Page 112 - Gonzaga at 60
P. 112
In the class of 1988, I was one of only a handful of This same spirit of criical thinking was also the
students who didn’t opt for law, medicine or commerce; foundaion of my arts educaion in Gonzaga. I took both
I went to the Naional College of Art & Design. This was Music and Art to Leaving Cert level, and both teachers
actually a more pracical choice than it sounds: I had also gave me skills that I sill use today. Gerry Murphy
been accepted into the School of Drama, Film & Music at delivered a passion for music that transcended the dry
Trinity, but I knew that a degree in Drama would simply conines of the Leaving Cert syllabus, whilst teaching us
make me a well-qualiied, starving actor. the grammar and syntax we needed to appreciate (and
Instead, my goal was to make a career out of the occasionally make) music for the rest of our lives.
visual arts. Having got through a freshman year that Daragh O’Connell taught me art for most of my
crossed all disciplines, I opted for a degree in Visual senior cycle, and he was a superb mentor. Helped by
Communicaions. This is the area of art that applies visual the fact that I was one of just three pupils who took art
and criical thinking to reach a target audience with a to Leaving Cert level, he ofered encouragement, advice
memorable and engaging message – commonly known and insights that greatly helped my porfolio. More
as Graphic Design. I’ve worked in that ield ever since, importantly, his experise on the history and theory of
creaing brands and helping them communicate with art greatly exceeded the requirements of state exams.
tools like brochures and packaging. I started as a junior Like others in the staf room, he believed in teaching
at irms in Ireland and the US, and have spent the last ten independent thinking rather than relaying the standard
years running my own pracice, Design Tacics. curriculum. In paricular, he taught me how to convey
When I completed training and started my career, the abstract intangibles of art with meaning and insight.
I realised that visual skills were just one part of my crat. He understood that an appreciaion and understanding
While the creaive work is the inal deliverable, it follows of art was not universal, but gave us the skills to
a process of objecive, criical and quesioning analysis. ariculate our visual acuity in a way that was accessible,
As independent consultants, we bring an outsider’s clear and efecive.
point of view to each project: in order to convey the When I let Gonzaga, I revelled in the vibrant
desired message, we irst have to understand it. For diversity and creaive chaos of art college. It was such
that reason, a successful designer will try to learn a dramaically diferent world that I didn’t want to look
everything about the client, their business model, their back. I soon lost touch with friends and classmates I
compeitors, the message and the intended audience. had known for nearly seven years. But the educaion I
Finally, we have to challenge the assumpions that received in Gonzaga has stayed with me ever since, and
inform this understanding. This process of learning and is something I value and appreciate to this day.
quesioning is then disilled to a persuasive, engaging
and compelling design. Brendan Donlon
This is where my ime in Gonzaga pays a huge Class of 1988
dividend. I was not just informed; I was taught how
to think. Teachers like Michael Bevan (English) and Fr Brendan Donlon is the founder and Creaive Director of
DesignTacics, one of Ireland’s leading consumer brand
Joseph Brennan (History) gave me the tools to parse consultancies. As a designer, Brendan played a key role in the
informaion, not just accept it. They were also key in creaion of notable Irish brands such as Goodfella’s, Glanbia
and Eircom. With his team at DesignTacics, Brendan has
developing my ability to communicate efecively, both created brands like Java Republic, Freshways Sandwiches
in wriing and when making my case in person. When and Dawn Juices, and relaunched brands such as Waterford
combined with extra-curricular aciviies like debaing Stanley, the Naional Dairy Council, Failte Ireland, Tidy
Towns and Elverys Sports. Brendan and DesignTacics have
and drama, these skills gave me a signiicant advantage received muliple awards for their work – including repeated
when I started my career. wins at the Design Efeciveness Awards, where creaivity is
recognised for its contribuion to business success.
students who didn’t opt for law, medicine or commerce; foundaion of my arts educaion in Gonzaga. I took both
I went to the Naional College of Art & Design. This was Music and Art to Leaving Cert level, and both teachers
actually a more pracical choice than it sounds: I had also gave me skills that I sill use today. Gerry Murphy
been accepted into the School of Drama, Film & Music at delivered a passion for music that transcended the dry
Trinity, but I knew that a degree in Drama would simply conines of the Leaving Cert syllabus, whilst teaching us
make me a well-qualiied, starving actor. the grammar and syntax we needed to appreciate (and
Instead, my goal was to make a career out of the occasionally make) music for the rest of our lives.
visual arts. Having got through a freshman year that Daragh O’Connell taught me art for most of my
crossed all disciplines, I opted for a degree in Visual senior cycle, and he was a superb mentor. Helped by
Communicaions. This is the area of art that applies visual the fact that I was one of just three pupils who took art
and criical thinking to reach a target audience with a to Leaving Cert level, he ofered encouragement, advice
memorable and engaging message – commonly known and insights that greatly helped my porfolio. More
as Graphic Design. I’ve worked in that ield ever since, importantly, his experise on the history and theory of
creaing brands and helping them communicate with art greatly exceeded the requirements of state exams.
tools like brochures and packaging. I started as a junior Like others in the staf room, he believed in teaching
at irms in Ireland and the US, and have spent the last ten independent thinking rather than relaying the standard
years running my own pracice, Design Tacics. curriculum. In paricular, he taught me how to convey
When I completed training and started my career, the abstract intangibles of art with meaning and insight.
I realised that visual skills were just one part of my crat. He understood that an appreciaion and understanding
While the creaive work is the inal deliverable, it follows of art was not universal, but gave us the skills to
a process of objecive, criical and quesioning analysis. ariculate our visual acuity in a way that was accessible,
As independent consultants, we bring an outsider’s clear and efecive.
point of view to each project: in order to convey the When I let Gonzaga, I revelled in the vibrant
desired message, we irst have to understand it. For diversity and creaive chaos of art college. It was such
that reason, a successful designer will try to learn a dramaically diferent world that I didn’t want to look
everything about the client, their business model, their back. I soon lost touch with friends and classmates I
compeitors, the message and the intended audience. had known for nearly seven years. But the educaion I
Finally, we have to challenge the assumpions that received in Gonzaga has stayed with me ever since, and
inform this understanding. This process of learning and is something I value and appreciate to this day.
quesioning is then disilled to a persuasive, engaging
and compelling design. Brendan Donlon
This is where my ime in Gonzaga pays a huge Class of 1988
dividend. I was not just informed; I was taught how
to think. Teachers like Michael Bevan (English) and Fr Brendan Donlon is the founder and Creaive Director of
DesignTacics, one of Ireland’s leading consumer brand
Joseph Brennan (History) gave me the tools to parse consultancies. As a designer, Brendan played a key role in the
informaion, not just accept it. They were also key in creaion of notable Irish brands such as Goodfella’s, Glanbia
and Eircom. With his team at DesignTacics, Brendan has
developing my ability to communicate efecively, both created brands like Java Republic, Freshways Sandwiches
in wriing and when making my case in person. When and Dawn Juices, and relaunched brands such as Waterford
combined with extra-curricular aciviies like debaing Stanley, the Naional Dairy Council, Failte Ireland, Tidy
Towns and Elverys Sports. Brendan and DesignTacics have
and drama, these skills gave me a signiicant advantage received muliple awards for their work – including repeated
when I started my career. wins at the Design Efeciveness Awards, where creaivity is
recognised for its contribuion to business success.
