You will all know about Finola’s interest in stained glass, and in particular her admiration of the work of artist George Walsh: she wrote an article about him in the Irish Arts Review this year. So I hatched a plan, together with George, to give her a window of her very own! Here it is, just installed in our house, Nead an Iolair. Not so long ago, Finola wrote another Irish Arts Review piece about Ireland’s newest stained glass window, and there’s a Roaringwater Journal post about it here. I think it’s safe to say – as of today – we have in our house Ireland’s new ‘newest stained glass window’! It’s an artwork with a story – several stories, in fact. I’ll tell you some of them.
This is George Walsh. He apprenticed in the world of stained glass under his father – also George – who apprenticed under Harry Clarke, so he has an eminent lineage. He worked with his father in the United States and Ireland, and eventually set up his own Dublin studio, where he has been prolific. Finola is currently visiting and cataloguing every one of his publicly accessible projects which can be seen on the island of Ireland: it takes us to some far-off and fascinating places. To date her list includes 61 buildings which have George Walsh windows, and it’s certainly not complete. While most of George’s work can be found in churches, he has also produced a secular opus and our window has now added to that. George says that he enjoyed this commission because it was very different from so much of his work, but I guess that he always enjoys his work – you can tell by the exuberance, dynamism and sumptuous colouring of his pieces.
The Finola Window tells the story of our Finola, but is also about a famous Finola (or Fionnghuala – fair-shouldered) in Irish mythology: she is the heroine of The Children of Lir, one of Ireland’s most well-known ancient wonder-tales. Fionnghuala (above, being transformed into a swan) is the eldest of the four children of King Lir – the others are Aodh and twins Fiachra and Conn. Their mother, Aobh, died when they were young and the King remarried. Unfortunately, this is where the story turns into a wicked stepmother tale, as the King’s new wife, Aoife, becomes jealous of the children, and casts a magic spell on them. I hope you are keeping up with these names! Our Finola – a stepmother herself – has always been sensitive about negative portrayals of that position, so I asked George to play down the role of Aoife and in fact he has left her out of the window altogether. I’ll just let you know, however, that she received full punishment for her malice by being turned into a Demon of the Air – and she still hangs around on dark, haunted nights. Watch out!
All four children were turned into swans by Aoife, and their fate was to spend three hundred years on Loch Dairbhreach (a lake in Co Westmeath), followed by three hundred years on Sruth na Maoilé (the stormy Straits of Moyle between Ireland and Scotland), and a further three hundred on Inis Gluairé (an Atlantic island in Erris, Co Mayo). The swans kept their human voices and they spent much of their exile singing beautiful songs which became all the traditional music of Ireland.
George has skilfully woven into this window many elements of our Finola’s life: in the details above you can see Newgrange – where Finola dug as a student; Irish rock art – which was Finola’s main area of study as an archaeologist; my hands playing my concertina (all the musical notes are descending from the swans); eagles flying over Nead an Iolair; the Scholar and his Cat Pangur Bán (the Irish medieval poem is one of Finola’s favourites); St Brendan’s voyage (Finola is a great teller of the tales of Irish Saints) and – of course (at my specific request) a golden hare! George Walsh has always been a master of detail, something we have particularly admired in his work. We feel he has excelled himself here. These images are some of the resources given to George while he was making the window:
Image gallery for George – top: Finola’s 1973 drawing of a piece of Kerry rock art; centre – the flight of the eagles over Nead an Iolair; lower – my hands playing music from the swans through my concertina!
I was privileged to see some of the work in progress in George’s studio earlier in the year. He showed me how he uses ‘flashed glass’ where a thin layer of coloured glass is melted on to clear glass. Acid etching is used to take off the coloured surface leaving a design. You can see where the etched piece (below) is being prepared to fit in the ‘jigsaw puzzle’ of glass shapes that will be joined by leading to form the final window.
Above – George’s ‘cartoon’ design sketch together with his explanation of the subject matter: these now hang close to the completed window in our house
The culmination of the Children of Lir story comes when St Patrick’s bell is first heard on the shores of Ireland (detail below), and Fionnghuala and her brothers are released from the spell. As they regain human form their bodies are aged and they have time only to receive baptism into Christianity before they crumble to dust.
Decorative borders, details and motifs abound in George’s windows and ours is no exception. It’s a bit like the marginalia in a medieval illuminated manuscript: your eye is constantly drawn to all the minutiae. We will never tire of looking at it. The panel is mounted in a west facing window in our study: when the sun comes around to that side in the evenings the whole room becomes alive with flowing colour.
Thank you, George, for so wonderfully fulfilling my vision of a window especially for Finola. I couldn’t imagine anything more fitting and she is – of course – over the moon! Here we are in George’s studio on the day of the ‘reveal’.
Beyond divine.
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Many thanks, Fran.
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What an entrancing, stunning gift.
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Thank you Kathie – the vibrant colours are wonderful!
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That’s a stunning piece, it’s a stunning gift and reference to Harry Clark, awesome.
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Thank you, Timothy – it’s great to come into the house and see it in front of us every day.
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Is rud áileann é sinn!
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Go raibh maith agat, a Rísteáird…
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Magical. So beautiful and full of meaning, definitely brings a tear to the eye. What a meaningful love story, the Taj Mahal has nothing on it! x
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Thank you, Etain. As you know, our house likes to be filled with light, art and laughter!
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Thats amazing, its really impressive and what a wonderful present to give and to get
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Agreed, Elizabeth. Happy all round!
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Oh Robert- that is the most wonderful present I have ever seen- Finola must have been so thrilled. It is so thoughtful, full of love and admiration for her. Indeed a fabulous addition to your already lovely house. Every single day she will see the sun shining through it and feel loved and appreciated . Well done you. It is certainly one up from my sister’s birthday present from her husband- a Woodie Woodpecker Oxo cube dispenser !!
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That’s very funny, Patricia! I didn’t even know that you could get Oxo cube dispensers… But yes – so good that Finola loves the window.
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Robert! That is the most wonderful thoughtful loving beautiful gift. I am so moved and in tears, I can only imagine Finola’s reaction. The window is magnificent and the detail… I hope to get to see it in person! No doubt there will be a queue!
So much love in it and the gesture. Sure Ye are a love story all by yer selves! Wonderful, truly wonderful. Xx
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Lydia – come any time: you are always welcome.
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Oh My Goodness, what a wondrous and beautiful gift. From the heart, honouring the mind and soul, celebrating joy and shared passions. This is priceless and precious. Well done
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Thank you, Carol. I was so pleased with the finished window – it exceeded all my expectations!
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What a gorgeous piece! Such a thoughtful and loving gift (and tribute) to Finola. We hope to be able to admire it in person one day. Love to you both; Michael & Jean
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We’d love to see you here!
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Wonderful! Such a special gift!
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Thank you, Karen.
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What a wondrous piece! May its multi-hued streams of light give you joy for many years.
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Thank you, Sue – it most certainly will…
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A fantastically beautiful work of art and a wonderful gift from a husband to his wife.
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Thank you for that kind thought, Shelley.
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This is wonderful!! What a beautiful piece of work.
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Thank you Fiona.
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What a lucky lady and what a lovely piece. It is absolutely stunning. I don’t think that there is anything like that over here, although there is a stained glass maker here on our island…………
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We have followed George’s work for years. He is a maestro!
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Now that’s Special.
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It is – very special!
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The Finola window is absolutely stunning! A wonderful gift of story, light and color. Enjoy!
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Many thanks, Cindy – we enjoy it every day!
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It is the most sensational piece of work, so full of little gems and personal messages. You must both be thrilled. A real treasure.
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We certainly are… And we feel privileged to have this work in our house!
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A truly wondrous gift. So much to look at and such beautiful colour and detail!
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Many thanks, Peter. George excelled himself on Finola’s behalf.
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Robert, it’s beautiful and a perfect tribute to Finola. Love to you both.
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Thank you Shauna. I was thrilled that the project has been so successful!
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