Clodagh Finn: Women on Walls — the art of challenging the status quo

An event happened on Thursday at UCC that gives us real cause for celebration, writes Clodagh Finn

'Women of the South' created by Cork artist Julianne Guinee honouring eight Munster women: Brigid Carmody, Mary Crilly, Dr Myra Cullinane, Dr Evelyn Grant, Dr Naomi Masheti, Dr Patricia Sheahan, Caitríona Twomey, and Dola Twomey.

Transformation is possible. Those words came to mind again and again as the portraits of 11 pioneering women were unveiled at the Aula Maxima at UCC on Thursday as part of Accenture’s ever-inspiring Women on Walls initiative.

I didn’t expect to be as moved as I was, but it was quite something to witness a complete visual reassembling of the old order in a great hall so deeply steeped (and stuck) in tradition. It might have taken 180 years, but the wall-to-wall portraiture of men is no more.