100 Years of British and Irish Art: A Fermanagh Collection

11 October 2025 to 31 January 2026

The F.E. McWilliam Gallery and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council are delighted to present ‘100 Years of British and Irish Art: A Fermanagh Collection’, an exhibition drawn from the private collection of the Earl and Countess of Belmore. Having grown up in one of the great stately homes of Europe, Castle Coole in County Fermanagh, John Belmore was immersed in art from an early age, as was his wife, Mary. The works in this exhibition have been acquired over five decades and are testament to the Belmores’ passion for art and their friendships with artists.

Foremost among their artist friends was the Enniskillen-born painter T.P. (Terry) Flanagan, whose Castle Coole series beautifully captures the atmosphere of James Wyatt’s great house. Terry was instrumental in introducing the Belmores to many key Irish artists including Basil Blackshaw, Colin Middleton and William Scott. As a result of these associations, and with guidance from Lady Belmore, John developed an unerring eye for quality and originality, the impact of which can be seen throughout this exhibition.

From those early, firm foundations the collection has grown and developed to include well-known twentieth-century Irish painters including Paul Henry, Norah McGuinness, Gerard Dillon and Mary Swanzy. In recent years the collection’s remit has widened to include works by respected British modernists such as David Bomberg, John Bratby, Ceri Richards and Rose Hilton. Contemporary artists including Brian Ballard, Cilla Patton, Eamon Coleman and Philip Flanagan are also represented. Although his taste and focus have developed over the years, it is clear that Lord Belmore’s love of art has not waned since he started collecting in the 1970s. This exhibition provides an unparalleled opportunity to view the breadth and depth of the collection as a whole and to appreciate its quality.

The exhibition is accompanied by a publication written by William Laffan. Entrance is free.