Artist Shay O'Byrne wins RHA Award

Former power Generation staff member, Shay O'Byrne, won the Fergus O'Ryan RHA Memorial Award of €1,500 at this year's RHA Annual Art Exhibition for his painting Avonbeg River, Glenmalure.

Shay who left Turlough Hill Stations on voluntary severance and now works full time at his art, had two paintings selected for this year's RHA Exhibition.

Also this year, Shay was selected to show at the Royal Ulster Academy in Belfast and at the Oireachtas Exhibition in Cork. In June, he held a successful solo exhibition as part of the Dunlavin Festival of Arts.

Born in Dublin, he lives in Dunlavin, Co. Wicklow, where the surrounding countryside has had a major influence on his work. He paints mainly in oils and acrylics, principally figurative with a keen interest in the dynamics of nature and the landscape.

Self-taught, he has exhibited widely throughout Ireland participating in national exhibitions over the past twenty five years. In 1981 he won first prize in the CDL National Art Competition for his painting The Prisoner.

His work is found in a number of collections including those of GPA, the Smurfit Business School at UCD and the Henniges Group.

For further information, Shay may be contacted at: shayobyrne10@hotmail.com