Countess Markievicz
Countess Markievicz, who was one of the leading lights behind the United Arts Club.
© Sligo County Library, Gore-Booth Collection No. 203Countess Markievicz
© Sligo County Library, Gore-Booth Collection No. 203
© Sligo County Library, Gore-Booth Collection No. 203
Countess Markievicz
Countess Markievicz, who was one of the leading lights behind the United Arts Club.
© Sligo County Library, Gore-Booth Collection No. 203The United Arts Club was established in 1907 to help promote an appreciation of the Arts in Ireland. Writers such as WB Yeats, Lady Gregory and George Russell were involved in setting it up as was the artist and writer Countess Markievicz.
To find out more about Countess Markievicz and her life, click here.
United Arts Club
The United Arts Club was ahead of the times in many ways. For example, they offered full membership to both men and women, which would have been unusual for that period of history.
Ellie Duncan, who was the first curator of the Hugh Lane Gallery, became the first president of the club.
A favourite pastime for members after dinner was to write short poems about whatever was being discussed. One evening, that topic was an actor and sculptor called Carrie:
" We had to carry Carrie to the ferry;
The ferry carried Carrie to the shore.
The reason that we couldn't carry Carrie was Carrie couldn't carry any more."
The club was not only a place for like-minded artistic people to meet. It also acted as host to various activities such as concerts, debates, poetry readings and exhibitions. It was then and still is now a venue for chess and bridge.
The Markievicz Medal
The Markievicz Medal is an annual competition that's run by the United Arts Club. It was set up to encourage young Irish artists to develop their talents.
Each year, the competition changes the art form the prize is awarded for. For example, in 2001 the chosen discipline was painting and in 2002 it was music composition.