Adams Important Irish Art 27th May 2015 : Large Image & Place Bid Click Lot Title.

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Signed
Oil on canvas, 76.2 x 127 cm (30 x 50”)
Provenance: The Ritchie Hendriks Gallery, Dublin where purchased by
Charles W. Nichols Jr.
Cork artist Patrick Hennessy’s painting skills were recognised early in his
career, winning a scholarship to study at Dundee College in Scotland,
and a further one which enabled him to travel to Paris and Rome. During
his time at Dundee he met Henry Robertson Craig and both were taught
by James McIntosh Patrick RSA. Hennessy also travelled throughout
Europe and to Morocco, but returned to Ireland in 1939, dividing his
time between Cork and Dublin, where he exhibited regularly at David
Hendriks Gallery and from 1941 at the RHA. He was elected a member
of the Academy in 1949. His works can be found in major public collec-
tions such as the National Gallery of Ireland, Irish Museum of Modern
Art, Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery, Ulster Museum and Crawford Gallery.
Hennessy did a number of works from the early 1960’s featuring photo
montages many, as in this case, featuring the “Josephine Bruce”. The
photos are pinned to the wall using charity flags from the likes of St.
Vincent de Paul and the Order of Malta. Clonmacnoise is one of Ireland’s
most famous ancient monasteries founded by Saint Ciarán in the sixth
century. It was where the nobility of Connaught had their children edu-
cated and thus its name which translates “the secluded recess of the
sons of Nobles’. For many centuries it was the favoured burial place of
Irish Kings and many believed right into the 19th Century that all per-
sons interred there would pass immediately from Earth to Heaven. It
was in fact a settlement of some considerable size as reflected in the
number of crosses, churches and towers still surviving. It was situated
on an important site at a crossing of the Shannon on the main East to
West road and still impressive today especially if approached by boat.
€8,000 - €12,000