‘Thirty-Six Views of the Sugarloaf’ is a poetry and print project with live events, taking place at The Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray and other Wicklow venues in April / May 2026.  

Inspired by Hokusai’s famous series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (19th-century), it was originally a collaboration between the late print-maker and painter Cathy Henderson and poet Nell Regan. 

Nell Regan is bringing a version of the project to completion which explores the many perspectives of this iconic Wicklow mountain - visual, historical and topographical well as personal and emotional.

‘Thirty-Six Views of the Sugarloaf’ will comprise of an exhibition of prints, photographs and paintings by Cathy Henderson and a new poetry collection of the same name by Nell Regan, launching at Mermaid Arts Centre in April 2026. There will be a series of readings, workshops and talks to accompany ‘Thirty-Six Views of the Sugarloaf’.

Thanks to the Estate of Cathy Henderson for their support of this project, in addition to Mermaid Arts Centre and Wicklow County Arts Office.  

Artist Biography

Nell Regan is a poet and non-fiction writer who has published three collections of poetry including Preparing for Spring (Arlen House) and One Still Thing (Enitharmon Press). She has been a Fellow at the International Writing Programme, Iowa, a Fulbright Scholar at UC Berkeley, a Patrick and Katherine Kavanagh Fellow and recipient of two Arts Council Literature Bursaries.

Her biography Helena Molony, A Radical Life 1883–1967 (Arlen House) was a 2017 Irish Independent Book of the Year while her latest book is A Gap in the Clouds: A New Translation of the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, with James Hadley (Dedalus Press). Forthcoming is a debut children’s book Just Jump (Wonderhouse Books). She is a recipient of the Basic Artist Income pilot scheme from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.

Find out more here.