show in the present moment.

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Teresa Collins
Another figure in the exhibition was Teresa Collins, whose couple of small sculpted works offered a three-dimensional counterpoint to the boldness of Cleary’s prints and the expressive energy of Clare.

Martin Finnin: Movement, Mischief, and Modernity
Martin Finnin brought yet another distinctive voice to the exhibition. Known for his playful exploration of form and colour, Finnin’s work injected spontaneity into the evening. His abstract pieces bursting with dynamic brushstrokes and unexpected visual twists, seemed to dance on the walls.

A Launch That Became a Celebration
Though the exhibition officially opened on December 2, the 4 December launch was the night that truly crystallised its spirit. As the museum’s rooms filled with artists, family members, friends, collectors, students, and curious Limerick locals, the sense of occasion became unmistakable.

From Museum to Commercial: The Night Continues
Inevitably, the crowd drifted from the museum to The Commercial, where Rocky’s earlier hospitality evolved into a full-blown celebration.
The after-party was good-humoured and deeply communal - exactly the sort of gathering that seems to follow naturally from an exhibition that was, at its core, about family and connection.

Exhibition’s Lasting Impact
Ultimately, what made this exhibition remarkable was not its size or its grandeur but its sincerity. Each artist brought something distinct, yet together their works formed a vibrant tapestry that honoured lineage without being defined by it. For those who attended the launch, the night will be remembered not only for the art but for the laughter, the warmth and the sense of being part of something living and communal.
As the final days of the exhibition draw to a close, what remains most striking is not merely the impressive body of work assembled within the walls of The People’s Museum, but the spirit of connection that animated every room, every conversation, and every piece of art displayed.
This was an exhibition that transcended the usual boundaries of artistic presentation. It became, instead, a living testament to the ways in which creativity passes through families, communities, and generations - a reminder that art does not exist in isolation but flourishes in the fertile spaces where people share stories, influence one another, and build meaning collectively.
Visitors who wandered the museum’s corridors during the week found themselves not just observing the works but participating in a dynamic lineage of expression, one shaped by memory, mentorship, curiosity, and the constant evolution of artistic voice.
The energy carried through to the official launch, fuelled by Rocky’s generous contribution from The Commercial and by the laughter and camaraderie that followed in the late-night celebrations at the pub. In those moments, the line between artist and audience dissolved, revealing a community united not only by appreciation for visual art but by a shared commitment to supporting and celebrating local creativity.
As the lights dim and the doors prepare to close on this brief but unforgettable exhibition, its legacy lingers - a reminder that Limerick’s artistic heartbeat is strong, vibrant, and interwoven with the lives of those who create, those who witness, and those who gather to celebrate what art can mean.
The exhibition may end on the seventh, but its impact will ripple outward for weeks, months, perhaps even years, carried in conversations, in memories, and in the renewed belief that art, at its best, is both a mirror and a meeting place.
In this way, the exhibition stands not as a conclusion but as an invitation - an encouragement for all who experienced it to continue seeking out beauty, fostering connection, and championing the creative voices that shape the cultural life of Limerick.
For those who attended, the event will remain a warm, enduring reminder that when art and community come together, something rare and deeply meaningful can take root, transforming an ordinary December week into an extraordinary chapter in the city’s ongoing artistic story.