BATTLE OF THE BOGSIDE, PORTRAIT OF BERNADETTE DEVLIN, 1999 Robert Ballagh (b.1943)
Signature: signed with initials [RB] and dated [1999] within image of bullhorn lower centre Medium: oil on canvas laid on board; (lunette) Dimensions: 36 by 81cm., 14 by 31.7 5in. Provenance: Provenance:Collection of the Druids Glen Resort, Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow Exhibited: Exhibited:'Robert Ballagh - Artist and Designer, A Retrospective', RHA, Dublin, 15 September - 22 October, 2006, catalogue no.32' Literature: Literature:Carty, Ciaran and Kiberd, Declan, Robert Ballagh - Artist and Designer, A Retrospective, RHA, Dublin, 2006, p.64 (illustrated) Carty, Ciaran, Robert Ballagh - Citizen Artist, Zeus Media Publishing, Dublin, 2010, p.84 referenced. In the text Citizen Artist (p. 84) the author notes Ballagh's use of the, "...half circle, or lunette - to portray Bernadette Devlin, iconic leader of 1968 Civil Rights marches. She is shown here lean... ning forward, clutching a bull-horn in her fist. Behind her it is possible to make out details that evoke the Battle of the Bogside of 1969: Some B-Specials approaching a group of youths and graffiti on a wall proclaiming 'You Are Now Entering Free Derry'.Bernadette Devlin was born in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone in 1947. As a student at Queen’s University Belfast she was a prominent member of People’s Democracy, a civil rights organisation. She was excluded from Queen’s because of her anti-establishment activities. In 1969 she was elected as “Unity” Member of Parliament for Mid Ulster, becoming the youngest representative at Westminster at the time, and still holds the record as the youngest female MP ever. Unlike traditional republicans she took her seat and took a very active part in debates about Northern Ireland and social issues. She once, famously, in the House of Commons, punched the Home Secretary, Reginald Maudling, after he claimed that British troops were acting in self defence on “Bloody Sunday” in Derry in 1972.She was jailed for incitement to riot in 1969. In 1970 she was re-elected as an independent socialist to Westminster. She married Michael McAliskey in 1973. In 1974 she was, with Seamus Costello, a founder member of the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP), a splinter group from Official Sinn Féin. Having served on the IRSP executive she resigned in 1975 and joined the Independent Socialist Party in 1977 but it disbanded in 1978. She was a leading activist for the “Smash the H Blocks Campaign” and the Hunger Strikers. In 1981 she and her husband were attacked in their home by members of the Ulster Defence Association. Despite suffering several gunshot wounds the couple survived.Bernadette Devlin McAliskey is currently involved in social issues in Northern Ireland including immigrant workers’ rights and empowerment of minority groups. more
BATTLE OF THE BOGSIDE, PORTRAIT OF BERNADETTE DEVLIN, 1999 Robert Ballagh (b.1943)
Signature: signed with initials [RB] and dated [1999] within image of bullhorn lower centre Medium: oil on canvas laid on board; (lunette) Dimensions: 36 by 81cm., 14 by 31.7 5in. Provenance: Provenance:Collection of the Druids Glen Resort, Newtownmountkennedy, Co. Wicklow Exhibited: Exhibited:'Robert Ballagh - Artist and Designer, A Retrospective', RHA, Dublin, 15 September - 22 October, 2006, catalogue no.32' Literature: Literature:Carty, Ciaran and Kiberd, Declan, Robert Ballagh - Artist and Designer, A Retrospective, RHA, Dublin, 2006, p.64 (illustrated) Carty, Ciaran, Robert Ballagh - Citizen Artist, Zeus Media Publishing, Dublin, 2010, p.84 referenced. In the text Citizen Artist (p. 84) the author notes Ballagh's use of the, "...half circle, or lunette - to portray Bernadette Devlin, iconic leader of 1968 Civil Rights marches. She is shown here lean... ning forward, clutching a bull-horn in her fist. Behind her it is possible to make out details that evoke the Battle of the Bogside of 1969: Some B-Specials approaching a group of youths and graffiti on a wall proclaiming 'You Are Now Entering Free Derry'.Bernadette Devlin was born in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone in 1947. As a student at Queen’s University Belfast she was a prominent member of People’s Democracy, a civil rights organisation. She was excluded from Queen’s because of her anti-establishment activities. In 1969 she was elected as “Unity” Member of Parliament for Mid Ulster, becoming the youngest representative at Westminster at the time, and still holds the record as the youngest female MP ever. Unlike traditional republicans she took her seat and took a very active part in debates about Northern Ireland and social issues. She once, famously, in the House of Commons, punched the Home Secretary, Reginald Maudling, after he claimed that British troops were acting in self defence on “Bloody Sunday” in Derry in 1972.She was jailed for incitement to riot in 1969. In 1970 she was re-elected as an independent socialist to Westminster. She married Michael McAliskey in 1973. In 1974 she was, with Seamus Costello, a founder member of the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP), a splinter group from Official Sinn Féin. Having served on the IRSP executive she resigned in 1975 and joined the Independent Socialist Party in 1977 but it disbanded in 1978. She was a leading activist for the “Smash the H Blocks Campaign” and the Hunger Strikers. In 1981 she and her husband were attacked in their home by members of the Ulster Defence Association. Despite suffering several gunshot wounds the couple survived.Bernadette Devlin McAliskey is currently involved in social issues in Northern Ireland including immigrant workers’ rights and empowerment of minority groups. more
Try LotSearch and its premium features for 7 days - without any costs!
Be notified automatically about new items in upcoming auctions.
Create an alert
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
