History of Ballybay group exhibition
These are two paintings that I was asked to do as part of a group exhibition in my home town of Ballbay, Co. Monaghan. Local artists, professional and amateur alike, were asked to put into paint some of the history of the town. Based on old photo reference, these painting were to be sold in order to raise funds for a commemoration plague.
The plaque is in tribute to the people of Ballybay and surrounding areas who served during the First World War. One of whom was my great grandfather 'Fred Rutledge'.
The pictured below was taken after the war showing his injury, where he lost the upper most part of his shoulder in battle.
Fred Rutledge WW1
The paintings:
'The last train from Shantonagh'
Acrylic and copper gilding on primed mdf board - 14 inches by 12 inches
SOLD
'Sam Grays public house'
Oil on canvas - 16 inches by 14 inches
SOLD
So why was Sam Gray so infamous to the area? Here is some background to this notorious figure from the Monaghan County Museums exhibition:
The Watchmen – Policing, Crime and Punishment in Monaghan - March 2017
In the last two centuries of Monaghan’s history there have always been criminals and the terrible crimes they committed. These people have tried to avoid, outwit or outrun the men and women whose job it is to maintain law and order in the region. Monaghan County Museum’s new exhibition, The Watchmen, tells the dramatic story of a place where the police, the criminals they sought and the eventual punishment that many of these desperate people received has been etched into the cultural memory of the county.
