The extensive refurbishment works come with a €93m price-tag, more than treble that of the initial €29m 2020 estimate.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin, minister Patrick O’Donovan, and minister of state with responsibility for the OPW Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, attended the commencement of the construction project yesterday afternoon.

In 2024, the project went out to tender and following the outcome of the tender process, the overall project budget estimate for the Crawford development is now €93.1m.

The gallery closed to the public in September of 2024, with most of its 3,500 artworks moved to storage.

The exhibitions, held over two days on June 5 and 6,  featured a of work across media communications, fine art and applied art.

The newly acquired works will go on public display when the gallery reopens.

The gallery will close to the public later this month for the works. 

‘Obelisk of Bronze’ by Michael Warren, which has been in the garden of the gallery since the 1990s, was lifted out by crane yesterday morning

All the events being held in the gallery are free, but some may be ticketed and require booking.

The gallery is expected to close for two years to facilitate renovations to the iconic building.