New Brigid painting unveiled in Kildare church 

A NEW painting of St Brigid hanging in Kilcullen's parish church brings together many elements of the parish, including its two churches, the view of the Wicklow Mountains, lambs to signify the saint’s, and the locality’s connections with agriculture, and a commemorative oak tree planted by the local Scoil Bhride primary school to mark the importance of new generations.

The painting was officially blessed on St Brigid’s Day, cementing its place among several Kilcullen commemorative connections to the saint. 

These include the name of the church itself — the Church of the Sacred Heart and St Brigid — as well as a longstanding holy well in the town’s Valley Park with a depiction of Brigid feeding the poor executed by the late celebrated sculptor, Fr Henry Flanagan OP. In the church itself, built in the early 1870s, a stained-glass window depicts Brigid with a model of the church, commending it to Jesus.

The parish pastoral council first mooted the commissioning of the latest piece for the church's adoration chapel. 

After some research, Meath-based artist Geraldine Losty was selected to produce the painting. 

“I think somebody from Kilcullen had seen one I did for Clonard parish, and suggested that they contact me about one for Kilcullen,” she said. “Fr Gary Darby called me, and it went from there.” 

Fr Gary says they developed the concept with Geraldine, whom he describes as very professional. “Each step of the process, she sent draft copies.” He says the community's feedback on the finished product has been ‘very positive’.

For Geraldine, who received her second-level education at Scoil Iosa in Kilcock — now Scoil Dara — the commission has added to a comprehensive portfolio of work she has produced since returning to an early interest in art. The Covid pandemic gave her the opportunity to develop a talent which had remained dormant since her Leaving Cert days.

“I had done quite well in art at school, but after that, life took over, with family and work,” she recalled. “Eventually, when the children got to a certain age, a friend asked me if I’d like to join her at art classes. It was more of a social thing, and then, after just a couple of weeks, Covid hit.”

With time at home during the pandemic, like so many others, Geraldine decided to pursue her art on her own. She eventually began posting her work on Facebook, and commissions trickled in, some with an unusual twist. 

“I found I was doing a lot of work for people whose pets had passed away, and they wanted portraits to remember them by. That expanded, particularly with dogs, from people seeing my work.”

She didn't confine herself to the animal genre, though; she also painted landscapes and portraits. "

Anything that came up. I recently did a piece for the family of a priest celebrating his 25th anniversary, highlighting different times in his career.”

The whole train of commissions since her revived interest in art is something Geraldine very much appreciates. 

“It has given me confidence in my work. I feel I have progressed and developed, and I suppose I’m very proud at the moment that there have been so many different pieces which have meant much to the people who asked me to do them. The two Brigid pictures are a big deal for me, knowing they will be in churches for the foreseeable future. Yes, I’m very grateful.”

Up to now self-taught, Geraldine says she has an ambition to attend college and study art at some point, to learn more about different mediums and styles. 

“But at the moment I’m very busy with commissions, so I can’t really do that for now, I suppose.”