Description
Swallows Soar Over Friar Bush is part of my Belfast series, and this piece reflects a place of profound sacredness and remembrance in Irish history. Friar Bush, a Catholic cemetery in Belfast dating back to 480 AD, holds the memory of those buried there, including victims of the Great Famine and cholera outbreaks.
In this painting, the swallows represent the souls of the children who starved to death during the famine. Their flight across the sky becomes a quiet gesture of movement, release, and return — a visual tribute to lives lost and remembered. Through bold, simplified forms and a calm, reflective composition, I wanted to create a work that holds both grief and grace.
This piece is intended as a memorial to place, history, and the enduring presence of those who came before us.
