Kilcock Art Gallery was established by Breda Smyth and opened by the late artist George Campbell R.H.A. in 1978. A family business, managed by Breda and her daughter Carina Smyth, the Gallery deals in Fine Paintings, Sculpture and Prints by leading names in Irish Art.
The gallery is a welcoming place with an easy and friendly atmosphere, offering advice and help in building individual collections and investment portfolios of art. It is a real treasure trove of both established and new artistic talent catering for the varying tastes of all collectors.
The gallery consults with companies, government, public and private collectors, finding the right pieces for site specific locations both indoor and outdoor.
Since 1978 a range of notable figures have visited and opened exhibitions at the gallery. Michael J. O’Sullivan, Jean Kennedy Smith, two USA Ambassadors. Charles J Haughey, Taoiseach, opened the Tory Island Painters in 1986 subsequent to Breda Smyth bringing this exhibition to the Irish College in Paris in 1985. John Hurt the actor. Loretta Glucksman Brennan & Dick Spring Tánaiste, opened Kerry artist Michael Flaherty’s Exhibition in NYU New York 1995. They are just a few of the many interesting people and places connected to the gallery.
About Breda Smyth
Breda was born into the O’Keeffe Family who set up business in Kilcock in the 1800’s. A student of Mount Sackville Convent Boarding school for Girls in the Phoenix Park from 1956 -1961 where her love of art was nurtured. She trained in NCAD and College of Commerce Rathmines, then established the gallery in 1978. The Artistic bent runs through the family, Bridget O’Keeffe, her aunt, trained in Paris, was a painter and musician, uncle Jim O’Keeffe was a sculptor and musician. Her daughter Carina, studied History of Art in UCD, worked in Galleries in Germany, South America and New York, before coming to join her mother Breda in the Kilcock Art Gallery as a partner in 1999. Three nieces are Secondary school art teachers.
1985 the Gallery brought an exhibition of paintings by Tory Island Painters and Derek Hill to the Irish College in Paris, France and in 1995, The Gallery brought an exhibition of Michael Flaherty’s paintings to New York. This exhibition was held in Glucksman Ireland House, NYU and was opened by Dick Spring, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Mrs. Loretto Brennan Glucksman.
President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins along with his wife Sabina opened an exhibition of bronze sculpture by the renowned Irish sculptor John Behan RHA on his 81st birthday. This was a great honour for both Kilcock Art Gallery, Breda Smyth, her daughter Carina Smyth and the town of Kilcock.
A dinner for the President and Mrs Higgins was held afterwards for a large family group, John Behan RHA and the President’s entourage.
John Behan’s exhibition was a wonderful success.
