Transforming the University Maternity Hospital Cafeteria
Welcome to “Handled with Care,” a community-driven art project designed to bring life, color, and inspiration to the University Maternity Hospital cafeteria in Limerick. This project invites 100 local artists to collaborate on a unique mosaic installation, transforming the cafeteria into a vibrant, welcoming space for staff, patients, and visitors alike.
About the project:
At its heart, “Handled with Care” is about connection, creativity, and community. Each artist contributed a small canvas, creating a mosaic that reflected the collective vision of those who use the cafeteria daily. Through a survey, hospital staff and patients helped choose the subject and dominant color scheme of the artwork, ensuring it resonates deeply with its audience. This initiative was inspired by personal experiences within the hospital and successfully uplifted the space without adding financial strain to the facility. Funding was secured from Creative Ireland to bring this vision to life.
This project is more than an art installation—it’s a testament to the power of community and creativity to transform spaces. By involving local artists and giving staff and patients a voice in the design, “Handled with Care” ensures that the cafeteria becomes a true reflection of those who use it most.
Artists and their Canvases:
Each canvas is part of a column and row system for easy identification.
Columns are numbered from 1 to 20 (left to right).
Rows are labeled from A to E (top to bottom).
The placement of each artist’s work is represented as Row-Column (e.g., C7 for 3rd Row and 7th Column).
| Identifier | Artist | Canvas |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | Iosa McGarvey | |
| A2 | Fiona Ladden Loughlin | Summer |
| A3 | Helena McGarvey | |
| A4 | Didi Delaney | |
| A5 | Jenny Crushell | Gliondar Croí (Great Joy) |
| A6 | Laura Dunne | |
| A7 | Caroline Gleeson | Bee Orchid |
| A8 | Mary Mullins | Wild Flowers |
| A9 | Caroline Brady | Hibiscus |
| A10 | Aisling Brennan | |
| A11 | Kerry Norton | |
| A12 | Margaret O’Brien | Beara |
| A13 | Kieran Irwin | Flowers and Fruit on Oil |
| A14 | Trudi | |
| A15 | Vi Bell | Happy, Healing Fields |
| A16 | Laurentiu Serban | Bringing Luck |
| A17 | Trish Taylor Thomson | Golden Sunflower |
| A18 | Dumitru | |
| A19 | Karen Downs | Faith, Hope and New Beginnings |
| A20 | Trophy | |
| B1 | Sarah Gleeson | |
| B2 | Brendan Keogh | The Blue Rose |
| B3 | Eileen Corcoran | Wild and Free |
| B4 | Mary Mulloy | |
| B5 | Roisín O’Donnell | |
| B6 | Jennifer Donohue | Love and Hope |
| B7 | Veronica Tyrell | |
| B8 | Elaine Leff | Iris |
| B9 | Emily Thomson | Field of Flowers II |
| B10 | Maree Ryan | |
| B11 | Kay O’Donoghue | |
| B12 | Breda Stack | Copper Castle |
| B13 | Mary Sherlock | |
| B14 | Maura Kennedy | Window on the World |
| B15 | Matteo Mazza | |
| B16 | Cecilia Soria | Blue Flowers |
| B17 | Natalia Cappetto | |
| B18 | Brenda Ainsworth | Aitinn (Autumn) |
| B19 | Elisabeth Swan (Kuehling) | Gifts of Nature |
| B20 | Maeve Tynan | |
| C1 | Jacinta Glasgow | Spring Hope |
| C2 | Alessandra Coppola | Purple Reverie |
| C3 | Alison Barry | Little Hare in the Wild Flowers |
| C4 | Lorraine Lynch | One Stroke at a Time |
| C5 | Sarah Arif Shah | Home is a Feeling |
| C6 | Grace O’Brien | |
| C7 | Clia Clancy | |
| C8 | Sowparnika | Seeds of Peace |
| C9 | Edwina Knight | Through the Lens |
| C10 | Carol Ahern | The Words of Flowers |
| C11 | Ruth Riordan | Dancing in the Breeze |
| C12 | Liz Collins | Rose of Joy |
| C13 | Freya Porrittwessman | Creatures in the Meadow |
| C14 | Lynn Kirkham | Burst |
| C15 | Maria Patskova | |
| C16 | Miriam Bhandar | Whispers of Spring |
| C17 | Karina Guseva | Inspiration |
| C18 | Kathy Tiernan | Friends for the Long Road |
| C19 | Aisling O’ Connell | Chomh Saothrach le Beach (as Busy as a Bee) |
| C20 | Sandra Griffin | |
| D1 | Nadia Ojugbana | |
| D2 | Sheila O’Connell | |
| D3 | Harley Cubberley | |
| D4 | Emma O’Connor – Bray | |
| D5 | Anna Kirby | |
| D6 | Mary McGillicuddy | Pink Pleasure |
| D7 | Maurice O’Brien | Sunflower |
| D8 | Giulia Coli | Foxgloves |
| D9 | Danica Farran | Flowers |
| D10 | Charlotte Strachan | Baby’s Breath |
| D11 | Shirley Mcloughney | |
| D12 | Úna Heaton | Nature at its Best |
| D13 | Ann Carroll | |
| D14 | Melissa Ryan | Australian Native Warath |
| D15 | Ellen Susan Igoe | Greens |
| D16 | Susan Leonard | |
| D17 | Chen Yu Wang | |
| D18 | Nici Le Gear | Golden Whispers of Spring |
| D19 | Joanna Gammell | Dusk at Gurteen Bay |
| D20 | Niamh Griffin | |
| E1 | Elizabeth Browne | Forget-Me-Not |
| E2 | Mairead Kiely | The Chase |
| E3 | Julie Byrne | |
| E4 | Ber Early | Dancing Daffies |
| E5 | Helene Moran | |
| E6 | Holly Cowman | |
| E7 | Alan Leff | Strelitzia |
| E8 | Lorraine Fletcher | Amidst the Flowers |
| E9 | Dana Sorokina | |
| E10 | Susan Cronin | |
| E11 | Eileen O’Sullivan | |
| E12 | Michelle Dempsey | Bláithín Dóchas (Flower of Hope) |
| E13 | Brigid O Shea | Speedwell |
| E14 | Sheila Stapleton | The Meadow |
| E15 | Olena Shulhina | Mystery of the Lily Flower |
| E16 | Rio Maria McGonigle | Tuismitheoiri |
| E17 | Anne Murray Browne | Josephine |
| E18 | Kath Leen D’Arcy | |
| E19 | Jay Kupiec | The Sound of June |
| E20 | Jean Anne McNamara |
Press Release about the Project:
“Building community through the power of art is the focus of a powerful new collaboration at the University Maternity Hospital Limerick.
“Handled with Care” is a gathering of 100 artists from across the Mid-West with a focus on family, shared experiences and support.The idea for the project came to Italian-born artist, Giulia Coli, after she gave birth to her daughter Maeve and a deep need for connection with other parents emerged.
“The idea for Handled with Care was born alongside my daughter, Maeve. During my own stay at the hospital, I realized how much a visually engaging, complex artwork could help both staff and patients—offering them a moment of reflection, distraction, and appreciation for art”
she explained.
Now living in Patrickswell, Giulia is an active member of the local Limerick art scene and knew the power and strength that thrived within the community.
“I didn’t want to do this alone. I know so many mothers who have given birth at this hospital, and I felt that a community project would be the best way to give something back, I conceived and led this project with the invaluable support of Eimear Laffan and Maria Quirke, who secured funding and trusted me to bring this vision to life.”
Eimear Laffan is the Healthy Ireland Project Manager, HSE Midwest Acute Service and Maria Quirke is the Operational Services General Manager Acute Hospitals Mid-West.
“Art has an unparalleled ability to connect us, providing solace and strength in times of uncertainty. This project embodies the spirit of community and collaboration, showcasing how creativity can illuminate our shared experiences and foster a greater sense of support.” – Eimear Laffan, Healthy Ireland Project Manager, HSE Midwest Acute Service.
The collaboration brings artists from the former Art Limerick group, Art Collective Club, Tralee Art Group, Nenagh Art Collective and photographers from the Limerick Camera Club together with other artists from across the country.The exhibition will be officially opened on March 25th at the University Maternity Hospital Limerick.
The opening will be invite-only due to health and safety protocols however members of the public can view the exhibition at the hospital’s shop. A QR code will be provided, allowing visitors to access information about each painting and its artist.