The exhibition is available for viewing in Academy House on the following dates and times:
Contact the Library on (01) 609 0601 before travelling to confirm the exhibition is open.
Venue: The Meeting Room of the Royal Irish Academy, Academy House,19 Dawson Street, Dublin 2.
This illustrated exhibition tells the story of the part played by Irish scholars and missionaries in the early history of the European idea. “Ireland and the birth of Europe” is a captivating exhibit that highlights the deep-rooted historical connections between Ireland and the European Union. The exhibit is a part of the Irish government’s EU50 celebrations and showcases the rich cultural heritage and political ties between Ireland and the rest of Europe. Ireland joined the European Economic Community, the forerunner of the European Union, in 1973, but Irish participation in the development of European identities dates back more than a thousand years. After the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West, Europeans built on its foundations to develop their own culture and identity. The Irish played an important role in this great enterprise.
This richly illustrated exhibition tells the story of the role played by Irish scholars and missionaries in the early history of the European idea. Saint Columbanus was the first of the Irish missionaries and scholars to make a home on the Continent around the year 600. He became the first to write ‘of all of Europe’ (totius Europae). He and his followers contributed to the shaping of a European heritage that endures today.
Researched, written and curated by Dr Damian Bracken, University College Cork, and Dr Angela Byrne for the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Image credit: Depiction of Columbanus and his disciple Gall crossing Lake Constance from a fifteenth-century manuscript. St Gallen, Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. Sang. 602, p. 33 – Vitae of German saints
Prague’s Designblok International Design Festival is organized in the creative heart of Europe and is the largest design and fashion expo in Central and Eastern Europe. The festival reacts to topical social issues and international trends and provides a creative, professional, and business platform where designers and companies can meet with experts, suppliers, and target customers. Designblok celebrates 25 years with the theme Journey
The 25th Annual Designblok will take place from 04 to 08 October 2023 in three exceptional exhibition venues throughout Prague: National Gallery Prague’s Trade Fair Palace, the gardens of Prague Castle, and the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague. Dozens of shops, studios, and showrooms throughout Prague are also traditionally involved in the festival. The theme of this jubilee year is the Journey.
Discover the beauty of Czech glass and porcelain in the imposing grounds of Prague Castle, explore experimental student projects and be reminded of successful Czech companies that care about their craft at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, shop for the latest works from creators, be inspired by foreign stars and enjoy fashion shows at the Trade Fair Palace of the National Gallery Prague. The work of 227 designers, studios, school ateliers and companies, including 16 fashion shows, can be seen in three main venues. These are complemented by lectures and panel discussions, a programme for students and children’s workshops.
The Design Council’s flagship environmental event, Design for Planet, returns for the third time in 2023, just ahead of the next United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28). The FREE award-winning festival, from 17–18 October at the University of East Anglia will feature a packed schedule of talks from designers as well as experts in industries from mobility, policy, energy and education.
“The climate crisis is the biggest challenge of our lifetime and design has a critical role to play. We need to re-design nearly every aspect of how we live our lives. Design shapes the world. So designers have huge power, and with power comes responsibility.”
San Francisco’s Museum of Craft and Design hosts the Designing Peace exhibition, exploring how design can help create social, environmental and economic peace.
