Beschreibung:

PORTRAIT OF Seán LEMASS, 1928 Maurice MacGonigal PRHA (1900-1979)
Signature: signed and dated lower right Medium: charcoal on paper Dimensions: 29 by 23cm., 11.5 by 9in. Provenance: Collection of Frank Dowling; Thence by descent to the present owner Often referred to as ‘the architect of modern Ireland’, Seán Lemass (1899-1971), was a Fianna Fáil TD and Taoiseach from 1959 to ’66. His republican career began in 1915, when he joined the Irish Volu... unteers. He and his brother Noel both fought during the 1916 Rising at the G.P.O. under de Valera’s command. When the fighting ended he was released without charge as he was then still underage. During the War of Independence he was a close associate of Michael Collins’ and was interred with Collins at Ballykinlar in December 1920. He was released twelve months later after the signing of Anglo-Irish Treaty. Lemass was among the Anti-Treaty faction who, in 1922, seized the Four Courts, serving as adjutant and second in command to Rory O’Connor. After two days of shelling O’Connor’s men surrendered. Lemass escaped along with Ernie O’Malley and others, but was captured shortly thereafter and imprisoned. In June 1923, after the end of the civil war, his brother Noel Lemass was abducted by a group believed to be connected to the Irish Army or the Police CID unit, and his body discovered in the Dublin mountains in October that year. Seán Lemass was released from prison on compassionate grounds. On 18 November 1924 Lemass was elected for the first time as a Sinn Féin TD. However, he resigned from the party in March 1936 in protest at Sinn Féin’s policy of refusing to acknowledge the existence of the Irish Free State and the Dáil Éireann. Lemass convinced de Valera to establish a break-away party: this was the foundation of Fianna Fáil. When the party was elected to power in 1932, Lemass was appointed Minister for Industry and Commerce. During his time in this post he established a number of semi-state companies including the Turf Development Board and Aer Lingus. In 1959 Lemass succeeded de Valera as leader of Fianna Fáil. He remained the country’s leader until retirement in 1966. The present work comes from the collection of Frank Dowling, a Republican who was imprisoned in Kilmainham along with both Maurice MacGonigal and Seán Lemass. After the Civil War he became manager of the Metropole cinema, whilst his brother Seán continued with politics, serving in the Dáil. Frank Dowling was later chairman of the committee responsible for the restoration of Kilmainham Gaol. With thanks to Ciarán MacGonigal for his help in cataloguing this lot more