Westmeath artist's Paul O'Connell painting to raise money for injured players

A painting by a Mullingar artist has been chosen by the IRFU as the centerpiece of its 2017 fundraising drive in aid of its injured players’ trust.

The piece by Roy Lyndsay from Bunbrosna depicts the airborne Paul O’Connell reaching into the night sky in that iconic Ireland-England match in Croke Park in 2007 and was commissioned by an Irish American who wanted to have a piece of art to commemorate that historic victory.

Now, with the 10th anniversary of that match – still England’s heaviest defeat in the Six Nations – coinciding with the visit of France this weekend, Roy has generously teamed up with the IRFU to create a limited print of that monumental moment.

There is to be an ad in this weekend’s matchday programme with all the details of how to order your print, and Roy hopes to further the extent of the fundraising with the release of a similar print of our own Robbie Henshaw’s monumental try in Soldier Field in time for the visit of England on St Patrick’s weekend.

“Would you believe there are 33 poor fellows in wheelchairs - mostly young fellows. It’s a very sobering figure,” said Roy, reminding us of the reason behind the drive.

The IRFU Charitable Trust was set up back in 1978 to assist players who suffered serious injury, and it currently costs in the region of €200,000 per annum to maintain.

Roy initially linked up with the IRFU in 1982 through when he did a series of drawings to commemorate that year’s Triple Crown success, and has maintained the friendship since.

When he got the commission for the O’Connell painting he got in touch.
“They liked the idea and the painting and it started from there,” said Roy.

He explained that the patron was a former Trinity College player now living in Boston: “And he’s very happy with the good cause”.

Roy Lyndsay is originally from Tyrone but has been living and painting in Bunbrosna for the past 25 years.

He started his career as a lecturer in textile design in the NCAD, and ran an art gallery with his wife Kathyrn in Blackrock before moving to Westmeath in 1992.