Sol Art is pleased to present Homage to the Throwers a solo exhibition featuring a new body of work by renowned Armagh artist J.B. Vallely. This new body of work focuses on Irish emigrants who competed in the Olympic Games from the period of 1896 onwards. When emigration and political oppression drove the Irish people to America they took the throwing tradition with them and eventually became the driving force of American teams competing in the Olympics from 1896 onwards. In fact Irish throwers dominated Olympic hammer throwing in an unbroken cycle from 1896 to 1932. Pat O’Callaghan revolutionised the throwing technique and became the template for throwers from then on. In fact his unrecognised world record set in 1937 under the National Athletic and Cycling Association (NACAI) Rules stood for many years.