Four years after her trailblazing book, Achill Painters, was launched in the teeth of a global pandemic, writer Mary J Murphy returns with this lovingly crafted monograph, to mark the 40th anniversary of the death of Belgian Impressionist Marie Howet, so closely associated with the island for over fifty years. It swoops and swerves between the people and places that were dearest to her heart on Achill (and in Belgium, too) since her very first visit on August 4th 1929, unearthing along the way many original island paintings.

Marie, born in Libramont, with an Ardennes ‘heart-haven’ in Rochehaut, bestowed part of her soul to Achill from the moment she first set foot at Eva O’Flaherty’s Dooagh door on that August day, and established too a unique, lifelong island friendship with the Burke family.

Her exquisite 1934 publication, A LA SOURCE D’ARA (with a preface by Stephen Gwynn), contains many majestic Achill scenes, and this monograph includes

memories from family and friends who knew her best. Neglected, inexplicably, for decades, it is now time to celebrate one of Achill’s most famous adopted daughters, a painter whose work is – at the very least – on a par with that of Paul Henry or Robert Henri.

Her work was admired by Matisse, in writing, and she was known to Rodin, Magritte, Maurice Ramart, Marguerite Putsage, and to the Paul Signac, Georges Seurat, and Maximilien Luce set. Howet’s astonishing milieu back in the day also included Seán O’Sullivan (who painted her portrait), George Russell (ditto), Padraic Colum, Hilda Roberts, Stella Steyn, Dorothy Blackham, Mabel Alleyne, Grace Henry, Harriet Kirkwood, Emily Weddall, G. B. Shaw, Mainie Jellett, Fr. Jack Hanlon, Derek Hill, George Furlong, Louis le Brocquy, Lilian Davidson, Dairine Vanston, Stella Frost, Maude Ball, James White and Nano Reid. Nano’s work was uniquely influenced by Howet, whilst Reid, in turn, was admired greatly by long-time Achill resident, Camille Souter (1929-2023).

Her exquisite 1934 publication, A LA SOURCE D’ARA (with a preface by Stephen Gwynn), contains many majestic Achill scenes, and this monograph includes

memories from family and friends who knew her best. Neglected, inexplicably, for decades, it is now time to celebrate one of Achill’s most famous adopted daughters, a painter whose work is – at the very least – on a par with that of Paul Henry or Robert Henri.

Her work was admired by Matisse, in writing, and she was known to Rodin, Magritte, Maurice Ramart, Marguerite Putsage, and to the Paul Signac, Georges Seurat, and Maximilien Luce set. Howet’s astonishing milieu back in the day also included Seán O’Sullivan (who painted her portrait), George Russell (ditto), Padraic Colum, Hilda Roberts, Stella Steyn, Dorothy Blackham, Mabel Alleyne, Grace Henry, Harriet Kirkwood, Emily Weddall, G. B. Shaw, Mainie Jellett, Fr. Jack Hanlon, Derek Hill, George Furlong, Louis le Brocquy, Lilian Davidson, Dairine Vanston, Stella Frost, Maude Ball, James White and Nano Reid.

Nano’s work was uniquely influenced by Howet, whilst Reid, in turn, was admired greatly by long-time Achill resident, Camille Souter (1929-2023).