Beschreibung:

Rory Breslin (b.1963) Davitt Bronze, 41cm high Signed, dated 2001 and numbered 2/6 Michael Davitt, a journalist and social campaigner, is best known for his involvement in the Land Acts, particularly the Land Acts of 1870, 1881 and the Ashbourn Act of 1885. A founding member of the Irish National Land League, Davitt was born in Straide, Co. Mayo. The family was evicted from their home due to arrears and entered a workhouse, however on discovering that boys over the age of three would be separated from their mothers they decided to move to England and settled in the Irish immigrant community at Haslington. Michael Davitt grew up with strong Nationalist sentiments and joined the IRB in 1865, climbing to the rank of organising secretary for Northern England and Scotland, a role that largely involved smuggling arms into Ireland. In 1870 Davitt was arrested and convicted of felony treason and sentenced to 15 years penal servitude in solitary confinement, of which he served over 7 years. On his release Davitt rejoined the IRB and moved to Ireland where he used non-violent means such as non-payment campaigns to force landlords to reduce rents. As well as being instrumental in the Irish Land Acts, Davitt has been regarded as a founding member of the British Labour Party because of his active socialist inclinations and belief that support from the British working class could help Ireland achieve Independence. Mayo based sculptor Rory Breslin originally studied at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin and went on to work in stone workshops in Wicklow and further afield in Carrera, Italy. Breslin went on to bronze foundries in France, Czech Republic and Slovakia, and on his return to Dublin he founded 'Head Sculpture Galleries' and later co-founded the Callow Bronze Foundry in Mayo. Breslin has a significant place in Irish sculpture. He has had numerous solo exhibitions and receives regular public sculpture commissions as well as having lectured at the National College of Ireland and organised major sculpture exhibitions. This head of Michael Davitt is one of six that Breslin cast from his full size figure outside the Michael Davitt Museum in Straide, Co. Mayo. The full figure is featured on the Museum's postcards. Rory Breslin (b.1963) Davitt Bronze, 41cm high Signed, dated 2001 and numbered 2/6 Michael Davitt, a journalist and social campaigner, is best known for his involvement in the Land Acts, particularly the Land Acts of 1870, 1881 and the Ashbourn Act of 1885. A founding member of the Irish National Land League, Davitt was born in Straide, Co. Mayo. The family was evicted from their home due to arrears and entered a workhouse, however on discovering that boys over the age of three would be separated from their mothers they decided to move to England and settled in the Irish immigrant community at Haslington. Michael Davitt grew up with strong Nationalist sentiments and joined the IRB in 1865, climbing to the rank of organising secretary for Northern England and Scotland, a role that largely involved smuggling arms into Ireland. In 1870 Davitt was arrested and convicted of felony treason and sentenced to 15 years penal servitude in solitary confinement, of which he served over 7 years. On his release Davitt rejoined the IRB and moved to Ireland where he used non-violent means such as non-payment campaigns to force landlords to reduce rents. As well as being instrumental in the Irish Land Acts, Davitt has been regarded as a founding member of the British Labour Party because of his active socialist inclinations and belief that support from the British working class could help Ireland achieve Independence. Mayo based sculptor Rory Breslin originally studied at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin and went on to work in stone workshops in Wicklow and further afield in Carrera, Italy. Breslin went on to bronze foundries in France, Czech Republic and Slovakia, and on his return to Dublin he founded 'Head Sculp