FURTHERMORE
By Gerry Moran
The first Christmas card to come through our letterbox every year was from Jane – Jane O’Malley, married for 30 years to one of Ireland’s most renowned artists – Tony O’Malley who passed away in 2003. Jane, a highly-regarded artist in her own right, died 30 years later, in 2023.
My wife and I loved receiving cards from Jane because they really were miniature works of art; two of my favourites being ‘Flock Of Blackbirds In The Big Freeze, Eating Frozen Apples’, from 2011, and ‘Early Morning Visit From Mr Fox, St Stephen’s Day’, painted in 2012.
I got to know Jane O’Malley through exhibition openings and events in Kilkenny’s Butler Gallery where Tony’s and Jane’s works hang side by side as part of the O’Malley Collection, works donated to the Gallery by Jane. I got to know Jane better when I found myself lying opposite Tony in St Luke’s Hospital many years ago. Jane popped by every day to tend to Tony and would always have a word with me as to how I thought Tony was doing.
When I told her that he reminded me of a saintly Franciscan friar she was highly amused. And I vividly remember when Tony was being discharged, doffing his hat, very gentlemanly, to all of us in the ward as he ambled out, arm in arm, with Jane.
Occasionally Jane sent Christmas cards created from Tony’s paintings – again, two favourites being: ‘Pigeon In The Snow’ from 1965 and ‘Trawlers In Shelter, St Ives Bay’ from 1972.
It was in the artists’ colony in St Ives, Cornwall where Jane met and fell in love with Tony in 1970, despite the age difference of 30 years. They eventually settled down in Physicians Town, in Callan, Tony’s birthplace where they created a haven of artistic activity; indeed, Jane and Tony ritually painted together every Christmas morning.
Now the problem with receiving such unique Christmas cards from Jane was how to reciprocate? Where does one find a card as original, unique and creative as hers? Challenging to say the least. And I don’t think Jane would have been overly impressed with a card depicting snowmen or Santa flying over house tops in his sleigh. Then again perhaps she might have liked them. Where I sometimes solved the problem of finding a unique card for Jane was in Saint Canice’s Cathedral at the Christmas Tree Festival which takes place in the middle of a forest, for want of a better word, a forest of the most original and unique Christmas trees that you will ever see.
This is the annual Christmas Tree Festival, and market, that features a hundred, and more, fabulous trees created by school children from all over the city and county. But the trees are created, not just by school children; they are also created by individual adults, and some local community groups, such as the Irish Wheelchair Association, SOS, Callan Road, Rehab, and even an Garda Síochána. The input from so many is understandable as the proceeds from the entry fee go to local charities.
These trees are not your typical Christmas trees hung with interesting decorations. What’s different, and wonderful, about them is that each, and every one of them, is made from materials as diverse as discarded CDs, used drink-cans and, wait for it, toilet rolls. What enhances the display further, and adds to the creativity, is that each tree is given a title, hence ‘Have A Cracking Christmas’ created from used egg cartons and ‘Happy Disc-Mas Tree’, made from aforementioned discarded CDs.
This year I was torn between two trees as to which was my favourite: Coill na gCrann Nollaig, a feast of marvellous multi-coloured patchworks by South Midlands Patchwork and perhaps the simplest and plainest tree there: Our Kindness Tree by St John’s Senior School, featuring plain white notes inscribed with words of kindness about their fellow pupils. Kindness won out as it so often does.
And so, in this forest of creativity I occasionally came upon a Christmas card that was unique enough to send to Jane. My wife and I miss that first Christmas card through our letterbox but we are more than appreciative of those wonderful, works of art that arrived in our home for so many years.
