Contemporary Irish Art Society

Founded in 1962 the sole aim of CIAS was to support the visual arts in Ireland. It has purchased or acquired works from galleries, artists or by donation and for more than half a century has donated them to public galleries and collections across the country. The recipients include the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery of Modern Art, Dublin, Irish Museum of Modern Art, University College, Dublin, University of Galway and other establishments across the country. Artists whose works have been donated include Robert Ballagh, Louis Le Brocquy, Barrie Cooke, Willie Doherty, Paul Doran, Cecil King, Caroline McCarthy, Janet Mullarney, Nano Reid, Patrick Scott, Sean Scully and Camille Souter amongst many. In 2005 SIAR 50 an exhibition showing some of the previous half century's 'donations' was staged at the IMMA in Dublin.