The enthusiasm for this exhibition came from Terry Connaughton, the director of Ranelagh Arts..
One of my all time memories of Terry will be of him - sitting huddled up, beside an electric fire, doing a days work, in layers of coats and scarves, in the depths of our coldest winter in my living memory ( remember night time temperatures of -17c , and daytime ones of -5c ) last winter, in Ranelagh Arts Centre.
Terry arrived to the centre, everyday, - day after day, week after week , on the coldest , bleakest, most unfriendly days..and was often was the only one in there, working away..working towards his vision of RA being a vibrant, community hub of all the artforms.
The Ranelagh Arts building was nothing like it is these days, there was a lot to do...still is ..and will be..and the future of it is uncertain.
His all time hero ( since childhood) has been Jack Kyle, who has often been described as Ireland's best ever rugby player. He asked artist , Declan Goulding to paint a collection of portraits of some of the Irish rugby legends..( although I'm not sure that Mick Quinn, would quite consider himself the same vintage as Jack Kyle.), for an exhibition which would coincide with our Irish lads going off to New Zealand for the World Cup.
All proceeds of this expo were to go to the IRFU charitable fund.
The night was terrific, Jack Kyle,a lovely, soft, engaging interested man, travelled a long distance to be with us..we had a chair especially reserved for him. He spent 38 years of his life working as a surgeon in Zambia.
Jack Kyle on left, Terry Connaughton on right.
Ronnie Dawson opened the show, Terry had his moment, and there were lots of photos, laughs, easy banter, and autographs . Kate Horgan took some super shots,( not the one above ). These are on the RA flickr page. Volunteers came to the centre, as they do, and gave a big dig out .