“Ballycroy” (Mayo)  

I’d been wanting to paint this for years. It came out of a time I was cycling through Ballycroy and found I was making little progress because I kept looking backwards. And stopping the bike and looking for ages. Why do I have this landscape to myself, I asked my tired bicycle? Then I cycled on, but slowly, stopping and going and stopping and going again. It’s too nice to leave it I said, looking back at the bog and the mountains I had just cycled past. I could stay here forever, I said. Then I got a puncture.

I can’t speak highly enough of the beauty of Ballycroy – the newest of Ireland’s National Parks (established in 1998) though a few years ago it was renamed Wild Nephin as it expanded into the Nephin Beg mountains. And since it’s a National Park you don’t need to trust me – you can just go.

Prints
The original painting is sold but prints of my Ballycroy painting are available here. (They come in a variety of styles including the standard Art Prints, and in multiple sizes)

Other Stuff
This painting is also available on t-shirts and mugs and cushions and all sorts of stuff you might find around the house or wear. Explore the full range here.