The Society held its first exhibition in the Courthouse, Lismore, County Waterford in May 1871.
[1] The Water Colour Society of Ireland (WCSI) was founded in 1870 as the Amateur Drawing Society by an informal group of six well-connected women from County Waterford, Baroness Pauline Prochazka, Harriet Keane, Frances Keane, Henrietta Phipps, Fanny Currey and Fanny Musgrave.
[2][3][4] Eight years after its founding, the organisation briefly became the "Irish Fine Art Society" before settling to its current name in 1888.
[5] The stated objective of the Society is "to promote and develop nationally the use and appreciation of watercolour and associated media among artists, students and the general public.
[2][7] The national collection for the society which consists of painting by 122 members was founded in 1993, and is housed at the Concert Hall of the University of Limerick.