Contemporary Irish Art in County Monaghan

Carrickmacross sits in the heart of Monaghan's drumlin country — a soft, rolling landscape of small hills, hidden lakes and a sky that seems to take up more room than it should. It is not the Ireland of brochures, and that is exactly why it suits me.

Working as a contemporary Irish artist outside the Dublin–Belfast corridor has its own rhythm. The pace is slower, the studio is bigger and less expensive, and the landscape is on the doorstep rather than at the end of a long drive.

Monaghan also has a quietly serious arts community — the Iontas Centre, Tyrone Guthrie at Annaghmakerrig, regional exhibitions and a steady flow of visiting artists. For collectors of contemporary Irish art, it is worth looking beyond the capital; some of the most committed studio practice in the country happens in counties like this one.

If you would like to visit the studio, see paintings in person, or talk about commissioning a work rooted in the Monaghan landscape, get in touch — visits are by appointment and very welcome.