Monastic Ireland: Art History Reframed - Spring 2026

Art Historian Dr Matthew Whyte offers a new lecture series, which takes the audience on an art-filled journey through the often beautiful, sometimes scandalous, and always fascinating moments in the development of Western civilisation.

The lectures can be attended as a series, but are also designed as standalone talks, which can be attended individually.

Dr Whyte has lectured in Art History in University College Cork since 2014, where he completed his PhD in the art and culture of Renaissance Italy.

Week 1: Monastic Ireland

In this lecture, we explore the rich history of Monastic Ireland, examining the visual culture associated with key sites such as the Abbey of Kells and other centres of early Christian learning. The lecture considers how trade, travel, and conquest during the Viking raids fostered patterns of visual exchange between Ireland and neighbouring regions, particularly Iona, shaping artistic forms, materials, and motifs. Through close interpretation of The Book of Kells, we will explore how faith, devotion, and aesthetics were deeply intertwined, revealing a sophisticated visual language rooted in theology and ritual. The lecture will also examine the development of a native symbolic mythology, focusing on the famous yet enigmatic Sheela na Gig sculptures, whose meanings continue to provoke debate. Together, these case studies illuminate the complexity, creativity, and cultural connections of Ireland’s monastic artistic tradition.


1. Tues 20 Jan
Monastic Ireland
2. Tues 27 Jan
Ireland and the Academy
3. Tues 3 Feb
Irish Art in the Age of Enlightenment
4. Tues 10 Feb
Irish Artists Abroad
5. Tues 17 Feb
The National Collection in Cork’s Crawford Art Gallery
6. Tues 24 Feb
Irish Contemporary Art