Manus Walsh

Manus Walsh was born in Dublin in 1940. He first worked in a Dublin graphic studio in 1959 and then in Abbey Stained Glass Studios, Dublin in 1960 where his initial training began in the field of stained glass. During his time there, one of his main commissions was five windows for Galway Cathedral. It was at this time the met the Irish Artist, George Campbell who encouraged him to pursue a full time career as a painter. After spending a period in Spain with George and Madge, Manus had his first exhibition in the Dublin Paintings Gallery, Stephen Green in 1967. He returned to Malaga in Spain the following year for a short period, returning to Ireland to hold his next exhibition in Dublin. Since then his has had over 30 exhibitions and has exhibited in numerous group shows.

Manus moved to England in 1969 and worked in London as an international telephone operator for one year. He married Clare Lenehan in 1970 and they moved to a cottage in Shankill, Dublin where he worked as a draughtsman in Cullens Monumental Sculptors. His daughter Ciara was born in February 1971 whilst Manus was working as a freelance designer and artist. Nadine was born in August 1972 and Cormac in March 1974. In 1976 Manus and his family moved to Ballyvaughan in North Clare where they set up a Craft Workshop and Gallery and son Neil was born in July in 1982.

The Burren in Clare has had a major influence on his life and work, and he has produced many works featuring this dramatic landscape. Another influence in his work has been the city of Valparaiso in Chile, and in recent works he has contrasted the colourful vertical kaleidoscope of that city, with the dramatic horizontal lines of the Burren.

His grandfather was the distinguished writer Maurice Walsh. Manus is an accomplished musician on piano and guitar. He is blessed with a great sense of humour, enjoys a drink, cycling around the Burren and a good book. A gentle man, he has been known to get animated when talking about the the Burren or the Clare Hurling Team.