Aloysius McVeigh

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sister Aloysius McVeigh, R.S.M., (April 10, 1923 – December 25, 2008) was an Irish artist, iconographer and teacher. She was from Dungiven, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

Sister Aloysius McVeigh wearing her MFA graduation robes, 1980.

Bridie entered the Sisters of Mercy convent in Derry in 1940, taking the religious name Aloysius in 1943. She taught art in several schools in the city. She was most noted for the 20 years she taught at St Mary's College, Derry. Initially this was an art teacher and then subsequently as principal. After studying painting and obtaining an Master of Fine Arts degree in 1980 from the Yale School of Art, Yale University, she returned to Belfast, where she taught art at St Mary's University College.[1]

Sr. Aloysius was a founding member of the Association of Irish Iconographers. She stated that her iconography is an act of prayer.[2][3] She is buried at St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church alongside family members in Dungiven.

There is an Annual Sister Aloysius Religious Art competition in her honour. It is open to young people who are studying Art and Design at GCSE and A Level in schools in the Roman Catholic Derry Diocese.[4]


Works in public places[]

  • Trinity, Thornhill Parish Chapel, Culmore Road, Derry, 1988
  • Our Lady of the Sign (Stained Glass Window) Blessed Sacrament Chapel, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, 1988
  • Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Castlefin Church, Co. Tyrone, 1989
  • St Patrick, Parish Church, Greencastle, Co. Tyrone, 1989
  • Mother of Perpetual Succour, Parish Church, Clogher, Co. Tyrone, 1989
  • Stations of the Cross, Rosslea Parish Church, Co. Fermanagh, 1990
  • Mother of Perpetual Succour, Castlederg Church, Co. Tyrone, 1990
  • Mother of Perpetual Succour, Basilica in Lough Derg, Co. Donegal, 1991
  • Crucifixion Cross, Poor Clare Monastery, Clifden Street, Belfast, Co. Antrim, 1992
  • Annunciation, Psychiatric Hospital, Limerick City, 1993
  • Our Lady of Mercy, Mercy International Centre, 64 Lr. Baggot St., Dublin 2, 1993
  • Christ, Source of Life, Pantocrator. Coolaney Parish Church, Coolaney, Co. Sligo, 1993
  • Queen of All Saints, All Saints Parish Church, Newtowncunningham, Co. Donegal, 1995
  • Pantocrator, St, Catherine's Nursing Home, Culmore Road, Derry, 1995
  • Mother of Perpetual Succour, Church of the Irish Martyrs, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, 1996
  • Baptism of Our Lord, Strabane Parish Church, Strabane, Co. Tyrone, 1996
  • St Brendan, the Navigator, Church of Our Lady & St Brendan, 1996
  • St Kevin, Glendalough Parish Church, Glendalough, Co.Wicklow, 1998[5]
  • St Coca, Parish Church of St Coca, Kilcock, Co. Kildare, 1999
  • Lorcan O Toole, Glendalough Parish Church, Glendalough, Co. Wicklow, 1999[6]
  • St Gabriel, Linsfort Retreat House, Linsfort, Co. Donegal, 2001
  • Nativity, Church of the Nativity, Poleglass, Belfast, 2001[7]
  • St Brigid, St Brigid's Parish Church, Kildare, Co. Kildare, 2001[8]
  • St Michael, All Saints Parish Church, Newtowncunningham, Co. Donegal, 2004
  • St Michael, Linsfort Retreat House, Linsfort, Co. Donegal, 2005
  • The Mercy Window, The Playhouse, 5-7 Artillery St, Derry, unveiled posthumously, 2009[9]

References[]

  1. ^ "Sad Passing of Sister Aloysius". The Derry Journal. 29 December 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Teacher and Iconographer who married Love of Art and God". The Irish Times. 7 February 2009. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Sister Aloysius". BBC Radio Foyle. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  4. ^ "The Sister Aloysius Memorial Prize for Religious Art 2018". Diocese of Derry. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  5. ^ "The icon of St. Kevin (Caoimhin)". Glendalough Hermitage Centre. 20 December 2002. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  6. ^ "The icon of St. Laurence O'Toole". Glendalough Hermitage Centre. 20 December 2002. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  7. ^ "The Icon of the Nativity". The Association of Iconophragers of Ireland – Cumann Sanháil na hÉireann. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
  8. ^ "The icon of St. Brigid". Brigidine Sisters. 31 December 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Sister Aloysius McVeigh- A Retrospective exhibition". Mercy International Association. 1 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
Retrieved from ""