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Interested in painting, Manus Walsh was encouraged by Campbell to leave stained-glass work
and pursue a full-time career as a painter. Visiting the Campbell’s homes in Ireland in the
1960s, he met Campbell’s friends and participated in music sessions. Travelling to Spain,
Walsh attended Campbell’s first exhibition in ‘La Buena Sombra’, 1966, and met Joe Kerr
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and artist, Albert Meagle, who had left Dublin and made Spain his home in 1963.
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In
1978, Walsh, Meagle and George Walsh held a group show together with Campbell, ‘Irish
Artists in Spain’, at the Kenny Gallery, Galway, where Campbell included Spanish works by
Gerard Dillon. Manus Walsh also exhibited with Campbell for the opening exhibition of
Gallery 22 in April 1978, and he dedicated his solo exhibition at Gallery 22, October 1979,
to Campbell in the aftermath of his death.
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From the early 1960’s, Joe and Bill Kerr (manager of Davy Byrne’s pub) were friends of the Campbell’s.
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Interview with Albert Meagle, Malaga, 14 January 2014.
fig.191: George Campbell and Manus Walsh,
1960’s
fig.192: Manus Walsh, George Campbell with
Albert and Maria Meagle in ‘La Buena Sombra’,
1960’s
fig.193: Inside cover for catalogue, ‘Spain by
Irish Artists’, 1978 designed by George Campbell
fig.194: Ambassador, Emilio Pan de Soraluce,
George Campbell and Tom Kenny, 1978