Art:pack in aid of the Irish Hospice Foundation

Published May 26, 2001 • Updated May 08, 2026

A deck of cards to raise awareness of the Irish Hospice Foundation.

Art:pack
in aid of the Irish Hospice Foundation

A special deck of cards was used to raise awareness of the Irish Hospice Foundation. The Art:pack features 52 custom-made cards by a variety of visual artists such as Robert Ballagh, Basil Blackshaw, Felim Egan, Guggi, Anne Madden, Patrick Scott and Sean Scully. Gavin Friday and Bono will feature as the jokers. See the box►

"We chose a pack of cards this year because we felt it was friendly inclusive and accessible for those involved in its production as well as its viability as an end product," said Ciaran O'Goara, committee member of Art:pack.

See excerpt from the leaflet►

"The artists we used range in age from 20-year-olds to 70 year olds and an open brief was given to suit their individual sensibilities," said O'Goara. "The approach yielded and eclectic mix of interpretation. Art:Pack took about 18 months to come to fruition and the artists had two months to produce their pieces."

Art:pack in aid of the Irish Hospice Foundation, 2001

Above: inside pages from the leaflet. Courtesy Roddy Somerville.

25/11/01: A great many of the artists were in the 4 Seasons Hotel in Dublin today to sign their cards. A huge crowd queued to have their packs autographed. They must be Christmas presents. In any event the cards have gone for a further printing and have hit the 5 best selling Christmas presents list in one of the papers.

We started signing at 12 noon and finished signing at 6.30. One of the artists was still going strong when I left as he signs with a quill! We were asked would we offer the original artwork to the hospice for sale.

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By Simon Wintle

Spain • Member since February 01, 1996

I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.