Artist receives award from son of Rising hero

A SPECIAL award in commemoration of 1916 was presented by the son of an Easter Rising soldier to a Southside artist for a painting he was showing at one of Ireland’s largest national group art shows, the Water Colour Society of Ireland’s 162nd Annual Exhibition.

The award was made for a painting on the 1916 theme and presented by Chris Shouldice, husband of Water Colour Society president Ann O’Clery, in memory of his father, First Lieutenant Jack Shouldice of F Company, 1st Battalion, who fought bravely during the Easter Rising in an area that saw some of the most intense fighting.

Jack Shouldice’s battalion occupied the Four Courts and its outposts, defending the barricades on North King Street and Church Street in Dublin city centre.

He was sentenced to death, but later the sentence was commuted to five years’ penal servitude in English prisons Dartmoor and Lewes. 

The commemorative award was presented to exhibiting artist Liam O’Herlihy of Foxrock, for his watercolour in soft tones, entitled ‘Henry Street 1916’ at the society’s exhibition, which was held recently at the Concourse Gallery, in County Hall, Dun Laoghaire.

Chris Shouldice of Ballycullen Road, Templeogue was pictured with some of his father’s 1916 memorabilia, including the medal he received and letters he wrote during the Rising, with Liam O’Herlihy of Westminster Road, Foxrock, at the award presentation.

In the background of the picture above are panels featuring photographs of Chris Shouldice’s father and uncle that were made available by the Department of Agriculture from its ‘Rising Centenary’ Exhibition.  

Founded in 1870, the Water Colour Society of Ireland has held exhibitions almost annually.

The society currently has 120 members, which includes some honorary members.

Members are based nationwide in the Republic as well as in Northern Ireland. Over the years members have included Jack B Yeats, Mildred Anne Butler, Paul Henry, Kitty Wilmer O’Brien and Richard Caulfield Orpen.