‘A unique and talented artist’

Nenagh can be proud of Lancelot Bayly, a multi-talented and creative individual who achieved fame both nationally and internationally as a writer, musician, photographer, artist and biologist. Lancelot was born at Bayly Farm, Ballinaclough, in 1869. He was a member of the Protestant Ascendancy and received his education abroad on the continent. Fluent in German and French, Bayly was also an avid traveller over the course of his career, and showed a remarkable curiosity about the world, which was reflected in his study of the natural sciences, in his writing and in his photography. Bayly left his home at Bayly Farm for good in 1919 and relocated first to Dublin before eventually settling in England where he died in 1952. This talk, to be given by Dr Tom Duffy, will discuss Bayly's career culminating in his profession as an artist and will highlight the fact that he rightfully deserves a biographical profile in the Dictionary of National Biography.ABOUT THE SPEAKERDr Tom Duffy is a native of Nenagh. On completion of his secondary school education at the CBS, Tom attended Art College in Limerick before moving to Dublin to study Art History at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and in 1984 he started teaching Art History at what is now known as the Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Dun Laoghaire. In 1999, Tom was awarded a Doctorate from the National College of Art, Thomas Street, Dublin. He has articles published in various journals including the British Art Journal and The Irish Arts Review. After 38 years lecturing, Tom took early retirement in 2023 but continues to have his works published. In November 2024, he published a book on Irish artist, Mildred Anne Butler, which was launched in conjunction with an exhibition of the artist’s work at the National Gallery of Ireland.Silvermines Historical Society will host Tom’s talk ‘Lancelot Bayly (1869-1952): A Unique and Talented Artist’ in the Eagles Nest, Dolla, on Wednesday, November 26, at 8pm.