Noelle Campbell-Sharp facts for kids

Noelle Campbell-Sharp was born in 1943 in County Wexford, Ireland. She is known for being an Irish art supporter, a gallerist (someone who runs an art gallery), and a philanthropist (someone who helps others, often through donations). Before this, she worked as a journalist, editor, and publisher for many Irish magazines.

Today, she runs an art gallery in Dublin. She has also been a member of the Arts Council of Ireland. Noelle Campbell-Sharp is most famous for leading the Cill Rialaig project in County Kerry. This project has welcomed over 5,000 artists since it started in 1991.

Noelle's Early Life

Noelle Campbell-Sharp was born in 1943 in Wexford. She was adopted by the Roche family and grew up in County Wexford. She later learned about her birth family and connected with some of her relatives.

From her father, Noelle developed a strong interest in history and military topics. She even collected items related to Napoleon. She finished school at the age of 15 after getting her Intermediate Certificate.

Noelle's Career Journey

Starting Out in Her Career

Noelle Roche's first job was as a clerk-typist at a company called Pierce's in Wexford. She then moved to Dublin and studied acting. This led her to a job as a Public Relations Officer for the Gaiety Theatre. Her very first client there was the famous actor Peter O'Toole.

After marrying British fashion photographer Neil Campbell-Sharp, Noelle started writing for his photography work. She also helped manage his career. This is how she became involved in fashion journalism.

Becoming a Magazine Publisher

Noelle Campbell-Sharp began working with Irish Tatler magazine. In 1979, she bought the magazine with John Kerry Keane. She shortened its name to IT and was its editor until 1988.

She also bought several other magazines, owning 11 at one point. These included Social and Personal, which she later sold, and Success. Her company also published Ryanair's in-flight magazine for several years. She even won a legal case to keep that contract. Her publishing company also got a contract to publish a magazine for Aer Rianta.

Noelle Campbell-Sharp sold her magazine business in parts in 1989 and 1991. However, she faced challenges with the sale of her business.

In the late 1980s, Noelle bought a property in Ballinskelligs, County Kerry. She had it renovated by architect Alfred Cochrane. She was also involved in a legal case related to reporting in 1997. In 1992, she was nominated to join the board of directors of Bank of Ireland, but she was not elected. She also managed a rock band called Against the Storm from 1994 to 1995.

The Cill Rialaig Project

Noelle heard that a road project might destroy the old famine village ruins at Cill Rialaig in Ballinskelligs. She quickly organized fundraising with friends and got a small grant from the Irish National Lottery. With this money, she bought the ruins. This was the start of the Cill Rialaig Project.

The project grew into an Artist Retreat and an Arts Centre nearby. Noelle later sold her house in Killiney and made Ballinskelligs her main home. She has continued to be the main force behind this project. By mid-2019, the project had hosted over 5,000 artists who came to stay and work there.

Noelle Campbell-Sharp opened her first art gallery on St. Stephen's Green. This gallery showed art created at Cill Rialaig. The gallery was opened by Tánaiste Dick Spring, with the US Ambassador, Jean Kennedy Smith, also attending. Later, she opened the Origins Gallery, which moved locations and is still active. For some years, from 2006 to the early 2010s, Noelle also ran the Urban Retreat gallery. This gallery also focused on art and artists from Cill Rialaig.

Awards and Recognition

In June 2007, Noelle Campbell-Sharp received an honorary doctorate from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. This special award was given to her by Garret FitzGerald.

Involvement with the Arts Council

In 2003, Minister John O'Donoghue appointed Noelle Campbell-Sharp as a member of Ireland's Arts Council. This council has 13 members and helps support the arts in Ireland.

Noelle's Personal Life

Noelle Campbell-Sharp has one daughter with Neil Campbell-Sharp. Her daughter, Tara, is a holistic therapist and has three children.

For many years, Noelle Campbell-Sharp was an active collector of items related to Napoleon. She was also a member of the Napoleon Society of Ireland. In 2019, she announced plans to sell her collection.