Running until June 7, a new exhibition at Kilcock Art Gallery in Kildare titled “Ar an Imeall – On the Edge” by artist Pamela de Brí is set to shine a light on the remote and often overlooked offshore islands of Ireland.
Documenting 60 of the country’s 258 offshore islands—many of which are no longer inhabited—the project explores the rich social, cultural, and environmental heritage of these unique places.
Pamela de Brí, a multidisciplinary artist working in painting, printmaking, photography, and video, has spent several years researching and visiting these islands. Her work captures their history, landscapes, and demographics, aiming to preserve the essence of communities that once thrived there. The exhibition’s paintings are a creative interpretation of this research, capturing the identity and spirit of each island.
The project highlights a poignant reality: fewer than ten percent of these islands remain inhabited, and many are at risk of being forgotten. Irish, once widely spoken on the islands, is now used in only a handful of them. De Brí’s goal is to celebrate and remember the lives and stories of island communities—both past and present.
A high-quality, Irish-designed art book will accompany the exhibition in Autumn 2025. It will feature photographs of the artworks and texts about each island, along with essays by cultural and environmental contributors, including writer and critic Cristín Leach and Dr. Kieran Hickey, Co-Director of the MSc in Applied Coastal and Marine Management at University College Cork.
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The exhibition draws inspiration from Diarmaid Ferriter’s historical work “On the Edge, Ireland’s Offshore Islands”, and aligns with recent government policy. The Department of Rural and Community Development’s Our Living Islands strategy, launched in 2023, aims to support sustainable, vibrant communities on offshore islands and reverse depopulation trends. Pamela’s work provides a visual and emotional complement to this initiative.
Supported by the Kildare County Council Arts Service, the exhibition reflects de Brí’s philosophy that art should remain relevant to the society it comes from. Her practice is deeply rooted in her love for the Irish language and heritage, and her ongoing engagement with Ireland’s evolving social and environmental landscape.
A graduate of IADT and NUI Maynooth, de Brí has curated exhibitions for the Leinster Printmaking Studio and exhibited widely at home and abroad. More about her work can be found at www.pameladebri.com.
