County Cork Pub

"This painting honors my Irish heritage from my maternal grandfather. He was born in the city of Cork, Ireland, in the late 1880s. As a 6-year old and the youngest of 10 children, Edward Wilson emigrated to Boston in 1894 with his newly widowed mother and two siblings. From the County Cork port of Queensland (now named Cobh), they boarded the S/S Scythia and arrived in Boston 10 days later. The doomed Titanic also made its final port-of-call in Queenstown several years later. I imagine my grandfather’s family were much like passengers shown in third class steerage in the Titanic movie.

I searched online for an exterior photo of a pub in County Cork with visual character. We had visited England’s West Country in the late 1990s, staying and eating primarily in pubs and inns. For my new painting reference, I discovered a photo of The Bunratty Inn, located in the port of Schull in County Cork. Its exterior reminded me of those I had been to in England. The photo had elements which make for a good watercolor scene, except for the foreground. There was outdoor seating, with only one patron sitting on a bench. I preferred to concentrate on the architectural details, so I used artistic license and removed the outdoor tables and seats for a simpler view.

Painting many tiny details was challenging but I persevered to capture an inviting appearance, a place I would like to visit. And probably my grandfather would too!"

This Whiskey Painting was created with watercolors diluted with West Cork Whiskey.

Judy is a lifelong member of the Whiskey Painters of America.