Book of Kildare signing in Woodbine on Friday

Josephine Hardiman at work in her Punchestown studio. Pic Tony Murray.

A reminder that artist and Calligrapher Josephine Hardiman will be signing copies of her Book of Kildare at Woodbine Books this evening, Friday 8 March, International Women's Day, writes Brian Byrne. The event begins at 6.30pm.

Josephine spent seven years on the project, for which she was inspired by the belief that there was an original Book of Kildare, now lost, of calligraphy, paintings, drawings, and illuminations, written and created by scribes and monks between the 6th and 9th centuries. She set out in 2016 to produce a new book in the original Celtic Insular style, hand illustrated with illuminations. It includes sections on Ancient Kildare, Brigid of Kildare and Kildare Heritage. 

In advance of its publication, pages from the project were exhibited at various festivals and other events. Prints of some of the pages have been presented to President Michael D Higgins and An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

The book, which has been published thanks to support from Kildare County Council, Creative Ireland and Kildare Libraries, and the Brigid 1500 programme, was launched at the end of January.

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