As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of The Arts Council's first meeting in January 1952, we remember some of the outstanding contributions made by previous Council members over the years. 

Muriel Gahan was a  founding member of the Arts Council, and was renowned for her role in the establishment of The Country Shop, Country Workers Ltd., the Irish Homespun Society and Country Markets Ltd. and for promoting traditional crafts in Ireland. 

Sunday Miscellany celebrates Arts Council at 70

The Arts Council and RTE Radio 1’s Sunday Miscellany collaborated on a special episode in celebration of the Arts Council’s 70^th anniversary.  Contributors John Banville, Shelly Furlong, Iarla Ó Lionard, Diarmaid Ferriter, Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe, Niamh Campbell and Marina Carr reflect on their connection to the Council and the impact of public investment in the arts. 

You can listen back to their contributions here (John Banville, Shelly Furlong, Iarla Ó Lionard, Diarmaid Ferriter and Marina Carr)

(link https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/sunday-miscellany/programmes/2022/0522/1300442-sunday-miscellany-sunday-22-may-2022/ )

and here (Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe and Niamh Campbell) https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/sunday-miscellany/programmes/2022/0515/1298086-sunday-miscellany-sunday-15-may-2022/ 

Bowman: Sunday

Listen back to John Bowman's weekly archive programme Bowman: Sunday on RTÉ Radio One. On the programme, John looks back through the RTÉ archives and presents some of his favourite recordings. Click on the links below to hear from some of the former Directors of the Arts Council.  

Bowman: Sunday: 8.30 Sunday 16 January 2022 (Time mark 17.38 mins)

Featuring interviews by Fr Donal O Sullivan, Mervyn Wall and Dr James White, all synonymous with the early days of the new Arts Council. 

Bowman: Sunday: 8.30 Sunday 23 January 2022 (Time Mark 18.07 mins)

An interview with Colm O Briain, who took over as Director in 1975, reveals his plans for progressing the role of the Arts Council in education and wider public access to the arts all over Ireland.  

Bowman: Sunday: 8.30 Sunday 6 February 2022 - (Time Mark 22.28 mins)

Listen back to interviews with former Directors Fr. Donal O'Sullivan and Patricia Quinn, former Secretary Mervyn Wall and the then Minister and now President Michael D Higgins discussing how the impact of the Arts Council has multiplied over the years.