Famous Irish artist visits County Roscommon to present painting
Renowned artist Robert Ballagh pictured in the McGahern Barracks Museum giving a short talk on the background of the framed print he donated (on the right). Pic: Noreen Gaffney
Renowned Irish artist Robert Ballagh has presented one of his most well-known works to the John McGahern Barracks Museum in Cootehall.
Ballagh’s works have been exhibited all over the world and his painting ‘Portrait of John McQuaid' was presented to the museum on Saturday evening.
The work is his tribute to the novelist John McGahern.
The painting focuses on the former Archbishop of Dublin, John Charles McQuaid (1895-1973). It is widely known that McQuaid coveted “the red hat” but was never made a cardinal.
Ballagh is ironically referencing this in the painting of McQuaid in a cardinal’s red robe.
Since he had never seen a cardinal, Ballagh said he used the Philippe De Champaigne painting of Cardinal De Richelieu in the Louvre as inspiration.
The portrait depicts a Magdalene Laundry on McQuaid’s left, with a mother and baby home on the right.
The books in the foreground reference the banning of books, including a novel by John McGahern, by Ireland’s Censorship of Publications Board in 1965.
