Artist Bio and Artwork Statement
Faced with the necessity of writing an artist’s statement about the above painting, I thought it best to consider it
through the lens of Dinnseanchas, the ancient Irish lore of place names. The Abbey River, which flows out of the
Shannon & rejoins it in the city centre, thereby creating an easily defensible island, is one reason why the city was
founded in its present position. The high ridge in the distance, now called the Cratloe Hills, was previously known as
Sliabh Oidheadh an Righ, the Mountain of the Death of the King.
According to the Annals of the Four Masters, in the year 376 AD Crimthann Mac Fidaig, King of Munster & High King of Ireland,
was murdered while hunting on the mountain. He was poisoned by his sister Mongfind, who offered him a refreshing drink, & took
some of it herself, to assure him it was harmless. Her motive was so that he would be succeeded as High King by her son, Brion Mac
Echach Muigmedon. (Clearly Mongfind was a good mother, if a less than perfect sister.) They both died, but Brion never became
High King, & had to settle for being King of Connacht.
Title: Autumn on the Abbey River
Dimensions: 30 X 45 cm
Medium: Oil on canvas
Price: €600.00