New for 2024 Grace O Malley & The Howth Affair A Message from the artist. At the height of her fame as The Pirate Queen, Grace O Malley landed after dark in the port of Howth Co Dublin to enjoy some local hospitality. On approaching Castle Howth above the town she was abruptly turned away by the local lord who would not offer any welcome. Angered she was returning to her boat when she came across the grandson of the lord who she promptly kidnapped and took her on board to her Co Mayo home on the west coast of Ireland. After some time the lord followed to plead for his release. Grace granted this if he promised to always offer a welcome to visitors in the future. To this day Howth castle displays a lit candle in an upper window and a place laid at the table to welcome others. I painted this picture using acrylic paints in 2008 as part of my semi cubist styled work to be displayed in a large exhibition at the RDS in Dublin.The first image on the left was of a fiery red haired Grace dragging the boy aboard , this was pointed out by my wife as being "too Hollywood" so I painted a new head over the original . This time she was showing an angry and determined moment much more in keeping with her character, this is the image today. Perhaps at some future date an historian may x ray the painting to reveal a ghostly hidden face. I liked the story so much I decided to keep the original in my private collection and not to re produce it in print..Now after 16 years I am ready to sell the original and a limited edition of Giclee prints which I have signed.The style is quite unique and illustrates a traditional story in a contemporary way. Further information available from e mail apsouthall@talk21.com or website www.angleseyart.comAndrew Southall BA [Artist]