27 Facts About Maurice MacGonigal

Maurice MacGonigal was an Irish landscape and portrait painter and influential teacher.

Maurice MacGonigal was born in Ranelagh, Dublin on 22 January 1900.

Maurice MacGonigal's parents were Francis and Caroline MacGonigal.

Maurice MacGonigal's father was a painter and decorator from Sligo.

Maurice MacGonigal was educated at Synge Street Christian Brothers School, and in 1915 was apprenticed to the stained glass studios of his uncle Joshua Clarke.

Maurice MacGonigal's father was a partner in this studio at 33 North Frederick Street, and Clarke was MacGonigal's uncle and he worked alongside his cousin, Harry Clarke.

In 1917, MacGonigal was enlisted into Na Fianna Eireann by Bulmer Hobson, serving as an IRA dispatch rider during the War of Independence reporting to Sean Dowling in C Coy, 4th Battalion, Dublin Brigade.

Maurice MacGonigal was arrested and interned from 8 December 1920 in Kilmainham Gaol, and was later moved to Ballykinlar camp, County Down.

Maurice MacGonigal was released in 1921, and immediately resigned from all republican organisations to concentrate on his art.

The couple had two sons, Muiris Diarmuid Mac Conghail born 1941, and Ciaran Maurice MacGonigal born 1945.

Maurice MacGonigal died in Baggot Street hospital, Dublin on 31 January 1979.

Maurice MacGonigal is buried at Gorteen graveyard, Roundstone, County Galway.

Maurice MacGonigal was made a partner with Harry Clarke, working as a designer while an evening student at Dublin Metropolitan School of Art.

Maurice MacGonigal won a Taylor scholarship for 3 years for his painting A public meeting, going on to study as a day student from 1923 to 1926.

Maurice MacGonigal visited the Aran Islands in 1924, marking the beginning of an interest in the west of Ireland.

Maurice MacGonigal illustrated Kenneth Sarr's 1927 The white bolle-trie: a wonder story.

From 1927, Maurice MacGonigal was a visiting art teacher at the Royal Hibernian Academy, and from 1934 was a substitute teacher for the Metropolitan School of Art.

Maurice MacGonigal produced rural landscapes, but cityscapes, genre scenes based in both urban and rural settings, and historically or politically important subjects.

Maurice MacGonigal's work was part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

Maurice MacGonigal was a member of the Academy of Christian Art from 1933.

Maurice MacGonigal served as the keeper of the RHA school twice, between 1934 and 1939 and 1950 to 1961, living at the keeper's residence on Ely Place during his second tenure.

In 1926, Maurice MacGonigal founded the Radical Club, exhibiting work there.

Maurice MacGonigal designed the sets for the first production of The silver tassie by Sean O'Casey in Dublin, in the Abbey Theatre in 1935.

From 1937 to 1954, Maurice MacGonigal served as assistant professor of painting at the newly reformed National College of Art under Keating.

Maurice MacGonigal succeeded Keating as professor in 1954, remaining in the post until 1969.

Maurice MacGonigal was a critic of the Irish government's tax-free status to creative artists brought into effect in 1969, stating that it would bring "the art parasites of Europe" to Ireland.

Maurice MacGonigal served as a governor and guardian of the National Gallery of Ireland, and in 1970 was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from the National University of Ireland.