The collection of 26 iconic paintings of the notorious bushranger Ned Kelly has been carried to Ireland by Etihad Airways from the National Gallery of Australia and will be presented to the public by the airline in the IMMA New Galleries from today, Friday, November 2.
“We are delighted to be the presenting partner for the Sidney Nolan series, a world class exhibition which will further strengthen deep bonds between Ireland and Australia, two countries that Etihad Airways has a great affinity with,” James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer, said.
“To play such a central part in bringing the acclaimed Ned Kelly Series from Australia to Ireland is a great privilege for Etihad Airways. It affirms our pledge and commitment to support cultural, sporting and artistic projects in Ireland, which are close to people’s hearts.”
The renowned Sidney Nolan paintings take the form of stylised depictions of the exploits of Ned Kelly, the son of an Irish convict, and his gang in the Australian outback in the 1870s and 1880s. They are widely regarded as one of the greatest series of Australian painting of the 20th century.
The partnership with the IMMA and the Sidney Nolan series continues Etihad Airways’ rich tradition of supporting the arts and culture in Ireland.
In April 2012 Etihad Airways renewed its hurling sponsorship of the Gaelic Athletic Association, signing a five-year agreement, a partnership that first began in 2008.
The new GAA deal also saw the Abu Dhabi-based airline become the naming rights sponsor of the SkyLine tourist attraction at Dublin’s Croke Park stadium.
The 14-storey high Etihad Airways Skyline at Croke Park includes a roof top tour of the stadium and offers spectacular views of Dublin from five different viewing platforms on three stands.
To celebrate the opening of the Etihad Airways Skyline, the airline hosted a special “Poc Fada”, Gaelic for “long shot”, competition at Croke Park in May.
In addition to the sponsorship of the GAA Hurling Championship, Etihad Airways has played host to the M. Donnelly Inter-Provincial Hurling Championship Final between Leinster and Connacht which took place in Abu Dhabi in 2009.
Etihad Airways also honoured its pledge to support and promote the Irish film industry when the airline screened a series of Irish films onboard its aircraft during August and September.
In 2012 Etihad Airways is expected to have carried more than 230,000 passengers on its Dublin flights, with the landmark figure of one million passengers, who have flown on the sector, set to be reached in early 2013.
The strong passenger performance, with load factors of 83 per cent, is expected to increase further in Q4 of 2012 and into next year as the benefits of the codeshare and interline agreement with Aer Lingus comes to fruition.