Bespoke tours of Harry Clarke Studio church windows - South Mayo and Galway. Qualified Guide.
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Delighted to see the new Harry Clarke acquisition (“The Enchantment of Bottom by Titania” 1922) at the National Gallery, and the other wondrous pieces in the Stained Glass Room including ‘The Song of the Mad Prince’, ‘The Mother of Sorrows’ and the cockerel by Evie Hone.
Delighted to catch the last day of the Harry Clarke cartoon for the Honan Chapel’s St Gobnait window in the Museum of Country Life, Co Mayo. The design is considered one of Clarke’s finest works (pen & inks) with imaginative and expressive detail. One panel depicts St Gobnait (patron saint of bees) releasing her bees on a thief trying to steal her beehive. On the top of the panel the Saint has placed a white decorative line to ward off the plague. Circa 1914. The cartoon was on loan from the Corning Museum of Glass, NY.
When visiting Newport do not miss the last window that Harry oversaw before his untimely death at the age of 41. The Last Judgement 1930…St Patrick’s Church.
Today we celebrate the birthday of the great Irish artist, Harry Clarke, who was born on this day in 1889. Clarke studied stained glass at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art under stained-glass master, A. E. Child, and at the Royal College of Art, South Kensington in London.
Hugh Lane Gallery is proud to have numerous works of Clarke in its collection. These include the two outstanding stained glass works, ‘The Eve of St Agnes’ window, which was inspired by John Keats’s poem of the same name, and the beautiful panel from ‘The Geneva Window’, depicting an episode from Liam O’Flaherty’s novel ‘Mr Gilhooley’.
Image details: Harry Clarke's, Self Portrait, work on paper.
Catch this Arena programme on RTE Player and look out for documentary on Oireachtas TV on March 22nd at 6pm and 24th 9pm
Merry Christmas
A Joshua Clarke & Sons window from 1918 from my home town of Balla. ‘St Cronin blessing the Well’ with Balla round tower in the background. The inscription reads ‘Let Balla be the name of the place, for it hath come under my heal, let this be the name from henceforth, til the last age shall come’. Clarke’s Studio bid for some windows in Balla according to Nicola Gordon Bow, but alas Mayer of Munich got the commission. Harry’s price was 50% higher.Hey ho!
Inis Meain Church, Aran Islands. Harry Clarke Studio circa 1939.
Finally got to tick something off my Bucket List! The Honan Chapel - Cork City, Harry Clarke Windows 1916/1917. Exquisite, elaborate, minutely detailed. Fine work for a young man just starting his career.
Excuse the photo quality. The windows are dark, and high up...so difficult to see in detail. This makes me appreciate the windows in Ballinrobe, as they are much more accessible to the viewer..two of the best collections in the country.
Our Lady and Child Adored by St Aidan of Ferns and St Adrian 1919. Church of the Assumption, Wexford Town. Impressive grisaille effect on the faces and hands, and the quirky gap in the fingers of the saints between the first and middle fingers.
‘The Ascension’ Seven light window, Roundfort Church. Harry Clarke 1926
Watched the Quiet Man (1952) movie again at the weekend and interesting to see the Harry Clarke Studio window in its original setting. The church was knocked and replaced in the 1970s.
Detail from a wonderful 7 light window from Church of the Immaculate Conception, Roundfort, Co Mayo. ‘The Ascension’ 1926. Harry Clarke. Mary, with her lovely robe of blue, is surrounded by the disciples.
‘Our Lady of Good Counsel’ - The Friary Ballyhaunis. Harry Clarke Studio 1947. Based on the icon of Madonna del Buon Consiglio from the village of Genazzano, near Rome. Many miracles were attributed to this icon in a church which was in the care of the Augustinians. (Source: Mayo County Council). Thanks to Midie Corcoran for the photo.
Two lovely windows from Joshua Clarke & Sons 1923, Claremorris Church (St Colmans). The Annunciation & Our Lady of Lourdes.
Three lights from the seven light window, Roundfort Church, Co Mayo. ‘The Ascension’, Harry Clarke, 1926.
Always love to pop into Kilmilkin Church (near Maam in Connemara) to see Evie Hone’s window ‘St Brendan’ 1950.
The window is based on a local story recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters which tells of the struggle of the O’Malley family with sea raids and battles with the Danes. In the window the Chieftess is minding the only O’Malley not killed in battle, an ailing boy. He was healed by St Brendan on Inis Glor. He became a warrior and led Clan O’Malley on land and sea.
Our lady with the Infant Jesus (Date unknown) Harry Clarke Studio.
St Patrick’s Church, Lahardaun. The window was relocated from Lacken Church in 1981 when the parish priest transferred to Lahardaun and brought the window with him. It had been in storage in a cow shed since the renovation of Lacken Church in the 1970s. Source: Mayo County Council
Wonderful detail from the ‘Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan by John the Baptist’ from St Mary’s Church, Ballinrobe. The detail photo shows the reflection of Christ’s feet through the flowing water of the Jordan. Harry Clarke, 1924.
I love this ugly figure in his green suit and turquoise boots from St Mary’s Church Ballinrobe; the ‘Jesus before Pilate’ Light (1924). According to local historian Avril Staunton, in medieval stained glass the devil is often represented in green.
This portrait of Harry by his wife Margaret Clarke (née Crilly) is currently on display in one of the reception rooms of the Áras. It belongs to the Collection of the National Gallery of Ireland. Originally it hung in the foyer of his Studios in North Frederick Street, Dublin. Margaret was an excellent portrait painter.
Apparition of Jesus to Mary Magdalene - a good example of Clarke’s technique of etching with acid for contrasting colors. The orange lid of a jar she holds in her hand balances the orange tint of her hair. St Mary’s Church, Ballinrobe 1924.
In the busy lead up to St Patrick’s Day, a snippet of the wonderful Harry Clarke Studio gallery light from St Mary’s Church, Ballinrobe, 1930. St Patrick may have been beaten to the post by Palladius, the first Bishop of the Christians of Ireland, but he has sure made his mark since. And the colour initially associated with the saint was blue(hence the blue glove), not green! Happy Paddy’s Day wherever you are in the world.
‘Ann’ A painting by the artist Margaret Clarke, née Crilly. Ann was the daughter of Margaret and Harry Clarke. Courtesy of Hugh Lane Gallery.
Imbolc Greetings - St Brigid St Mary’s Church, Ballinrobe
Snook a bit further than the 5km Covid restrictions en route home from food shopping to savour the quietness of St Patrick’s Church, Kilmaine and relish the exquisite ‘Adoration of the Magi’ stained glass window (1925).
St Mary’s Church, Cong - Our Lord and St Joseph 1932. A Studio window.
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