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Important Irish Art
,
wednesday 4th December 2013 at 6pm
The George and Maura McClelland Collection
Through their roles as dealers, gallerists and artist agents, George and Maura McClelland made an invaluable con-
tribution to the lives of some of Ulster’s most significant artists at a time when there was little available in the way of
support, either financial or moral. The artists represented here came to maturity during and after the Second World
War, at a time of rationing, instability, and hardship.
Although CEMA (the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts – later the Arts Council Northern
Ireland) was established in 1943 in order to redress this balance, artists relied on a limited number of private galleries
to give them a platform and way of supporting themselves. Prominent among them was the McClelland Antique and
Art Galleries, which was established in the late 1960s and exhibited local artists including Colin Middleton, Daniel
O’Neill and William Scott. ‘The Troubles’ caused the McClellands to leave their May Street premises in 1973 and
move to the Lisburn Road, reincarnated as McClelland Galleries International – the name a hint of the ambition it’s
owners possessed. Successful solo exhibitions for Colin Middleton, Louis le Brocquy and F.E. McWilliam followed
but the difficulties generated by the political unrest, among other things, led George McClelland to sell the gallery
and move to Dublin to join his family.
Once back in Dublin, George McClelland enrolled in the National College of Art and experienced life as an artist
for three years. Yet he could not resist returning to his role as champion of lesser known and appreciated Irish artists,
and embarked on a vigorous campaign of promotion for Tony O’Malley, then already in his 60s, living in St Ives and
virtually unknown in his own country. In just a few years, O’Malley came from relative obscurity and poverty to a level
of prominence unimagined by the artist, and he thanked McClelland for “saving his life”.
Whilst possessing an international outlook, the McClelland Galleries are best remembered for their enthusiastic pro-
motion and support of contemporary Irish artists, and the legacy of the exhibitions was further strengthened by the
production of publications to accompany each show, an infrequent practice in Belfast at the time. George and Maura
also personally supported artists most in need of financial and practical assistance, providing Dan O’Neill with a place
to stay and studio space which led to a sell-out exhibition, his first in Belfast in eighteen years, and funding Colin
Middleton’s extended trip to Australia which resulted in a very successful watercolour exhibition.
As well as exhibiting and promoting these artists, George and Maura McClelland built up their own significant
collection, the scope of which ranged well beyond the artists with whom they came into direct contact. Over 400
works from the McClelland art collection were loaned to the Irish Museum of Modern Art between 1999 and 2004
and formed the basis of four distinct exhibitions, as well as a significant part of other touring exhibitions throughout
Ireland. The McClelland’s work and legacy have helped to shape the artistic landscape of Northern Ireland and have
made a substantial contribution to Irish art in the 20th century.The collection was bought by private collectors, who
then made a significant heritage donation of works to IMMA in 2004.
George and Maura McClelland
