Miriam O’Callaghan launches Christmas Street Exhibition at Bewley’s Café, Grafton Street
With over 100 miniature lifelike figures created by the sculptor Paddy Campbell, Bewley’s Grafton Street will capture the traditional festivity of Christmas for all the family with a seasonally themed front window and upstairs exhibition called ‘Christmas Street’. Admission is free and voluntary donations will be accepted for Heart Children Ireland, which the Paddy Campbell exhibition at Bewley’s is supporting specially this Christmas.
Miriam O'Callaghan and Paddy Campbell with Emily Sreenan Cassidy, aged 4, Ava Sreenan Cassidy, aged 6, Christopher Lysaght Walsh, aged 2, Hannah Petterbridge, aged 4 at the launch of the Christmas Street Exhibition by sculptor Paddy Campbell in aid of Heart Children Ireland at Bewley's Café, Grafton Street.
The Christmas Street Exhibition in aid of Heart Children Ireland, runs every day until 6th January and all are welcome to visit.
Christmas Street features six scenarios with 100 life-like Lilliputian figures hand-made by Campbell and dressed in contemporary style. Each realistic set depicts scenes from everyday Christmas life and each piece is an original. Heart Children Ireland is a voluntary charity supporting children with congenital heart defects and their families. The organisation operates local groups, buys medical equipment, provides financial assistance, funds specialist posts and arranges special events for children and their families.
Miriam O'Callaghan is joined by Ava Sreenan Cassidy, aged 6 to launch the Christmas Street Exhibition by sculptor Paddy Campbell in aid of Heart Children Ireland at Bewley's Café, Grafton Street.
“Margaret Rogers, Chief Executive of Heart Children Ireland said: “This is a delightful exhibition which will captivate everyone’s imagination around the enjoyment of a more traditional and family centred Christmas. We’re delighted that Heart Children Ireland will benefit from voluntary public donations made throughout the period.”
Christopher Lysaght Walsh, aged 2 pictured at the launch of the Christmas Street Exhibition by sculptor Paddy Campbell in aid of Heart Children Ireland at Bewley's Café, Grafton Street.
Sculptor Paddy Campbell said: “Christmas is a time for family, community and giving. My exhibition aims to provide a cheerful and uplifting experience for everyone who visits and I’m very happy to support Heart Children Ireland which is an excellent charity.”
Bewley’s Café General Manager Paul Dwyer said: “Christmas is the most special time and we’re delighted to give something back for free to all our customers and visitors to Dublin. People will really like this exhibition which captures the spirit of Christmas on Grafton Street and it is great also to support Heart Children Ireland.”
Christmas Street Exhibition
The scenarios include a lively view of Bewley’s and Grafton Street with crowds on the street, Teach Mor – a peek into Christmas morning in a suburban home, Bethsebea’s Bath – a modern day take on an old testament parable, The Train – homecoming passengers with parcels on a Christmas Train, and a scene showing ‘Santa asleep on the job’ – the great man’s elf helpers try frantically to wake him up as he snoozes in someone’s house on Christmas morning and children are entering the room.
There is also a delightful second-take on Jonathan Swift’s novel Gulliver’s Travels, as ‘Jilliver’, a life sized sculpture of a 17th Century shipwrecked girl is captured on a beach by 21st Century holidaymakers.
Sculptor Paddy Campbell pictured in front of his Christmas Street Exhibition in aid of Heart Children Ireland at Bewley's Café, Grafton Street.
The exhibition offers a voyeur’s eye view into other people’s Christmas and is already stopping passers-by in their tracks.
‘Christmas Street’ by Paddy Campbell takes place in Bewley’s Café Theatre, Grafton Street, Dublin 2, until 6th January inclusive.
