F
or those who knew him, the nickname ‘Gentle Paddy’ evokes fond memories of one of Ireland’s most successful property developers. An avid collector, Patrick Kelly furnished his Dublin home with a stunning array of Irish pictures recognising the tradition of Irish painting from the 18th to 20th centuries and encompassing works by George Barret, Daniel Maclise, Paul Henry, Roderic O’Conor, Jack B. Yeats and William Scott, among others.
These paintings were wonderfully complemented in the interiors of 44 Fitzwilliam Square with fine Georgian and Regency furniture, silver and decorative arts, amassed by Kelly from auctions and dealers over the past three decades. Highlights include a pair of important George II Irish mirrors supplied to Sankey Winter, Dean of Kildare and marquetry tables attributed to William Moore of Dublin.
The collection as a whole reveals Patrick’s passion for Irish art and his discerning eye, with pictures and furniture beautifully married within the elegant surroundings of his Georgian home. Central to the collection are five paintings by Jack B. Yeats, including The Showground Revisited, painted in 1950 (est. £150,000–250,000 / €170,000–282,000) and Young Men, painted in 1929 (est. £150,000–250,000 /170,000–282,000), and an exceptional work by William Scott, entitled Deep Blues (est. £300,000–500,000 / €339,000–565,000). The collection as a whole reveals Patrick’s passion for Irish art and his discerning eye, with pictures and furniture.
