Nuala's 20-year quest to remember famed ancestor
Nuala Holloway, a schoolteacher, artist, and former actress from Mount Temple, has succeeded in her 20-year quest to keep the memory of her distant relative Joseph Holloway alive by erecting a plaque at his home of 60 years in Ballsbridge, Dublin.
Joseph Holloway (1861-1944) was a Dublin-born theatre critic and the architect of the original Abbey Theatre. He was therefore a major player in the Literary and Dramatic Renaissance in Ireland at the turn of the twentieth century alongside the likes of WB Yeats and Lady Gregory. A magnificent portrait of him hangs in the Abbey Theatre, and Nuala has painted her own version of this portrait.
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Nuala Holloway speaking at the unveiling of the plaque to Joseph Holloway. Photo: Fennells Photography.Image 2 of 4
Plaque of Joseph Holloway. Photo: Ivor Casey.Image 3 of 4
A portrait of Joseph Holloway by Nuala Holloway - oil on canvas.Image 4 of 4
A view of the unveiling of the new plaque to remember Joseph Holloway. Photo: Fennells Photography.Nuala, whose interest in her ancestor's life began when she heard mentions of him by her late father when she was an actress in the 1970s, became fascinated by his writings on theatre. She said: “I spent several hours in the National Library discovering more about him through his diaries which are housed in a special collection at the library.”
“I felt he was not getting the recognition he deserved.”
In 2004, on the 100 year anniversary of the foundation of the Abbey Theatre, Nuala began her quest to keep Joseph's memory alive. She had a letter published in the Irish Times outlining “his importance, not only to our National Theatre, but also to all the arts.” This began a 20-year journey of letters, phone calls, and emails to different organisations in an attempt to organise a way to commemorate a man who did so much for Irish arts.
Finally, her proposal to have a plaque constructed at his home, 21 Northumberland Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 was approved by Dublin City Council. He had lived in that house for 60 of his 83 years.
On June 28, the plaque was unveiled during a special event that was attended by Dublin City Council Representative Brendan Teeling, Executive Director of the Abbey Theatre Mark O'Brien, and representative of the Lord Mayor, Cllr Dermot Lacy. These guests, as well as Nuala herself, gave speeches in front of an enthusiastic crowd of historians and theatre lovers.
“I feel proud of my achievement and to know my great ancestor Joseph Holloway, architect and theatre critic, will be remembered forever,” Nuala said.