Laura Barry – Céad Míle

”Céad Míle ’’, the Irish for one hundred thousand usually associated with the word Fáilte ’ plays on the infamous theme for Laura ’s latest collection Our beloved Irish pubs.     Laura’s first solo exhibition tackles the recent events that cast a shadow over the Irish hospitality industry, focusing mainly on some of Dingle’s most cherished public houses. Although normally, the spaces represented in this collection are experienced when full of people, conversation, laughter, song and perhaps the odd debate, the artist chose to paint the spaces as she has seen and oftentimes imagined them to be at certain stages throughout the last two years , unfortunatel y and too often , minus the welcome they came to be recognised for . Idle. Forgotten. Cold . Empty. Sorrowful. Quiet. Damp. Those dark days are ultimately over. It is time to remember , appreciate and celebrate what was missed most, as we reflect on the days when one could not walk through the doorways that have definitively reopened. Céád Míle is an exhibition exploring the life and stories of s ome of Dingle’s most popular and adored spaces. Even though people remain absent from the paintings, Laura believes each viewer to have their own snug partner, or fireside friend that should strike a memory or maybe even a plan when appreciating each piece. Let each viewer and each viewing reintroduce the pulse or cuisle to the places that stand as the heart of their town, like hundreds and thousands of others nationwide and worldwide. It is time to enjoy the hustle and bustle , the heat, the full snugs, the cosy corners the stories, the routine of the crew at the counter the rare shout, the music, the hearty laughs and the ‘cannot be put into words magic again. According to the artist, It is time to put the Fáilte back where it belongs.