From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
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Minister Madigan said:
“I am saddened to hear of the passing of Cecil Maguire, one of our finest landscape and figure painters. Born in Lurgan in 1930, Cecil spent much of his time in the west of Ireland and painted the Connemara landscape where he lived in Roundstone and its environs, with such fondness. I know that he felt very much at home there. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.“
Cecil studied at Queen’s University Belfast, and worked as a teacher before focusing on painting full time. Cecil was a member of the Royal Ulster Academy and won the RUA Perpetual Gold Medal in 1993. His work features in major art collections including the United Nations Headquarters, New York and the Ulster Museum, Belfast. He was the winner of several awards including the Silver Medal (1964, 1967) and the Gold Medal (1974) from the RUA and the Conor Prize (1968).
His paintings are to be found in many public and private collections, such as: The National Self Portrait Collection, University of Limerick; Ulster Museum, Belfast; The United Nations Headquarters, New York and his alma mater Queens University, Belfast.