As Ireland celebrates its first gold medal of the 2024 Olympic Games, IBSL also celebrated a wonderful evening at the Waterford Gallery of Art launch of their exhibition "Muscles & Mind: Irish Art Olympians," which features Ina Boyle's chamber work, ‘Lament for Bion’ (1944-45)."
Ina Boyle as featured in Waterford Gallery of Art "Muscles & Mind: Irish Art Olympians" exhibition.
Image courtesy of Emma O’Keeffe.
Boyle was awarded a commemoration medal and Diplome d’Honneur in the music category of the Olympic Art Competition in 1948 for ‘Lament for Bion.’ Emma O’Keeffe, a final year research candidate at TU Dublin’s Conservatoire, writes on ‘Lament for Bion’, “Like many of Boyle’s compositions, the work was not performed during her lifetime. Her Memoranda records a substantial list of failed attempts at having the work performed in Dublin and in London, and while successful at the Olympic Arts Competition, there is no evidence to suggest that it was performed during the contest.”
Waterford Gallery of Art "Muscles & Mind: Irish Art Olympians" exhibition.
Image courtesy of Emma O’Keeffe.
Thankfully, a resurgence of interest and admiration is revitalising Ina Boyle's remarkable compositions. O’Keeffe continues, “In March 2022, ‘Lament for Bion’ received its premiere performance at the Emily Anderson Concert Hall, University of Galway, using the critical edition created as part of this project [O’Keeffe’s ‘No Coward Soul is Mine’: A Critical Edition of Select Works by Ina Boyle (1889–1967].
The performance was given by New Zealand tenor, Christopher Bowen, and the Galway Music Residency’s Ensemble in Residence, ConTempo Quartet, led by cellist and founder of the ConTempo Quartet (1995), Adrian Mantu. The performance was part of the longstanding concert series, ‘Music for Galway’, funded by The Arts Council, and also included works by Ina Boyle's mentor, Ralph Vaughan Williams.”
© Emma C. O'Keeffe (2024)
Ina Boyle as featured in Waterford Gallery of Art "Muscles & Mind: Irish Art Olympians" exhibition.
Image courtesy of Emma O’Keeffe.
Waterford Gallery of Art’s "Muscles & Mind: Irish Art Olympians" exhibition runs from July 26th - November 26th 2024.
Waterford Gallery of Art "Muscles & Mind: Irish Art Olympians".
Image courtesy of WGOA.