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​Fennessy Corcoran is a Curator and Visual Artist based in Galway City.

Corcoran is currently the Creative Director/ Curator of The Courthouse  Gallery & Studios in Ennistymon. He is a former Chair of the Board of Directors of 126 Artist Run Gallery (2018-2022) and co-director/curator of Circuit Arts Festival with Tom McLean, Galway City and Founder of Barton Studios, Galway City (2020).

He was the Fifth recipient of the Shinnors Scholarship, MA through Research in Curatorial Practice, based in Limerick City Gallery of Art with Limerick School of Art and Design. His research project was titled “Curatorial research into Limerick City Gallery of Art’s (LCGA’s) Permanent Collection programme: through evolving models of public engagement and curatorial practice, how can LCGA develop programming to support relevant and meaningful encounters?”.

Corcoran also founded the “Plinth” graduate exhibition project in 2015 which ran until 2018 and has hosted several visual arts projects and events such as a “Curators Collective”. 

Fennessy Corcoran has curated over 57 exhibitions/festivals between 2015 and 2022. 

Curated Exhibitions 2015-2023

  1. A Camel Is A Horse Designed By A Committee, Glue Factory Collective, 3rd Feb - 1st April 2023, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios
  2. The Burren - Ukrainian Chronicles. Part II, Yevhen Svitlynyi, 9th December 2022 – 7th Jan 2023, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  3. Curdle, Kevin Gaffney, Bassam Al-Sabah and Jennifer Mehigan, 4th November - 3rd December 2022. The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  4. Figurative Seven, Christopher Lindhorst, Fiona Si Hui, Jialin Long, Mick O’Dea, Peter Bradley, Tom McLean, Will O’Kane, 23rd September – 22nd October 2022, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  5. Tar Isteach / Come in, A participatory project with artists Maeve Collins, Monica De Bath and Julie Griffiths, 23rd September - 22nd of October 2022, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  6. It Comes in Waves, Brigid Mulligan and Katie Moore, 13th August – 10th September 2022, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  7. Disembodied #1, Cléa Van Der Grijn, 8th July - 6th August 2022, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  8. Summer Open 2022, 95 artworks and 88 artists, 20th May – 25th June 2022, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  9. Ancient Camera by David Lunney, 4th March – 2nd April 2022, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  10. Pop-up Exhibition, Matthew Kelly, 7th -11th MAY, 2022, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  11. Chrysalis; Annual QQI Exhibition, 7th – 17th April 2022, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  12. Tangible Visible Form by David Booth, John Rainey, Lee Welch, Mary Ronayne, Owen de Forge and Sandra Hickey, 1st – 26th of February 2022.
  13. Winter Open, 110 artworks from 96 artists, 10th December 2021 – 16th January 2022, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios. ( Upstairs hosted Trasna X annual postcard exhibition)
  14. The Earth Dies Screaming by Austin Ivers, 126 Artist-Run Gallery, 3rd – 31st Dec 2021
  15. Red Illuminates, 2020 Graduate Awardee, Jialin Long, 5th of November – 4th December 2021. The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  16. Damien Flood & Niamh McCann, Exhibition by aforementioned artists, 5th of November – 4th December 2021. The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  17. Supermarket Art Fair, Stockholm, Sweden with Eleanor McCaughey and 126 Gallery, Oct 2021.
  18. Buttered Up, Áine Philips, 2nd of September - 2nd October 2021, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  19. Ode to the Soft Centre by Alan Magee, 2nd of September - 2nd October 2021, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  20. Reliquary of Beasts, 126, Rose Robson, Jo Kimmins, Christie Brown & Sarah Lundy, Galway International Arts Festival 2 -19th September 2021. Creative Café, Animals Event*
  21. After The History, Ursula Burke, 30th July - 22 August 2021, 126 Artist-Run Gallery.
  22. The Inability to Properly Convey a Point, Burt Pidgin, 23rd July – 23rd August 2021, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios
  23. Parallel Familiars, Emma Zukovic, 23rd July – 23rd August 2021, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  24. Abstract View by Jane Rainey, Lola Donoghue, Megan Burns, Shane O'Driscoll, 18th June - 17th July, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  25. Mortal Engines: Episode 4 The Pando Edition by Harry Walsh Foreman, 14th May - 12th June 2021, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  26. Preservation of The Vanities by Sian Costello, Recent Graduate award, 14th May - 12th June 2021, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  27. Winter Open 2020, 121 artists and 135 artworks, 14th December 2020 – 14th Jan 2021. (closed early due to Covid)- went digital, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios
  28. Drawing deCentered, Racheal Agnew, Felicity Clear, Kevin Killen, Melissa O' Faherty, Kiera O'Toole, Mary-Ruth Walsh, 18th September - 17th October 2020, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  29. Circuit Arts Festival, 1 - 10 Oct 2021, Galway City, 10 venues around town including public wall murals and slack spaces supplemented by music events (126 Sessions – 6 band, 2 gigs) and a slam poetry event and spoken word event.
  30. Prologue by Amanda Coogan, 15th Feb – 21st March 2020, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  31. Nostos, Jo Slade, 15th February - 21st of March 2020, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  32. Circuit One, Pop-up exhibition in disused retail space, Galway City, Peter Bradley, Shane Berkery, Robyn Carey, Neil Dunne, Aine Farrelly, Owen de Forge, Son of a foxx (Brian Giles) Eleanor McCaughey, Anna Moloney, Luke Reidy. Circuit Arts Festival. 14 – 20th Dec 2020.
  33. These Past Three Months, Role: Curator, David OReilly, David Lunney, Enda Burke, Frances Crowe, Gabhann Dunne, Joshua Armitage, Lynn Kennedy, Margaret Corcoran, Michaela O’Connell, Niamh Smith, Rajinder Singh, Rosie Nugent and Stephanie McGowan relating to COVID 19 and lockdown. 3rd July – 1st August 2020, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  34. Muse, Role: Curator/Creator, online virtual reality exhibition by QQI Level 5&6 Students from Ennistymon School of Art, created on Artsteps.com, May 2020
  35. 126 Backing Creativity: Online programme of sharing and funding artists, online sharing of art during COVID lockdown, 19 April for 4 weeks.
  36. Circuit Arts Festival, 16 – 30th Oct 2020, Galway City – 6 venues including public murals and commissioned gigs online in response to Covid 19 closures.
  37. Fuzzy Logic, Collaboration with 126 Artist-Run Gallery and Backwater Artists, Cork, Ailbhe Ní Bhriain, Ben Reilly, David Dunne, Lorraine Cleary, 3rd Sep – 2nd Oct 2020, touring to 126 in May 2021.
  38. Human by Barbara Knežević, Bassam Al-Sabah, Laura O'Connor.
  39. Recharge, Anna Macleod & Meadhbh O'Connor, 126 Artist-Run Gallery, 21st August - 13th September 2020.
  40. GS 126 (Grad Show 126), Longina Wentrys | Sian Costello | Vincent Kelly, 17th July - 2nd August 2020, 126 Artist-Run Gallery
  41. The Future is Clean and Round, Elva Mulchrone and Rosa Mäkelä, 28th February – 15th March 2020, 126 Artist-Run Gallery.
  42. Seven Year Stitch, The Textile Crew Ennistymon, 24th of January - 8th of Feb 2020, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios
  43. Traverse, Ian Wieczorek, 22nd of November 2019 - 18th of January 2020, The Courthouse Gallery & Studios.
  44. In Situ, 126 Gallery’s 2019 Artist Residency Award recipients: Sian Costello, Kevin Gaynor and Brigid Mulligan, 27 September - 20 October, 2019.
  45. To The House Fire Dead,  Denis Buckley, September, 6th - 22nd September 2019, 126 Artist-Run Gallery
  46. Oddly Accurate Things by Eleanor McCaughey and Lucy Sheridan, August 16th 2019
  47. Emerging Irish Residency Award exhibition Barnacle by Ciarán Doyle, Laura McMorrow, Helena Gouveia Monteiro and Sarah Wren Wilson, Burren College of Art partnership exhibition 2019.
  48. Reforming by Diana Copperwhite and Ciara Barker (Galway International Arts Festival) July 14th - 28th of July 2019
  49. Reviving Plains, Robert Dunne and Stephanie McGowan, June 7th – 30th 2019. 126 Artist-Run Gallery
  50. Hiatus, Annual Members Exhibition 126 Artist-Run Gallery, 7th May – 2nd June 2019.
  51. Anticipated Fictions: Monumental Configurations by Dorothy Hunter 26th April - 12th of May 2019, 126 Artist-Run Gallery.
  52. Time After Time by Cliodhna Timoney and Paddy Jo Rickard, 22nd November - 9th December 2018, 126 Artist-Run Gallery
  53. Known Unknowns, Role: Curator, 2nd of November 2017- 14th January 2018, Works by Damien Flood, Nuala O’Sullivan, Daniel Greaney and the Limerick City Gallery of Art Collection, Limerick.
  54. Plinth III, Role: Curator/manager, 22 September – 30th September 2017, Sailors' Home, O' Curry Street, Limerick City, Plinth.weebly.com, (Culture Night Launch).
  55. Muintír, Role: Curator, Selections of the Permeant Collection, LCGA, 15 September- 9 October 2016, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick City, 126gallery.com 
  56. Cumann, Role: Project manager, Solo exhibition by Michael McLoughlin, 15 September- 9 October 2016, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick City.
  57. Plinth II, Role: Curator/manager, 16 September- 30 of October 2016, Sailors Home, Limerick City.
  58. Visioning Alternatives, Role: Curator/manager, 3rd year painting, Limerick School of Art and Design, 26- 28 April 2016, The Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick City.
  59. A Post-Apocalyptic State, Role: Manager, Solo exhibition by Emma McNamara, Graduate award exhibition, 12 November 2015- 15 January 2016, Limerick City Gallery of Art, Limerick City.
  60. Plinth, Role: Curator/manager, 18 Aug - 2 September 2015, Sailors' Home, O’ Curry Street, Limerick City, Plinth.weebly.com
  61. Slow Art Day, 11 April 2015, The Hunt Museum, Limerick City.
  62. Show Racism the Red Card, 8- 14 June 2015, The Hunt Museum, Limerick City.

Other Projects

  • 126 Sessions - LIVE Music/ Steven Sharpe / Laura Duff / Straightpour / Yurtis Mayfield, JOSSLE / III A / TURNSTILES / THE LOVE BUZZ, 126 Artist-Run Gallery – Áras na nGael music events 2021
  • 126 Sessions, Digital Video programme (Covid event) 2020.
  • Circuit Speaks and Circuit Talks events of poetry, spoken word and performance.
  • Writing Commission, Jim Ricks on the history of 126 Artist-Run Gallery publication 2021
  • Writing Commission: Visual Artists Newssheet, December/ January Edition 2018/19, Review of Maud Cotter’s exhibition, ‘a consequence of – without stilling’.
  • Technician Training with Eva International 2016 by Aidan Kelleher.
  • Writing commission: Circa Art Magazine 2017
  • Eva International 2016 Symposium
  • Gender in Social and Cultural Practices. Feminism and its complex pathways with Aleksandra Derra
  • Workshop on heritage and festival planning, University of Limerick. 

Grants & Awards

  • Arts Council – Visual Arts Bursary – Curator strand 2020.
  • Limerick Festival and Events Funding 2017-18 (with LCGA)
  • Culture Night Funding 2017; Limerick City Council, Arts Office
  • Culture Night Funding 2016; Limerick City Council, Arts Office.
  • Shinnors Scholarship, Limerick City Gallery of Art, 2015-2018.
  • Grants Under the Arts Act, Limerick City/Arts Office Funding, 2015

Further Professional experience


  • Co-Curator, Circuit Arts Festival, Galway City, 2020 & 2021.
  • Curator of Art Fair Booth at Supermarket Art Fair 2021 for 126 Gallery with Eleanor McCaughey.
  • Artist Led Initiatives in Ireland, Visual Artists Ireland, online presenter, 2nd of Feb 2021.
  • Periodical Review X – Selector, 9th December 2020 – 30th Jan 2021.
  • VAI Artist Café presenter- Galway Edition, lockdown 2020.
  • Visual Artists Ireland “Get-Together” 2019: Speed Curator host. & 2017 & 18 Curator Clinic Host, Emerging Artists.
  • Once-off Lecture, Burren College of Art, Co Clare. Artistic and curatorial advice to MA Students.
  • Once-off Lecture, Campus of Creative Arts and Media, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Galway City, on artist lead spaces and 126 Artist-run Gallery, curation and arts management.
  • Technician, Limerick City Gallery of Art, January 2018, (2 week install of exhibitions).
  • Freelance, Tour on the role of a curator for Limerick College of Further Education in LCGA. Jan 2018.
  • Limerick City Gallery of Art: Curatorial Research, Shinnors Scholarship in partnership with LSAD, LIT. support staff and project and research lead programming, Nov 2015- Dec 2017.
  • The Hunt Museum, Limerick: Curatorial: Education, Outreach and Public programmes: 7-month internship, December 2014 – July 2015 
  • Ormston House, Cultural Resource Centre, Culture Team Member, Limerick City, February 2014 – August 2017
  • Limerick Arts and Cultural exchange, (LACE) Chair/Vice Chair - Visual Art Strand, December 2015- 2017