Nollaig Dunphy worked at the Quay Co-Op in the 90s, now she’s back with a special exhibition
The Quay Co-Op is celebrating its 40th birthday this year.
And now one of the many employees to pass through its doors has returned to host her first art exhibition at the Sullivan’s Quay hub.
Hidden Connections, a series of 19 abstract paintings by Nollaig Dunphy, is now on display in the Upstairs at the Co-op restaurant.
Nolliag worked at the Quay Co-op for several years in the 1990s. The Cork native is a psychotherapist with a passion for art and her exhibition features all-new work created in 2022.
“I can genuinely say that getting involved and working at the Quay Co-op was the best thing that ever happened to me and it’s where I met all of my closest friends,” said Nollaig.
“It is such a supportive space and has allowed so many people including myself to find our way and be true to ourselves. My paintings are representative of my own life and relationships, though of course, it’s abstract and therefore not visible to others. I paint in the hope that the viewer will be pleased, curious, and perhaps taken momentarily to another place.”
A new space for inspiration
Simon Tiptaft, General Manager of the Quay Co-op added, “We love nothing more than celebrating and featuring some of Cork’s most renowned painters as well as up-and-coming artists on the walls of our vegetarian and vegan restaurant. The Quay Co-op has been a community space for 40 years and we hope to build on that over the coming weeks and months.
“We have recently restored the ‘Pawnbroker’s Office’ on the third floor. In the past, it was the HQ for women’s groups, CND, and the LGBTQ community campaigns. We are delighted to be able to offer this very special private space for business and social groups to book once again and with a number of Nollaig’s paintings hanging there also, we hope the art will provide some added inspiration.”
The Pawnbroker’s Office is available for private dining, meetings, and cocktail reception-style events. A selection of Nollaig’s paintings will also be on display in the Downstairs Deli and in the Carrigaline and Ballincollig shops.
