Clare artist recalls how his work found favour with late Queen

A LAHINCH-based artist, who is the only Irish painter with three paintings in the British Royal Collection, has described the death of Queen Elizabeth II as the “end of an era”.

Michael Hanrahan feared the worst when he heard the Queen’s family were summoned to come to Her Majesty’s Balmoral Castle residence as quickly as possible on Thursday, September 8.

The North Clare father-of-four was saddened when her death was subsequently confirmed.

“It was the end of an era following 70 wonderful years on the throne. The Royal family has lost their mother while the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth have lost their longest monarch.
Her death came suddenly enough.

“To see the number of UK Prime Ministers and US Presidents she saw during her reign was incredible. For most people who are living in Ireland and the UK, they can’t remember any other monarch before she took the throne. World leaders will travel to her Funeral Mass on Monday out of respect for her.

“I have a number of letters from the Queen, which are now more important to have following her death.”

In October 2016, Michael delivered a painting depicting the Queen’s speech at the State Banquet in Dublin Castle in 2011 to Buckingham Palace.

Above: Two photographs of Michael with his work taken by Liam Hogan and another photo of Michael with daughters, Sinead, Aisling and Orla, and son, Daniel on their visit to a reception in Buckingham Palace in London

In a letter dated November 28, 2016, the Deputy Private Secretary to the Queen, Edward Young stated the Queen thanked him for this “most thoughtful gift” before adding, “this message comes to you with Her Majesty’s good wishes”.

His first visit to Buckingham Palace in London was on August 10, 2011 to personally deliver his oil painting commemorating Queen Elizabeth’s historic visit to Ireland the previous May.

This painting depicts the Queen and President Mary McAleese in a sombre mood during the historic wreath-laying ceremony at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin.

In a never-to-be forgotten once-in-a-lifetime visit, he was joined by his daughters, Sinead, Aisling and Orla, and son, Daniel.

The Hanrahan family were welcomed by the Queen’s secretary and Chief Clerk of the Palace, Christopher Sandamas who held a special reception in their honour.

Having flown from Dublin Airport to Heathrow, the family were chauffeur driven to the palace in a new silver Bentley, which was provided by Mayo property developer Tom O’Brien, a friend of Michael, arriving at noon.

In fact, Mr O’Brien also supplied a Land Rover and second driver in the unlikely event the Bentley broke down.

The family were brought on a private palace tour of the state rooms and dining rooms before they enjoyed tea and biscuits as part of the entertainment laid on by the palace staff.

“It was a special family day. When we got to Buckingham Palace we were not allowed to bring in cameras. I asked the chauffeur to stop before we got to the palace gates to get a photograph taken.

“The late Mel McNally, a photographer with the Irish Post, who subsequently died, took a photograph of me holding the painting with my children outside the palace.

“We couldn’t meet the Queen because she was in Balmoral. I was nervous enough without meeting the Queen. The official handover of the painting took place in the office of the Queen’s secretary. I asked where will this painting hang. I was told ‘the Queen will decide that’.”

While teaching water colour painting on a cruise from Dubai to India a few months before the Queen’s visit, Michael heard on Sky News she would be making this trip.

Having lived in England for 15 years during his work for AIB, he knew this visit would be historic so he wrote to the palace requesting permission to be the official artist for her trip.

“Three days before the visit took place, I got an email from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin telling me they had 1,200 journalists but they wanted me to be the artist for the visit.

“I travelled to Dublin where the department downloaded all the official photographs to his mobile phone while I was in the media centre.

“After completing some sketches, I came back to my studio in Ennistymon and started to work on ten paintings from the Queen’s visit to Cork, Cashel, Dublin, Garden of Remembrance and the State Banquet in St Patrick’s Hall in Dublin Castle.

“After the visit, I wrote to the Queen but never expected a reply. The Queen replied and asked for one of the paintings – the one in the Garden of Remembrance. When I was in Buckingham Palace, I was told that was the iconic moment of her visit.”

Out of his ten paintings, the Queen got one, Mary McAleese got one and Princess Anne in London got a third, which was auctioned for a charity of which she was patron at an auction in Grosvenor House.

The other seven paintings were sold at at auction in Whyte Art Auction House in Dublin, achieving three times more than the original estimate. This auction was covered by BBC Northern Ireland and RTE.

“It changed my life. I was always interest in art. After working with AIB for 38 years, I retired in 2006 and I am full-time painting for the last 16 years.

“I had good years with AIB but I took a chance and decided to follow my passion for art. I came down to Clare and took a studio in the Ennistymon Courthouse, which went from strength to strength,” he recalled.

Ian Whyte of Whyte Art Auctions has confirmed that Michael is the only living Irish artist with work in the Royal Collection.

In 2014, Michael was invited again to Buckingham Palace to deliver his painting, entitled “The Horse Drawn Carriage at Windsor”.

Queen Elizabeth gave Michael permission to paint various scenes from the historic visit of Irish President, Michael D Higgins to the United Kingdom in April 2016.

In a letter to the North Clare artist, she confirmed she was accepting his gift of his painting depicting the Australian horse drawn state carriage as it made its way to Windsor Castle, carrying the Queen and President Higgins.

Michael delivered this painting to Buckingham Palace on Monday, October 6, 2014 at 12.30pm.

There is an interesting story behind the third painting he gave to the Queen.

Eleanor Kearns, wife of the President of the High Court Nicholas Kearns, who was in St Patrick’s Hall Dublin when the Queen was with President Higgins suggested he should do this painting again, but this time she wanted Michael to depict Her Majesty standing up speaking to the gathering.

After completing this artwork, Michael wrote to the Queen in 2016 offering to donate this painting to mark her 90th birthday.

In another letter, the Queen confirmed she would like to have this painting as well.

Michael went over to the palace for a third time to present this painting in October 2016.

“It was an enormous honour to be invited to the palace again and meet some of the people there,” he recalled.

Now based in his studio at School Road, Lahinch, his work is displayed in the Lahinch Art Gallery.