Cork pub to transform as art gallery in aid of orphanage

A landmark Cork pub will be transformed into an art gallery tonight to help fund an orphanage on the other side of the world.

Almost 180 works of art by up to 90 of the country’s top artists, including Gene Lambert, John Adams, Ricky Lynch, Maurice Desmond, and Cora Murphy, will be hung for sale on the walls of Henchy’s Bar at St Luke’s Cross, on the northside of the city, for the 10th annual art exhibition in aid of Anita’s Orphanage in Sihanoukville, Cambodia.

With works across various mediums, and with prices from €200 to €2,000, organisers are promising something for everyone. The exhibition will be officially opened at 8pm by poet Gerry Murphy and the art will be on view in the pub, and for sale, until November 5, when the exhibition will close with the pub’s famous stew night.

One of the exhibition organisers, Marie Roche, said there was a special sense of achievement around this year’s 10th anniversary of the event.

“This is our 10th year organising the Henchy’s art exhibition and we do so with a tremendous sense of achievement and community spirit, to have maintained this support in aid of Anita’s orphanage,” she said.

Supporters of the orphanage need to raise just over €1,300 every month to ensure it continues to provide its services.

Hanging the exhibition at Henchy’s Bar were Joe McNicholas and Martin McHenry, organiser

Ms Roche said the annual art exhibition is a key fundraiser for the orphanage.

“Art lovers buy the works of art, the artists are paid, and we get the commissions,” she said.

“All those funds are sent directly every month to feed, clothe, and educate the children at the orphanage. Some children we helped 10 years ago are now teenagers and they are attending the Life University in Sihanoukville, a dream made possible by the support of Cork people and beyond.”

Ms Roche also revealed that the building which houses the orphanage will be paid off in a few years, thus protecting and securing the children’s future.

She paid tribute to Martin McHenry, who started the fundraising a decade ago, key committee member Maura Sheehan and all who help, to Paddy Reilly and the staff of his pub, Henchy’s, for their constant support, and to neighbouring publican, Jerry Carroll, who helped by providing storage space this year.