Paintings from the art collection of The Great Southern Hotels group go on display in Galway.
The exhibition of paintings by artists including Nora McGuinness and Cecil King at the Great Southern Hotel in Galway was opened by architect Ronnie Tallon. The works are taken from the Great Southern Hotels group art collection. After some weeks in Galway, the exhibition will move to Mulranny in County Mayo for Christmas.
Michael Gill the general manager at the Great Southern Hotel explains that the group has been growing a collection of art since 1958. The collections moves between hotels in the group to stimulate local interest in the hotels and the art.
We're doing a little something for the arts.
To date, the Great Southern Hotels group has acquired some 130 paintings representing the works of around 60 artists. In general, the paintings are not for sale.
Good pictures enhance our public areas and therefore make our hotels more attractive.
The Great Southern Hotels Group plans to add to the collection. In 1974 £2,000 was spent on paintings. Michael Gill says that if it is a good year for tourism then it will be a good year for their art acquisitions.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 20 November 1974. The reporter is Dermot Mullane.
