‘Portrait of our frontline heroes’ – staff in county Kilkenny hospital are a work of art
A group of frontline workers from county Kilkenny have been framed in time as the subjects of a painting which will capture their work during the Covid-19 outbreak for all time.
Staff at St Columba’s Hospital in Thomastown, have become the subject of one of the latest pieces painted for the #portraitsforHSEheroes series – a movement by Irish artists supporting health workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
The oil painting on wood by artist Sinéad Lucey depicts five of the dedicated HSE/South East Community Healthcare team at St. Columba’s, shown standing outside St Joseph’s Ward at the 90-bed long stay residential care facility.
Those featured are Bee Eli, Mary Neville, Jimmy Collier, Tina Codd and Josie Caulfield. The painting is by Sinéad Lucey who has been living in Kilkenny for the past four year.
Director of Nursing at St. Columba’s Hospital Georgina Bassett said she was impressed by the work, adding: “Over decades, St. Columba’s Hospital has enjoyed an outstanding reputation as a residential care centre for older persons. The welfare of residents/patients in the hospital is a priority for staff and management.
“At a time when visiting has been restricted – and a challenging time for everyone – we are deeply appreciative of the support the facility receives from families and the wider community in county Kilkenny.
“This beautiful work by Sinéad Lucy and the context in which she and our friends in the Thomastown Creative Arts Festival are promoting it is a boost to everyone here in the determined efforts to stay safe and see our way through to better days ahead,” Ms Bassett concluded.
