Since completing his art and design education, Michael has run his own workshop working mainly to commission and designing and making work for exhibition.

For nearly three decades, between 1967 and 1996, Michael lectured in Silversmithing and Jewellery at the University of Ulster (formerly Ulster Polytechnic). Since being granted early retirement from the University in 1996 – where he had served as the Head of the School of Fine and Applied Arts from 1990 – he has been invited to participate in numerous exhibitions.

Michael exhibits nationally and internationally. His work can also be found in many private and public collections, including: The National Museum of Ireland, Dublin; The Victoria and Albert Museum, London; The Ulster Museum, Belfast; The Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast; The Lisburn Museum, Lisburn; Dublin Castle, Dublin; and The University of Ulster, Coleraine.

Exhibitions

2018 “John Higgins Contemporary Silver”, Lindfield, England

2017       "Narratives in Making", Irish Craft Portfolio, Kilkenny, Ireland

2015        “Portfolio: Metals & Stone”, Solomon Fine Arts, Dublin, Ireland

2015        “Bravura 2015”, Blue Egg Gallery, Wexford, Ireland

2015        “Side by Side”, Irish Craft Portfolio, Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris, France 

2015        “Side by Side”, Irish Craft Portfolio, Kilkenny, Ireland

2015        “John Higgins Contemporary Silver”, Lindfield, England

2014        “The McCrory Family”, Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland

2014        “John Higgins Contemporary Silver”, Lindfield, England

2014        “Hopeaa & Emalia”, The Craft Museum of Finland, Jyväskyla, Finland

2013        “John Higgins Contemporary Silver”, Lindfield, England

2013        “Collect”,  Saatchi Gallery, London, England

2013        “Hopeaa & Emalia”, Hoyry Galleria, Korpilahti, Finland

2013        “Future Beauty”, Irish Craft Portfolio, NCG, Kilkenny, Ireland

2012        “Irish Craft Portfolio at RHA”, RHA, Dublin, Ireland

2011         ACNI “Contemporary Art in Northern Ireland”, Parliament Buildings, Belfast, N. Ireland

2011         “Thirty”, Flowerfield Arts Centre, Portstewart, N. Ireland

2011         “Irish Craft Portfolio at RHA”, RHA, Dublin, Ireland

2011        “Irish Craft Portfolio 2011”, Farmleigh Gallery,Dublin, Ireland

2011        “Irish Craft Portfolio 2011”, NCG, Kilkenny, Ireland

2010       “C3 Collecting Contempory Craft”, Craft NI, Ulster Museum, N. Ireland

2010       “Objects of Light”, Danish Museum of Art & Design, Copenhagen, Denmark

2010       “Irish Craft Portfolio 2010”, NCG, Kilkenny, Ireland

2010       “Irish Craft Portfolio 2010”, Farmleigh Gallery, Dublin, Ireland

2009      “Designers & Makers 2009”, F.E. McWilliam Gallery, Banbridge, N. Ireland

2009      “White Christmas”, Naughton Gallery, QUB, Belfast, N. Ireland

2009      “Design Collection 2009”, Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland

2009      “Silver with a Pinch of Salt”, Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, England

2008      “Portfolio”, Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool, a joint Crafts Council of Ireland and Bluecoat Display Centre exhibition.

2008      “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, National Craft Gallery, Kilkenny, a joint Crafts Council of Ireland and Bluecoat Display Centre exhibition.

2007      “Method in the Making. Making Changes: Contemporary Craft in Northern Ireland”, OBG, Belfast, N. Ireland

2007      “Method in the Making. Making Changes: Contemporary Craft in Northern Ireland’’, Millennium Court Arts Centre, Portadown, N. Ireland

2007      “Made in Northern Ireland: A Dynamic of Change”, The S. Dillon Ripley Centre, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA

2006      “Silver Connections”, a Crafts Council of Ireland touring exhibition, Island Arts Centre, Lisburn, N. Ireland, Flowerfield Arts Centre, Portstewart, N.       Ireland and the NCG, Kilkenny, Ireland which features the work of one family, Michael McCrory, his wife Deirdre McCrory, enameller and printmaker and their daughter Cara Murphy, a silversmith.

2005        “Art of Dining”, Ireland Fund of Japan, Tokyo, Japan

2005       Silver Cake Slice, Prof Rabinovitch collection of Fish and Cake Slices now on permanent exhibition at the V&A Museum, London, England

1999        “Cutlery”, Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, England

1998        ”Silver and Tea”, Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, England