Robert O’Byrne is a writer and lecturer specialising in the fine and decorative arts. He is the author of more than a dozen books, among them Luggala Days: The Story of a Guinness House (Cico Books) and The Last Knight: A Tribute to Desmond FitzGerald, 29th Knight of Glin (Lilliput Press). A former Vice-President of the Irish Georgian Society and trustee of the Alfred Beit Foundation, he is currently a trustee of the Apollo Foundation. Among other work he writes a monthly column for Apollo magazine (http://www.apollo-magazine.com), and also contributes to each issue of the quarterly Irish Arts Review (http://www.irishartsreview.com). All opinions expressed herein on Ireland, her landscape, architecture and artefacts are his own.
Dear Sir – thank you for wonderfully informative and attractively presented features – being from Donegal I particularly enjoyed your feature on the Bishops Palace in Raphoe with its clever title, “From Bishops to Bullocks”. I have enjoyed all your articles on historical sites in Donegal and look forward to seeing some more in due course – Raymond Blair, Vice-President, County Donegal Historical Society
You may have spotted this already but the painting of Oonagh Guinness by Philip de Laszlo which you described in your (excellent) book on Luggala as being whereabouts unknown since 1995 has turned up at auction at Ahlers & Ogltree Auction Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia (via The Saleroom). $30-50K + fees and it could be yours! Rgds, Cathal
Thanks, yes indeed I saw that (and was in touch with the auctioneers some time ago – not least to correct their spelling of the Guinness name…). Fingers crossed it goes to a good (Irish) home.
Dear Sir
I just wanted to subscribe to receive your posts.
Thank you in advance
Yvonne Bishop
Switzerland
Thank you for getting in touch: I think you have managed to do so?