Ardoginna House

Steeped in myth and folklore this ruin in County Waterford Ireland was painted last year and hangs in my son's room. The 16 x 20 acrylic on canvas depicts key sites on the property which actually cannot be seen altogether, or so the books say; as I have never visited Ireland. The statue in the front right was erected by a later owner and the inscription reads:

My life is like a broken stair, winding round a ruined tower and leading nowhere.

This is strange because by all accounts the life of the person responsible seemed to be uneventful. Past occupants were not as lucky. The glowing spot in the center of the painting is meant to bring notice to the spot some call "Crook an Heir Cliff". Where it is reported, the falsely accused descendant of the late owner of the castle was killed when pursued by a crowd bent on hanging him for a theft. His horse could not make the jump and when horse and rider fell, the heir was caught on branches or rocks and strangled. The ruin and it's history are responsible for numerous ghost stories, of course; but many families lived there long after this tragic event.

I painted it rather dark and some what surreal to enhance the tale which fascinated me. I couldn't resist putting all the features in the one setting making the painting more dramatic, in my opinion. The red knotwork in the corners is traditional, and my poor lighting makes the upper right one appear lighter, although it is not actually any lighter than the rest. I try, but again I am not a photographer.