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Career as an Educator
After his study in the RDS and RHA James Brenan spent time studying under Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt and Owen Jones in London. During this time with them, he assisted with the decorating of the Pompeian and Roman courts at Crystal Palace. This was for the great exhibition of 1851 which was attended by many famous historical figures. Once completing this study Brenan returned to Ireland where he got a job teaching in the RDS. Soon after he decided that he wished to pursue his studies to be an art teacher in England at the Art teacher training school. Between his studies here he took a break to assist at the Bermingham school of art. From here he decided to go back to his studies at the art training school which at this point was in south Kensington. Between this time he occasionally taught in places such as Liverpool, Taunton and Yarmouth which gave him a good understanding of how the schooling system worked in England.

Once completing his work experience in England, Brenan made a return to Ireland where he became the headmaster of the Cork School of Art in 1860. The Cork school of art was under the control of the department of science and art (DSA). James Brenan brought his experience of DSA to his work in Ireland from his experience working in England where he learnt a lot about the way the DSA worked. He kept up high standards in the school in Cork keeping in line with DSA. He introduced lace classes, especially in Munster.

During Brenan's time as an art educator, life in Ireland was becoming difficult. James Brenan wanted to make life easier for the people of Ireland and to do this he set up lace-making classes where people could learn to make lace, especially women. This created an income for families and helped them through tough times that otherwise would have been in poverty. After his time as a headmaster in Cork Brenan then became the headmaster of Dublin Metropolitan school of art, he stayed there until retirement in 1904.