Growing up in Clonmel with a father who is an avid wildlife photographer, I was exposed early on to the beauty of nature world. All my life I have felt an affinity with the bird species of Ireland. They continue to inspire mystery, superstition and splendor in mine and our collective daily lives. They have been the focus of my art many times in the past and for this exhibition I decided to delve deeper into this theme and illustrate four piece in tribute to the Raven, the Magpie, the Barn Owl and the majestic Buzzard.nn nnWith the core of this exhibition’s theme revolving around the finding of a buried horse skull in the foundations of a house in Drangan, I wanted to highlight the overarching theme of belief and superstition that the discovery raises. The bird species living overhead have been here throughout all of our development as a people. They have viewed all of our beliefs and practices and we have in turn written them into our mythology and folklore. While our ancestors did not write much down they did spread beliefs and important practices in the form of oral history. The threads of this web still exist today. Birds were often seen as being closer to the other world and to this day retain their intrigue and mystery in our collective consciousness.nn nn nnOriginal Pen & Ink Illustration