A plaque marking the birthplace in Baggot Street of Dublin artist Francis Bacon has been unveiled by the city's Lord Mayor. The ceremony was be performed yesterday by Cllr Mary Freehill before an audience including Bacon's companion and heir, Mr John Edwards.
Yesterday afternoon was the first time Bacon's Irish origins were given such public acknowledgment. Although born there in October 1909, he never lived in the house at 63 Lower Baggot Street and remained in this country only until the age of 16, when he moved to Berlin and Paris, before settling in London.
The artist, who died in Madrid in April 1992, often talked about Dublin, "but I didn't listen to him too much", said Mr Edwards. This was only Mr Edwards's second visit to Dublin but last year he donated Bacon's studio and its contents to the Hugh Lane Gallery. These will go on exhibition in November following a major exhibition of the artist's work in the gallery. Although he once said he could still remember the sounds of Ireland, Bacon seems never to have returned to the country after his departure in 1925.
Another old friend at yesterday's ceremony, the Hon Garech Browne, said the artist often spoke of Ireland "and, contrary to popular opinion, he also spoke very highly of here".
At Mr Browne's suggestion, the party adjourned to a hotel for a glass of champagne before moving on to the Mansion House, where the Lord Mayor hosted a lunch for Mr Edwards and other members of his party, including Mr Brian Clarke, executor of the Bacon estate.
At the end of the meal, Mr Clarke made an impromptu speech in which he stressed the importance of the late artist's Irish origins. "All Francis's working life had its genesis here in Dublin." The unveiling ceremony was not without incident. Moments before Ms Freehill arrived to unveil the plaque, Mr Edwards, together with a number of other people present, could be found struggling to close the curtains covering it. These had been inadvertently opened during a check to ensure all would run smoothly when required to do so.