Join the Celebration: Recreating History in Athy with Anthony Haughey and John Minihan
A Unique Opportunity to Be Part of Athy's Living History
08 July 2025: In 2024, artist Anthony Haughey launched Art House Athy – a gallery and workshop space on Leinster Street as part of his Creative Places Athy: Collect and Gather residency. Conceived as a prototype for small-town arts infrastructure across Ireland, Art House offers a dedicated space for communities to come together and celebrate local culture and creativity.
During his residency, Haughey visited the home of Athy historian Frank Taaffe to explore his photographic archive while preparing for Art House’s inaugural exhibition. He discovered a powerful image by John Minihan, depicting a large gathering in Emily Square in 1987. Inspired by the photograph – and by the opportunity to mark the recent refurbishment of the square, Haughey reached out to Minihan to propose a new collaborative project.
Together, they now invite the people of Athy to help recreate this iconic moment. On Saturday, 19th July at 2:00pm, residents are warmly invited to gather in the newly refurbished Emily Square to have their photograph taken – adding a new chapter to the town’s living history.
In September, during the official launch of Emily Square, Minihan’s original 1987 photograph and Haughey’s new version will be displayed side by side in the windows of Art House. Both images will be available to purchase, with a special limited edition printed for future public exhibition.
This initiative is proudly supported by Kildare County Council and Creative Places, Athy.
