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61. Eileen Murray (1885-1962)
Return from Market, Achill
Oil on card, 17 x 24cm
Signed with monogram, inscribed “Achill” and dated Nov (19)’60
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Eileen Murray was born in Templemore Co. Cork. Educated privately, she studied paint-
ing with Stanhope Forbes at Newlyn, Cornwall and was there with Laura Knight.
She married Major Stewart Murray in 1908 and lived with him in India where she had
considerable success with her painting, winning many medals. Due to her husband’s
father tragically drowning in Lough Bawn in 1920, she moved home to Mosstown House,
Kenagh, Co. Longford. Her husband died shortly afterwards in 1922 leaving Eileen to run
the 500 acre estate.
Her main exhibition period seems to have been the 1920s when she exhibited regularly
at the RHA, Dublin Sketching Club and the Belfast Art Society. Achill subjects seem to
have been her favourite theme. Her pictures are included in the Ulster Museum and the
Garter Lane Gallery inWaterford.
She continued to live and work at Mosstown until she moved to Killiney in 1947 where
she remained until she died in 1962 with many painting trips to Achill, Spain, Italy and
Canada in between.
