We were honoured this week to welcome President Catherine Connolly to These Beautiful Men, an exhibition of a new body of work by artist Brian Maguire commissioned by Rua Red.
Since October 2025, Maguire has been drawing men temporarily residing at an International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) Centre, a primary reception and processing centre for international protection applicants.
In a context where individuals are often reduced to statistics, Maguire's portraits consider what it means to be seen, acknowledged, and brought into representation. Each sitter is given agency and dignity.
'These Beautiful Men' features 40 of Maguires portraits in Rua Red's Gallery One, while Gallery Two holds audio recordings of the men's experiences and journeys to Ireland.
@presidentirl@sdcc_arts@sdublincoco
Craft Workshops at Rua Red for ages 7-11!
Join artist Margaret Callan Bergin to help create a magical sculptural installation, Magonia and the Sensational Seahorses.
Margaret is excited to invite children to develop unique tail designs for the seahorses—becoming part of the final artwork that will be presented outside Rua Red for Cruinniú na nÓg 2026.
During these workshops children will experiment with mono-printing to create bold patterns that directly contribute to the design of sculptural seahorses.
Workshop 1: Saturday 16th May 1-2:30PM
Workshop 2: Saturday 30th May 1-2:30PM
Free to free but limited places so booking is essential. Please follow link in bio.
About the Artist:
Margaret Callan Bergin is a multi-disciplinary, socially-engaged artist, with a background in theatre-making. She is intensely experimental, combining printmaking processes with collage, video, photography, and painting. Margaret's work as theatre maker and writer spans 25 years and she has been seen in schools and theatres all over Dublin, including the Civic Theatre Tallaght and Libraries across South Dublin, she has also featured on RTE's children's television.
@margaretcallanberginart@garbo_productions@southdublin_creativeireland
Today is the final day of our current exhibition ‘These Beautiful Men’ by Brian Maguire. Rua Red galleries are open today 10am—6pm, come see the show for one last time!
Since October 2025, Maguire has been drawing men temporarily residing at an International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) Centre, a primary reception and processing centre for international protection applicants.
Maguire and Rua Red established a temporary art studio within the IPAS centre, where artist Michael Mangan runs workshops three times a week. While Brian draws portraits of the men, participants in Mangan’s workshop are invited to paint their understanding of home and hopes for the future.
Supported by @artscouncilireland and @sdcc_arts
Admission free. All Welcome.
This week is your last chance to visit ‘These Beautiful Men’ by Brian Maguire. Our galleries are open 10am—6pm daily until May 9.
As Art for Human Rights notes of Maguire’s practice: “His work isn't just about aesthetics or expression - it carries a clear purpose: to confront injustice head-on and serve as a vehicle through which real human stories reach the world."
Supported by @artscouncilireland and @sdcc_arts
Admission free. All Welcome.
Celebrate National Drawing Day Saturday May 16th at Rua Red!
We are providing two free events for children and adults to celebrate and explore drawing as a visual language.
✏ ‘When Drawing Meets Words’ will take place 1—2pm for ages 7—12 and will be led by illustrator, visual artist and facilitator Debora Adachi.
✏ We will be waiving our usual ‘Adult Drawing Class’ fee and inviting you to join us from 3-5:30pm for creative prompts and playful exercises led by artist facilitator Michael Mangan.
Both of these events are free but booking is required via the link in our bio. We can’t wait to see you there!
National Drawing Day is an annual initiative organised by The National gallery of Ireland.
#nationaldrawingday
Join us for the final week of ‘These Beautiful Men’ by Brain Maguire, open daily until to this Saturday from 10am to 6pm.
Since October 2025, Maguire has been drawing men temporarily residing at an International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) Centre, a primary reception and processing centre for international protection applicants.
In a context where individuals are often reduced to statistics, Maguire's portraits consider what it means to be seen, acknowledged, and brought into representation. Each sitter is given agency and dignity.
'These Beautiful Men' features 40 of Maguires portraits in Rua Red's Gallery One, while Gallery Two holds audio recordings of the men's experiences and journeys to Ireland.
Supported by @artscouncilireland and @sdcc_arts
Admission free. All Welcome.
Our current exhibition ‘These Beautiful Men’ by Brian Maguire features audio recordings from men who temporarily reside at an International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) Centre, a primary reception and processing centre for international protection applicants. These recordings detail their experiences and journeys to Ireland.
Life in the IPAS centre is marked by transience and uncertainty. Residents are relocated to accommodation at other locations at very short notice, typically within three weeks of arrival. This ever-present condition of impermanence informs Maguire's drawings, which are rapid responses made in charcoal. The works underscore the urgency and fragility of the encounters on which they are based.
This is the final week to visit ‘These Beautiful Men’ by Brian Maguire, open 10am—6pm until May 9. Admission free. All Welcome.
Supported by @artscouncilireland and @sdcc_arts
Video by @southpawpictures
Visit our galleries this bank holiday weekend, open Fri—Sat 10am—6pm. Rua Red is closed bank holiday Monday and is open as usual on Tuesday.
‘These Beautiful Men’ by Brian Maguire is open in our galleries until 9 May.
Since October 2025, Maguire has been drawing men temporarily residing at an International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) Centre, a primary reception and processing centre for international protection applicants. This exhibition features 40 of Maguires portraits in Gallery One, while Gallery Two holds audio recordings of the men's experiences and journeys to Ireland.
Supported by @artscouncilireland and @sdcc_arts
Admission free. All Welcome.
'These Beautiful Men' is a newly commissioned body of work and exhibition by artist Brian Maguire, open in our galleries Monday to Saturday 10am-6pm.
Since October 2025, Maguire has been drawing men temporarily residing at an International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) centre, a primary reception and processing centre for international protection applicants. Maguire and Rua Red established a temporary art studio within the IPAS centre where artist Michael Mangan runs workshops three times a week. While Brian draws portraits of the men, participants in Mangan’s workshop are invited to paint their understanding of home and hopes for the future. Maguire’s portraits are presented in Rua Red's Gallery One, while Gallery Two features audio recordings of the men's experiences and journeys to Ireland.
These Beautiful Men runs until 9th May.
Supported by @artscouncilireland and @sdcc_arts
Free entry. All welcome.
You’re invited to an afternoon of shared food and collective conversation!
Join us on Saturday, May 2nd 2-4:30pm at Rua Red for a shared meal and facilitated conversation led by Victory Nwabu-Ekeoma, founder of @bia_zine - a publishing project exploring food, memory and migration.
Across plates and between bites, we'll discuss what it means to offer, share, receive and welcome. Through guided prompts and open discussion, this gathering invites you to connect, listen, and exchange stories in a warm, communal setting.
Come ready to eat, reflect, and take part in a shared experience!
Tickets cost €5 and are available from the link in our bio.
Thank you to all who joined us last Saturday at Art, Asylum and The Role of Cultural Organisation, a panel discussion responding to the exhibition These Beautiful Men by Brian Maguire.
Artist Brian Maguire was joined in conversation by Curators Maoliosa Boyle and Jonathan Cummins; Lawyer, Writer and Academic Samuel Olaijide Ogundimu; Colm Laighneach, Support Worker at Clones Family Support Centre; and Bulelani Mfaco, who works with SDCC Interagency Section Community Department, the Irish Council of Civil Liberties, Hope and Courage Collective, and former spokesperson for the Movement of Asylum Seekers Ireland.
The panel was chaired by Rory O’Neill, integration manager at Irish Refugee Centre and considered how cultural organisations, working in partnership with others, might build on practices of engagement and representation to create the conditions for greater participation, agency and belonging for people in the community seeking international protection.
The exhibition continues in the galleries until 9th May. Open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm.
Admission Free. All Welcome.
Join us on Saturday April 11th for a panel discussion in response to These Beautiful Men, the exhibition by Brian Maguire here at Rua Red. Ticket link in our bio!
This panel event will consider how cultural organisations, working in partnership with others, might build on practices of engagement and representation to create the conditions for greater participation, agency and belonging for people in the community seeking international protection.
Panel Members
Brian Maguire - Artist
Jonathan Cummins – Curator/Lecturer Belfast School of Art
Colm Laighneach – Support Worker Clones Family Support Centre
Bulelani Mfaco - SDCC Interagency section Community Department, Board of the Irish Council of Civil Liberties and the Hope and Courage Collective, former spokesperson for the Movement of Asylum Seekers Ireland
Samuel Olaijide Ogundimu - Lawyer, writer, academic researcher and contributor on These Beautiful Men
Welcome and Intro - Maolíosa Boyle – Curator/Director Rua Red
Chair - Rory O Neill - Integration Manager, Irish Refugee Council
