Lot 119: John Doherty (b.1949) Red Barn, Ardfert, Co. Kerry

John Doherty (b.1949) Red Barn, Ardfert, Co. Kerry Acrylic on canvas, 25 x 33cm (10 x 13'') Signed, inscribed with title and dated '95/'6/'7 verso. Inscribed by the artist 'For Robert's Collection' Provenance: From the collection of Robert Cahill, General Manager of Ernie's Restaurant, Donnybrook - a gift from the artist Robert Cahill was general manager of Ernie's Restaurant in Donnybrook, having previously served his time at The Royal Hibernian Hotel before moving to The Shelbourne Hotel on Dublin's Stephen's Green. There he was head waiter in the Saddle Room restaurant; where he met and later became great friends with many international personalities including the esteemed actor Peter O'Toole; director John Huston and the writer Leon Uris to name but a few. When well known hotelier Ernie Evans decided to open a restaurant at Mulberry Gardens in Donnybrook in 1984, Ernie Evans was the obvious first choice as front of house for the venue. Ernie had taken a lot of his own collection with him when he left the Towers Hotel, Glenbeigh, Co. Kerry; this included many traditional paintings. To mark the new opening in Donnybrook they decided to acquire some new contemporary work. Ernie and Robert visited The Taylor Galleries in Dublin where they first became familiar with the work the well known Irish photo-realist artist, John Doherty. Their first purchase was a large scale piece entitled Old Dockyard Building, Castletownbere, which greatly reminded Robert of the work of the American realist painter Edward Hopper. Robert never tired of this piece and continued to get great joy from it for many years. Over the years Ernie continued to purchase many more works by Doherty for the restaurant. This piece entitled Red Barn, Ardfert was a gift from Doherty to Robert Cahill.