For Irish hearts overseas - Home is where the art is

“Throwback your shoulders – to rowback your boat ...”

David Hall McKewan’s watercolour painting of Bundoran (1855) is not only an historic throwback into Irish history, but it is also an artistic rowback showing the visual poetry of two fishermen fiercely throwing back their shoulders and rowing back in their boats through the mighty coastal waves towards their seaside home of Bundoran. 

Thanks to Richie Fitzgerald posting his find of an old black and white image of Bundoran on Historical Bundoran a few weeks ago – I was reminded of my framed McKewan watercolour painting that portrays the same scene-setting of Bundoran.

Richie and I are both originally from the seaside town of Bundoran in the North West of Ireland. While he currently lives on the Australian Coast and I, on the American Coast – we both share a deep transatlantic love for local history.

I would like to imagine that like the two fishermen holding their oars in the boat – we are heading in the right direction by sharing throwbacks of local history – we can imaginatively rowback home.

Richie is Ireland’s first pro surfer and the founder of Ireland’s first and largest surf shop, Surfworld, in Bundoran. Although more of a bodyboarder, I have a fond memory buying my first surfboard as a shy, curly-headed cub in his shop. 

A pioneering figure in the Irish surf community, Richie has told his remarkable story in his book, "Cold Water Eden," which is “An immersive memoir about a groundbreaking surfing career, and a stunning portrait of Ireland as one of the world’s most captivating big-wave surfing destinations.”

Richie splits his time between Ireland and Australia. Recently his good friend, Lou McLaren, in Australia, kindly loaned him two old books. No doubt after a surf, Richie started browsing through these books – moving each page smoothly like riding a wave.

Within one of the books was the old black and white image that Richie shared of Bundoran by artist GF Sargent and engraver Josiah Wood Whimper. As I returned from running Surfside Beach on the Gulf Coast – I immediately recalled the old black and white image that Richie shared. 

It was like seeing the familiar face of an old childhood friend. Behind this friend's dark faded lines, it is clear that they have lost some colour, but I know they still have some light left in their eyes.

I assumed that the image and the painting were well known in Bundoran, so it was a lovely surprise to know that the old black and white image in Richie’s hands (the oldest sketch of Bundoran) and the watercolour painting (the oldest painting of Bundoran) in my hands, are rare artefacts of local history. 

“Throwback your shoulders – to rowback your boat ...”

What may first appear a synchronous story between two Bundoran lads on opposite sides of the world, both possessing an image and a painting of the same historical scene from their homeland and then sharing it back to the local community – there is more than meets the Irish overseas eye. 

You see, from thousands of miles away – I know what Richie felt in his heart at the exact moment when he laid his eyes on the old black and white image of Bundoran because it is the feeling I faithfully feel, too, in my heart, when I meditate on the painting of my home. I keep this beautiful framed painting by the window where I write and another copy by my bedside where I sleep.

Ultimately, for all the Irish overseas – we all universally ride the same surging waves of emotion – when we see images from home – while away from home. 

We do not need to vividly paint a romantic picture of that feeling in our Irish hearts – for it is already painted within the watercolour painting. The feeling is symbolised by the mystical motion of that otherworldly boat – tossing there in the waves of the sea. 

Although the boat is offshore – beyond the fishermen’s eyes there is that welcoming sight – the windows of home with the background of the majestic Dartry Mountains, and so, we hold onto our oars with a hopeful feeling – to try to navigate our way safely through the rising waves back home.

One truth that can be learned from reading Richie’s book and McKewan’s Bundoran watercolour painting for all the Irish at home and overseas is that we are all “a product of the unique coastal community and environment” that we grew up in.

The feeling of seeing home from away from home is acutely experienced by millions of Irish around the world, but by finding and sharing these important artefacts of local history and by holding and beholding them – we can be a part of building that transatlantic bridge back home.

When we explore these old Irish images and paintings of our local history while we are at home and overseas – we all imagine the symbolic namesake of Richie’s book – envisioning our own ideas of our Cold Water Eden.

Richie probably imagines how intense that surf felt like in 1855. I imagine riding one of the Keenaghan horses from Rathmore around the sea-cliffs of Roguey, and for local, maverick fisherman, Seanie Carty, in Bundoran and his playwright cousin, Kevin Dooney, in the US – they may imagine their Carty Fish Lane ancestors embodying the two fishermen in the boat. 

We realise that by keenly reflecting on the watercolour that no matter what local or worldly coasts we roam – the art speaks to our hearts – because for Irish hearts – home is where the art is.

And as the white seagull coolly spreads its wings in the spindrift and as the swelling surf rises our oars to the roar of the wild Atlantic wind – the twilight voice of the waves tells us – the twilight waves tell all of us – the Irish at home and the Irish overseas – that the painting inspires a poem – and the twilight waves crests its first-line out to us and says –

 “Throwback your shoulders – to rowback your boat towards home.” 

*Éamon Ó Caoineachán (Eddie Keenaghan) is a poet and writer, originally from Bundoran, Co Donegal, but now living on the Gulf Coast of Texas. He is currently a PhD postgraduate in Arts at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick.