Presentation of the painting “Howth Cliffwalk” to former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Mr Bertie Ahern, March 2008. Photo by Gordon O’Neill

PRESS RELEASE
Swedish artist presents art work to Ireland’s Prime Minister

Swedish born artist Lena Willryd presented Ireland’s Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Mr Bertie Ahern with a painting to mark the occasion of his retirement from his post as Ireland’s leader. The painting by Lena is of the scenic Howth Cliff Walk overlooking Dublin Bay.

In her address to Mr Ahern and his staff Lena said “I am deeply honoured to present one of my paintings to Ireland’s Prime Minister, especially at this time in Ireland’s development as it faces new challenges economically and politically. I hope my painting will bring him stillness and peace in his retirement. I also want to wish him well and every good wish in whatever role he intends to pursue, be it nationally or internationally.” 

Lena Willryd moved from Sweden to Ireland nearly 10 years ago, making one of her life’s biggest changes. “It certainly has been a great experience”, she says, “to see the effects of the Celtic Tiger, and to see Dublin literally change before my eyes. I have seen the Dublin Port Tunnel being build, I have seen the Luas get up and running, I have seen O’Connell Street change and the Spire coming up. The economic growth has been extraordinary, and I feel privileged to have been a part of it, however small.”

 For Lena personally, her move to Ireland has been an amazing journey of self discovery and she feels that the beauty of the Irish landscape, its heritage and its people, have awakened something in her, something that has been dormant and well hidden for many years, a creativity and a desire to express herself, mainly through painting, but also through poetry. She will be eternally grateful to Ireland for bringing out this passion in her, she says.

 She feels that Ireland and its people have welcomed her with open arms, and she feels it has now become her second home. “I feel very humble and grateful to have been given this opportunity to give something back, through this painting, which is partly Ireland and partly me.

 Lena’s paintings are always inspired by something that she has seen and felt. “You know when you see something truly beautiful, and you feel this beauty in your heart, that’s the feeling I try to convey into colours”, she says. “One of my favourite places in Ireland, well in the world actually, is Howth Cliffwalk. Many are the times when I have sat on the green grass, in my favourite spot, overlooking the sea and Ireland’s Eye, feeling the healing from the land, all my stress and worries lifting.  Very often there is a slight haze out there which makes the colours very soft, like the whole sky is wrapped in a thin lace veil. The views are absolutely stunning, and the green of the grass and the blue of the sky and the sea kind of melt into each other. These colours really would be ‘Ireland’ to me.

 It’s Lena’s hope that some of the beauty she has seen will shine through in her paintings and that they will bring peace and tranquillity to the viewer.