Homage to John Joseph Rooney tells the story of John Rooney’s last hours on St Patrick’s Day, Saturday 17th March 1934. John Joseph Rooney, my grand uncle, died on that day by drowning in the River Liffey in Dublin. He died in full view of a large crowd who were in the city for the traditional parade and a Gaelic football match.
He was 33 years of age and unmarried. It was thought that he had walked from his home on Usher’s Island Quay to Burgh Quay and was then seen in the water at about 4.15pm. How he entered the water was and is unknown. My family believed that he had may have committed suicide. Consequently, given their Catholic sensitivities, he was rarely mentioned. The daily newspapers of the day supplied the information I have.
John Rooney’s resting place is unknown.
The painting project:
Responding to this near obliteration from my family’s history, I painted to pay homage to this man. His story fascinated me since finding it a few years ago. I also wanted to reinstate him, bring him ‘in from the cold’, so to speak, so that he is not forgotten.
The project is now complete. It traced – in paint – the route of John Rooney’s final journey along the river. Since John Rooney’s time, the infrastructure along the quays has been altered significantly in many places.
Homage to John Joseph Rooney consists of paintings in gouache and watercolour on paper. The images posted on the website are samples of pieces from this body of work. Originally I planned to execute a series of paintings initially in watercolour and then in acrylic and oils. However, I stuck to gouache/watercolour throughout the course of the project. The watercolour and gouache work is very fluid to echo that sense of flux my grand uncle must have been experiencing, or had experienced if, as is possible, John Rooney was anticipating his death. The fluidity and looseness of the work is also driven by the enigma that surrounds him. I tried to capture what is – for me – the haunting quality of John Rooney’s final hour. I can only try to imagine it and paint is my attempt at capturing this evocative and poignant moment.
The overall effect of strongly diluted gouache/watercolour is one that cannot be completely anticipated. I’ve used this fact to try to describe my own sense of mystery about such a public – yet highly personal – death.
I hope this work serves and honours John Joseph Rooney well. May he rest in peace.
August 2025
John it is essential to read this text before looking at the paintings, as it puts the whole gouache/watercolour effect in context of what might have been going on in poor John Joseph’s head at the time. What a beautiful way to commemorate your grand uncle who died so tragically at such an early age. I cannot imagine a more articulate way to honour him than with these wonderful paintings. As I have worked out the existance of the hereafter (with absolutely no help from the Catholic church) I’m sure John Joseph Rooney is very pleased and also very proud of your fine work.