Photo: Jenny Callanan Photography
Mayor Michelle Hall delivered a speech at the Highlanes Gallery as part of celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the Municipal Gallery and the opening of Paint and Purpose, an exhibition of the work of artist Bea Orpen.
Speaking at the event, the Mayor welcomed guests to the gallery and acknowledged the many people who have contributed to the development of Highlanes over the past two decades. She also recognised the legacy of Bea Orpen and the important role she played in establishing Drogheda’s first municipal art gallery in the 1940s.
Mayor Michelle Hall Speech
It’s my absolute pleasure to be here today in the Highlanes Gallery to celebrate 20 years of the Municipal Gallery and opening of Paint and Purpose, an exhibition of Bea Orpen’s work. Thanks to Vincent Black, a successful local entrepreneur for sponsoring this exhibition. how absolutely fitting that Bea Orpen’s family are present Fiachra and Brian Trench, as their parents opened our first municipal gallery in the public library in the 1940s giving us the opportunity to reflect on vision, dedication and the enduring power of art to enrich our community. As Mayor of Drogheda welcome to you all including returning to Drogheda former director Joe McGuinness and musical guests Zoe Conway and John McIntrye, May Cotter, one of the original Board Members, and a member of the Franciscan Third Order.
I’d like to thank Dr. Yvonne Scott from TCD for her beautiful and informative pamphlet celebrating Bea Orpen, I think the last time there was an exhibit of Bea’s was in 1995 in the Droichead Arts Centre.
Before I continue with my speech, I want us all to show our appreciation to Aoife Ruane, Director of the Highlanes Gallery. Aoife has been Director since 2007 and we are so lucky to have such a committed, dedicated professional who lives by the mission statement:
Highlanes Gallery aims to develop, preserve and promote excellence and innovation in the visual arts through our permanent collection, temporary exhibition programmes and associated activities for the people of Drogheda, the North East and national and international audiences.
Aoife, Stephen Hodgins as Operations manager and the team here are always trying to elevate artists and thus elevating Drogheda. I’ve been here in many guises. First as a scared parishioner as Fr. Dorman shouted from the pulpit on a Sunday morning, warning us not to be buying tabloids from England. Father I’m a subscriber to the Irish Times you’ll be glad to know. Then as an teacher with students with a school art programme of 4 weeks or participating in one of the wonderful art teacher researcher programme visiting Monasterboice High Crosses then back to the gallery for an artist led workshop and as Mayor of
Drogheda opening other exhibits such as Laurence Fagan, a deaf artist and James Moonan a young artist who had an exhibition her last month, has won many accolades in his young life including my Mayoral award and led workshops for students. James has autism yet Aoife’s belief in him gave him the strength to speak in public and lead in his own way. So just of the first hand experiences that I know has made an impact on my life and many others.
For twenty years, Highlanes Municipal Gallery has been a cultural cornerstone in our town. It has welcomed visitors from across Ireland and beyond, provided a stunning home thanks to the Franciscans and Louth County Council, for remarkable exhibitions, supported artists, and created space for learning,
curiosity, and conversation. It has become a place where people encounter new ideas, where young people discover creativity for the first time through their school programme or weekend workshops, and where our shared cultural heritage, such as the Drogheda municipal art collection, is preserved and celebrated.
But this afternoon, we also look further back, because the story of Highlanes did not begin twenty years ago.
Its roots stretch back to 1945, when the pioneering Irish artist Bea Orpen and her husband, Chalmer (Terry) Trench helped establish Drogheda’s first municipal art gallery. At a time when access to art outside major cities was limited, Bea Orpen recognised something vital: that art should belong to everyone. When a travelling exhibition of past and living artists including works from Lavery, Yeats, and Drogheda artists of renown Nano Reid who we know, Frances Kelly (who many may not realise is the mother of Eavan Boland, poet, author and professor at Stanford University who has sadly passed away) and of course Bea Orpen who displayed works in the RHA every year since 1938 until
1980.
Her vision was bold and generous. She believed that communities thrive when creativity is accessible, when artists are supported, and when the public has the chance to encounter great works of art in their own town. The gallery she helped established with her husband Terry Trench laid the foundation for
everything we celebrate today.
Bea Orpen herself was a remarkable figure—an accomplished painter, teacher, and tireless advocate for the arts. Yet perhaps her greatest legacy here in Drogheda was not only the art she created, but the doors she helped open for others. Because when you create a gallery, you create opportunity—for artists
to exhibit, for audiences to discover, and for communities to connect. Her and Terry bought works, looked for donations and built an art collection of important works. Some of which are here today and some in the Droichead Arts collection. Aoife and Stephen are continually adding to this collection buying Bea’s St. Peter’s Place in 2025, waiting on delivery of Frances Kelly artwork and works by AE George Russell and Lady Beatrice Glenavey. In 1948, only several years after the gallery opened Bea and Terry had cculumated
many works from artists like Gerard Dillon, Hilda Roberts, Nathaniel Hone and many more. The exhibitions were often opened by the clergy such as Monsignor Stokes, who didn’t really like modern art preferring traditional painting that reflected nature.
They had great support from a Mayor Larry Walsh, the only one who took an interest in their aim to found an art gallery. As many people who come to live in Drogheda Mr and Mrs Trench wholly adopted their life to improve the lives of all in Drogheda. As Terry Trench said, they didn’t play golf or bridge, the social activities of many of their middle class neighbours, instead they volunteered their services outside of their paid jobs of art teacher for Bea and Manager of McCann and Hill Oatmill factory. In fact my great grandfather, Hubert Kerr was a charge hand in the Mill at the same time.
Living in the Blue School a stone’s throw from this hallowed building, they were in the centre of the town. Bea was involved in the ICA in An Grianan bringing art classes and understanding the need to preserve our environment and an early supporter of recycling (it’s probably why my mother-in-law never threw anything out! As a member of the ICA) and she was a Soroptomist who are still going strong and I gave a speech to the group recently, their president is a Drogheda woman Siobhan Matthews who is in New York next week at a talk on trafficking women and girls. Both ICA and Soroptomists live on many decades later.
Terry was in the Rotary Club – securing two decades of speakers to their luncheons. This must have been all male club then because Terry would bring the speakers to the Blue School for a drop of sherry to meet Bea before the luncheon.
Bea contributed to art work all across the town including the first motor service station built by Colonel Cairnes I assume near the Black Bull is now as Bea painted a large sign depicting a Black Bull. As we approach St. Patrick’s Day, we can also mention how Bea painted the High Soldiers costumes for the
first St. Patrick’s Pageant held by Louth and Meath, funded by Fáilte Ireland in Drogheda, Slane and Tara but omitted to acknowledge the décor of Bea while acknowledging others and Terry quite rightly wrote to point this out. I know my husband would protest but I probably wouldn’t let him write the letter but
Terry was right to.
What a rich life this couple had, and what an inspiration to us all. Sure what are we doing with out lives at all…lol
The Highlanes Municipal Gallery continues that legacy. Its exhibitions bring international perspectives alongside Irish talent. Its education programmes engage schools and families. Its collection safeguards works that tell the story of Irish art across generations.
In a world that can often feel fast and uncertain, galleries like Highlanes remind us to pause, to look carefully, to think deeply, and to experience the world through the eyes of artists. As Bea said at the opening of an exhibition that Monsignor Stokes decried modern painting, Some people find modern painting baffling and have no time for it. To them I would say, do not be upset by a picture if it does not seem to convey the scene as you would see it. Try to clear your mind of your own viewpoint of all literary or personal associations and realise the artist had quite a different mind of your own. You are entering a
world of thought and emotion. The artist may paint the scene as you see it or he may paint something quite incomprehensible to you. He may be expressing an idea or a feeling rather than a physical reality.
But institutions do not thrive on buildings alone. They thrive because of people: the curators who shape exhibitions, the educators who inspire young minds, the artists who share their vision, the supporters who believe in the mission, and the citizens of Drogheda and beyond who continue to walk through these doors.
To all who have contributed to Highlanes over the past twenty years, staff, volunteers, artists, patrons, and audiences, thank you. Your commitment ensures that Bea Orpen’s original vision continues to live and grow.
As we celebrate this milestone tonight, we do so with pride in the past and confidence in the future. May Highlanes continue to be a place where creativity flourishes, where artists are championed, and where the people of Drogheda, and visitors from far and wide can encounter the transformative power of art.
Happy 20th anniversary to the Highlanes Municipal Gallery, and here’s to many
more years of inspiration ahead.
Thank you.
