James Joseph Power (4 May 1918 in
Phibsborough, Dublin – 13 April 2009 in Dublin) was an Irish sculptor, who like his sister
May Power (1903-1993) learnt from his father
Albert Power (1881-1945).
He is known for sculpting (in 1956) the 1916 memorial on
Sarsfield Bridge in Limerick. Like his father, he was often called upon to do death masks, and did so for
Brendan Behan
Brendan Francis Aidan Behan (christened Francis Behan) ( ; ; 9 February 1923 – 20 March 1964) was an Irish poet, short story writer, novelist, playwright, and Irish Republican, an activist who wrote in both English and Irish. His widely ackno ...
in 1964.
[
The entire family (including several brothers) worked in their celebrated sculpture yard on Berkeley Road, in Phibsborough.
]
Career
James Power studied sculpture under Oliver Sheppard
Oliver Sheppard (10 April 1865 – 14 September 1941) was an Irish sculptor, most famous for his 1911 bronze statue of the mythical Cuchullain dying in battle. His work was also part of the art competitions at the 1924 Summer Olympics and the ...
and painting under Sean Keating
Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Hiberno-English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as '' Shaun/ Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; ang ...
at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin.[
His numerous portraits and statues of notatable people include Irish president Erskine Childers, American president ]John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), also known as JFK, was the 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He was the first Roman Catholic and youngest person elected p ...
, Irish language writer Mairtin O'Cadhain, Irish ascetic Matt Talbot, Father Eugene O'Growney
Eugene O'Growney (; born 25 August 1863 at Ballyfallon, Athboy, County Meath, died 18 October 1899 in Los Angeles, California), was an Irish priest and scholar, and a key figure in the Gaelic revival of the late 19th century.
Early life and edu ...
and Irish national anthem composer Peadar Kearney
Peadar Kearney ( ; 12 December 1883 – 24 November 1942) was an Irish republican and composer of numerous rebel songs. In 1907 he wrote the lyrics to "A Soldier's Song" (), now the Irish national anthem. He was the uncle of Irish writers Bren ...
.[Fr O"Growney statue sculptor James Power dies, aged 90]
Meath Chronicle, 22 Apr 2009
His works were included in the Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition in 1941 and 1942 and he was a frequent exhibitor at the Oireachtas na Gaeilge.[
In 1956, after several delays he finished sculpting the 1916 memorial in Limerick from a design first proposed in 1936 by his father Albert.]
Gallery
File:Matt Talbot.JPG, Statue of Matt Talbot
on Talbot Memorial Bridge in Dublin
File:1916MonumentLimerick.jpg, Monument to the 1916 Rising
on Sarsfield Bridge in Limerick
File:Erskine Childers St Patrick's Cathedral Dublin 2006.jpg, Memorial to Erskine Childers (1905-1974)
in St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Power, James
20th-century Irish sculptors
Irish male sculptors
1918 births
2009 deaths