A painting from the Oriel is much more than just an investment – it is a piece of art. And it will provide you with endless joy: opportunities for calm and reflection – a window into another world, where you can go to escape the mundane, the everyday. Time spent with your Oriel Irish artwork will separate you from the hustle and stresses of life, and carry you along a gentle, flowing river, where you can let your imagination run free.
Founded in 1968 by Oliver Nulty, the Oriel Gallery takes its name from the ancient Irish kingdom of Oriel which encompassed the present-day town of Drogheda from which Oliver hails. By happy coincidence the word Oriel translates from the Irish as ‘window’ and from the Welsh as ‘gallery’.
The oldest independent gallery in Ireland, the Oriel was established at a time when Irish art was all but virtually discounted. Oliver quotes the director of a leading London gallery of the day, on being asked it he ever handled Irish paintings, as replying: ‘Oh! Are there any ?’
So, with Dublin as his blank canvas, Oliver set out to exhibit, promote and sell quality Irish paintings. He acquired premises at 17 Clare Street in the form of a large Georgian house which happily sits cheek-by-jowl with the National Gallery.