Artist Siobhan Cox recently unveiled her two latest portraits in her ‘Roscommon Rising’ series.
This year, she wanted to celebrate two outstanding musicians – one historic and one contemporary – who were born in this county. She chose the multi-talented Percy French, who was born in Cloonyquinn House in Roscommon (1854-1920), and Cathy Jordan, who, with her band Dervish, has travelled far and wide playing and singing to audiences as far away as Alaska.
Siobhan feels that these two musicians have earned their place in her growing series, ‘Roscommon Rising’.
Siobhan started the series last year with Douglas Hyde (the first President of Ireland), Gretta Cousins from Boyle (suffragette and musician, Ireland and India), and Chris O’Dowd from Boyle (actor).
Percy French was an engineer, poet, writer, and humorist, who also wrote songs and played and sang them – and he was an accomplished painter too. A bit of an all-rounder obviously, with a good sense of humour, as evidenced in his witty songs!
He also used to write notes to his friends and used symbols (now known as emojis) in these notes. Could the colourful Percy have been Ireland’s first texter? Siobhan likes to think so!
Siobhan would like to thank all who attended her talk on The Language of Colour in Una Bhan in Boyle on Culture Night, after which she unveiled the two new portraits. She would also like to thank the staff at Una Bhan and Roscommon County Council for facilitating this event.
