Susan with her second mermaid 2016 (photo Ben Townsend)
Susan was born in the UK to Dublin parents. She grew up in central London and worked in various jobs including house renovation in Ballydehob in the 1970s. She was inspired by the many artistic people she met there and was forever grateful for the kindness of Nell and Julia in
Levis’ pub. Susan bought artist Norah Golden’s orange house in Ballydehob while Norah stayed on and decorated the facade with a huge Owl and Pussycat, echoing her Flower House and Gurteenakilla murals.
In 1982 Susan enrolled at the London College of Furniture where she studied traditional and creative basketry for 4 years. She spent a further 4 years assisting Brazilian sculptor Ana Maria Pacheco, and also received teaching from visionary artist Cecil Collins.
Susan worked on several public art projects in the UK, Switzerland and Holland, before moving to Ballydehob full time in 1996. There she carved the first mermaid for the community from an old Chestnut tree that had stood outside the Bank, adorning her with a tail of willow. Maighdean
Mhara reclined on an island before the 12 arch bridge for many years. Other public projects followed, beginning with Tree Sentinels, a poignant homage to the lost people of South Reen during an Gorta Mor, as the sentinels slowly decayed and fell over time.
Susan was commissioned by the Goleen and District Urban Council to make the Dancer and Fiddler at Lowertown, Harrington’s memorial in Goleen, and Guglielmo Marconi in Crookhaven. These three works were created from metal and stone so have lasted well while her sculptures from tree trunks being too large to be indoors eventually disintegrated.
The only monumental timber sculpture to survive is Mother Child & Angel in the Schull Community College where it is protected from the elements. In 2016 Susan carved a second mermaid (pictured above) from a Levis Ash, adding a shiny tin tail and dedicating her to the memory of Nell & Julia. The wood is already showing signs of decay and may not last many more years.
Besides her public art, Susan carved painted and sketched for friends, made rush seating for chairs, composed poetry, studied philosophy and music, and became an expert in Traditional Chinese Medicine. She was a natural healer and with her knowledge of Shiatsu, Acupuncture, and Chinese Herbs she was able to help many people in the area. She
also introduced the meditative practice of QiGong to West Cork.
Susan died of cancer in 2022 and her friends gave a stone head she had carved to the Schull Community Hospital where she had been so well cared for.
BAM held an exhibition of her work in 2024.
Ballydehob Arts Museum 