The FNCI at 100

The Friends of the National Collections of Ireland (FNCI) is a charitable body formed in 1924 by the painter Sarah Purser and a group of friends for the purpose of acquiring works of art and objects of historical interest and donating them to national and regional collecting institutions throughout Ireland for the education and enjoyment of the public.

One of the institutions to benefit over the years from the FNCI’s generosity has been the Irish Architectural Archive. On more than twenty occasions, beginning in 1981, the FNCI has assisted the IAA in adding important material to its collections. Items acquired with FNCI assistance have included architectural models, drawings, and engravings, and range in date from the mid-eighteenth to the late-twentieth centuries.