The Luan Gallery presents The Bridges of Athlone

by Emily Sheehan

The Luan Gallery has announced their new exhibition 'The Bridges of Athlone'; a visual history of Athlone's bridges, which will run from Thursday, August 1, to Wednesday, August 14.

The event will take place as part of the Athlone Viking River Fest, and the Féile na Sionnaine programme of events.

The exhibition will showcase the work of award-winning Tullamore based photographer Paul Moore, presenting his photography of a selection of Athlone's bridges. These photographs shall be accompanied by short histories explaining the bridges' relevance to the town.

The exhibition will also present the work of acclaimed illustrator Conor McHale, who has created a comic strip to present the history of Athlone’s lost bridges.

This exhibition was created by Westmeath Arts, Heritage, and Libraries and is supported by Creative Ireland funding.

The multi-disciplinary project highlights the importance of Athlone's Bridges, and explores the cultural and social histories that connect us to our local infrastructure.

Following the announcement, Carmel Duffy, the Luan Gallery Manager, said:

“We are delighted to host this unique exhibition, which captures the significance of Athlone as a central crossing point on the River Shannon and reflects the historical, cultural, infrastructural and social importance of the Bridges in Athlone.”

“Luan Gallery has experienced first-hand how the new Greenway Bridge in Athlone connects communities on either side of the Shannon and makes our cultural heritage venues more accessible to locals and visitors.”

The Luan Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Admission to the gallery is free, and guided tours are free to all but require advance booking.

For further information and details of other upcoming exhibition, visit the Luan Gallery website, or contact Luan Gallery by phone, at 090 6442154 or by email, at info@luangallery.