A powerful new art installation has been unveiled at St Luke’s Home
A Celebration of Place, Memory and Connection:
New Art Installation Unveiled at St Luke’s Home, Blackrock
A powerful new art installation has been unveiled at St Luke’s Home, bringing together 15 evocative photographic works by Sue Nelson Artist that capture the beauty, character and spirit of Cork – both old and new – as well as the timeless landscapes of West Cork.
Each artwork invites residents, families and staff of St Luke’s Home to pause, reflect and reconnect – with Cork as they knew it, with shared experiences, and with one another. From familiar city streets to coastal views shaped by time, these images are designed to spark recognition, memories, storytelling and gentle moments of joy.
This approach is supported by a growing body of research into Dementia care. Studies show that reminiscence – recalling past experiences through familiar prompts such as photographs, places and music – can significantly enhance wellbeing. It can help improve mood, stimulate conversation and strengthen emotional bonds between individuals. Research also indicates that reminiscence-based interventions may support communication, cognition and overall quality of life for those living with Dementia.
Officially unveiled on 21 April 2026 by St Luke’s Home’s two centenarian residents, Helen Baker and Noelle Newenham, artist Sue Nelson believes that “this installation embraces these insights – transforming corridors into spaces of connection rather than transition. Here, a photograph is not just an image; it is a doorway. A doorway to a story, a memory, a laugh shared, or a moment rediscovered.”
At its heart, this project is about people. It is about:
- Place – the Cork that shaped lives and still lives within memory
- Family – the ties that endure, even when words may fade
- Stories – the richness of lives lived, waiting to be retold
- Friendship – old connections remembered and new ones formed
According to CEO of St Luke’s Home & Charity, Tony O’Brien “the hope is that these works will spark meaningful conversations – between residents, with caregivers, and among visiting families and friends; that they will bring moments of recognition, a smile of familiarity, a shared laugh, or simply a quiet sense of comfort.
This installation stands as a gentle reminder that within every person living with Dementia is a lifetime of stories – and sometimes, all it takes is the right image to bring them back into the light.”
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Contact: Dara O’Shea, Fundraising & Events Manager, St Luke’s Charity & Home
086-8338669, dara.oshea@stlukeshome.ie
Sue Nelson, Sue Nelson Fine Artist & Fine Art Photography,
086-3793718, info@suenelsonartist.com
Additional information:
Sue Nelson is a self-taught artist, photographer, and creative entrepreneur based in Cork. After more than twenty years in engineering and supply chain management, she made a post-pandemic career pivot to pursue her passion for creating art inspired by place, heritage, and memory.
With roots in geology, Sue’s work is shaped by a fascination with landscapes and the stories embedded in them. She blends photography with digital illustration and traditional painting to create layered, emotionally resonant art.
Through Sue Nelson Designs, she produces original fine art and enhanced photographic prints of Cork and Irish landscapes, alongside bespoke corporate and interior works for organisations including Adare Manor, Cork City Hall, and UCC. Her practice is grounded in collaboration, supporting local craftsmanship, and a belief in art’s power to connect people to place.
As Ireland’s oldest residential care home, St Luke’s has been caring for older generations of Cork families for over 150 years. Today, St Luke’s is home to 128 residents and up to 100 Daycare clients each week, many of whom are living with Dementia in its many various forms.
Currently, >64,000 people are living with Dementia in Ireland; this number is expected to more than double to 150,000 by 2045. One in three Irish adults will develop Dementia, a condition for which there is currently no cure.
St Luke’s Home is a voluntary, not-for-profit (charity) residential care home specialising in the highest level of Dementia care, education, training and research, ensuring that each person receives the best care while their individual characters are respected, their interests and curiosities nurtured, and they enjoy the best quality of life every day.
Photo:
L-R: Sue Nelson, artist, Noelle Newenham, resident, Helen Baker, resident and Tony O’Brien, CEO, St Luke’s Charity & Home at the recent unveiling of a new art installation at St Luke’s Home.
