His Final Christmas
Hey everyone,
Mom and Dad instilled in me to think of others and how to help those who need help -
especially during this time of the season. I suspect Christmas in my house was always a
little more solemn than merry compared to the neighbors. But I mean that in a good way.
Well those thoughts creep into my paintings. No matter how many reindeer and candy
canes I want to paint the end result is usually a little more solemn.
Here's the latest - a diptych.
"His Final Christmas". Inspired by the Great Hunger Monument in Ennistymon, County
Clare, Ireland. Ennistymon-Lahinch Road, near the Cliffs of Mohr. The monument itself was
created by Alan Ryan Hall from Valencia Island, Co. Kerry and depicts an account found in
Book 4 of the archived papers of the Workhouse preserved in the Ennistymon Library.
Michael Rice, a 4 year old boy, was at the door of the Poor House near Ellistymon asking
for admittance. His mother and father had died. There is no record of his admittance.
Hey everyone,
Mom and Dad instilled in me to think of others and how to help those who need help -
especially during this time of the season. I suspect Christmas in my house was always a
little more solemn than merry compared to the neighbors. But I mean that in a good way.
Well those thoughts creep into my paintings. No matter how many reindeer and candy
canes I want to paint the end result is usually a little more solemn.
Here's the latest - a diptych.
"His Final Christmas". Inspired by the Great Hunger Monument in Ennistymon, County
Clare, Ireland. Ennistymon-Lahinch Road, near the Cliffs of Mohr. The monument itself was
created by Alan Ryan Hall from Valencia Island, Co. Kerry and depicts an account found in
Book 4 of the archived papers of the Workhouse preserved in the Ennistymon Library.
Michael Rice, a 4 year old boy, was at the door of the Poor House near Ellistymon asking
for admittance. His mother and father had died. There is no record of his admittance.
Two and a half million people starved to death between 1845 and 1850. Over half a
million fled to the US. One third of the population of the Irish were gone. Many were
buried in mass graves without coffins. During this time Ireland was under control of
Britain. Even though one in three Irishmen women and children starved or fled, Ireland
was still a net exporter of food to the United "Kingdom".
The Great Hunger is the seminal event in modern Irish history. It is one of the reasons
why we are the way we are today. Never forget and this Christmas at Midnight Mass, well,
think of Michael Rice and say a prayer for him. May the island of saints and scholars
never feel the pangs of the bad life again.
Peace,
Bill
million fled to the US. One third of the population of the Irish were gone. Many were
buried in mass graves without coffins. During this time Ireland was under control of
Britain. Even though one in three Irishmen women and children starved or fled, Ireland
was still a net exporter of food to the United "Kingdom".
The Great Hunger is the seminal event in modern Irish history. It is one of the reasons
why we are the way we are today. Never forget and this Christmas at Midnight Mass, well,
think of Michael Rice and say a prayer for him. May the island of saints and scholars
never feel the pangs of the bad life again.
Peace,
Bill