April.2014
WEISFJORD NEWS
HARRY CLARKE: STAINED-GLASS MASTER BY LUCY COSTIGAN arry Clarke (1889-1931), Irish stainedglass master and book illustrator, is renowned for creating spectacular stained-glass windows throughout Ireland and Britain, in the United States and Australia. Clarke developed his craft in his father’s church decorating business, known as Joshua Clarke & Sons, located at 33 North Frederick Street, Dublin. Clarke studied at the Dublin Metropolitan School of art and, over a three-year period, he won three gold medals at the South Kensington competitions in London. Clarke’s work is not only technically brilliant but also hauntingly beautiful, with his exquisite, elongated heroes and heroines and his awe-inspiring blend of deep, kaleidoscopic colours. His style, although instantly recognisable, combines the decorative
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beauty of art nouveau and the angular chic of art deco, with the swirling motifs that are characteristic of Celtic Revival. Clarke was fundamentally a symbolist and his windows are full of detailed depictions of tiny figures hiding in the borders, luscious flowers spilling across the lower panels and bejewelled angels gazing downwards, with their long flowing hair and large doe eyes. Marvellous examples of Clarke’s work can be viewed in churches all over Ireland, including in Wexford Town and Gorey. One of his most spectacular windows is The Annunciation (1922), located in the Catholic Church in Terenure, Dublin. The window won first prize in the stained-glass section when it was exhibited at the Aonach Tailteann Art Exhibition. The delicacy and beauty of The Annunciation is breath-taking. Mary is depicted below the
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Ryan “Rail Can Be Better Utilised By Encouraging Freight From The Roads.” exford Labour and Deputy Mayor Cllr Joe Ryan has responded to the threat by Transport Minister Leo Varadkar to close rail lines if more passengers cannot be attracted to rail services. Cllr Ryan who led the opposition to the closure of the Rosslare Waterford line in 2014 said it was wrong to dismiss those who support rail lines as “romantic”. Minister Varadkar was speaking at the Transport Ireland conference in Dublin yesterday. Cllr Ryan said that he is now worried about the future of the Rosslare Europort to Wexford section of the line and that Minister Varadkar and Fine Gael should think long and hard before they take decisions on closure. Cllr Ryan said that nowhere in the western world does anyone evaluate a rail service purely on the basis of passengers carried. There is a social role played by rail however it would be erroneous to view it merely as this. The viability of a rail line depends on the totality of the traffic it carries, not one type of traffic . The facts remain that there exists a need to transfer freight to rail. By 2030 30% of Europe’s freight set to travel over 300Km must go by rail. As an exporting nation we need to have good freight services to our ports. Rosslare Harbour needs its rail services and it needs a lift on lift off container service. Cllr Ryan said that Rosslare Harbour board have made a submission to the County Development Plan in relation to extension of its rail sidings and rail freight provision. Minister Varadkar needs to address how Irish Rail and other operators who now have access to the rail network can use this under used asset so as to reduce the overall cost of the subvention to the Irish taxpayer. Cllr Ryan said “Minister Varadkar needs to address this reality, the survival of rail is very much tied in with our ability to export. Closing lines and allowing the asset value to depreciate will only repeat the damage done to the network in the 60’s. Minister Varadkar should move to allow the NTA to regulate the rail freight industry so that a complete assessment of a networks viability can be determined”
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Angel Gabriel, gazing out at the viewer. She is robed in a beautiful gown of deep blue, purple, and green, and a magnificent halo of many layers and colours surrounds her. Another beautiful window well worth visiting is the five-light window, The Ascension with five Irish saints and Sts Michael and James (1925), located at the Catholic Church in Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary. An exquisite example of one of Clarke’s glorious figures that is featured in the first light of this window is St. Brigid, one of the patron saints of Ireland. She is depicted as a young girl, wearing a blue a n d lilac robe, decorated with
exquisite motifs. The saint holds a model of her church and high cross, located at Kildare. Her long chestnut hair hangs down her shoulders and her beautiful face is accentuated with a blue headdress. For Further information: Website: www.harryclarke.net Book: Strangest Genius: The Stained Glass of Harry Clarke by Lucy Costigan (The History Press, 2010) – shortlisted for Best IrishPublished Book, by the Irish Book Awards, 2010. Film documentary: A Revel in Blue.
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Tel: 053 - 9114000 Detail of Mary from 'The Annunciation' (1922), Terenure, Dublin.
Detail of St. Brigid from Clarke's five-light window (1925) in Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary.
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