Benbulbin, Co. Sligo
After painting Carraun Hill, Ross sat down to work on another great focal point in the area - Benbulbin.
"After painting Corraun Hill, I thought I would paint another “hill scene” and decided on Benbulbin as the subject matter. I have driven by on a number of occasions and been impressed by both its size and unique structure. This work has been deliberately finished with a palette knife to give texture and “strength” to a brush painted underlay."
The result is a uniquely original painting showing the magnificence and dominating outline of Benbulbin, in Ross's signature loose and colourful style.
Benbulbin itself is one of Ireland's most distinctive and recognisable mountains, with its distinctive peak it is sometimes referred to as Ireland’s own Table Mountain. It is a large, flat-topped rock formation that is part of the Darty Mountains, and in an area often called "Yeats Country", as W.B. Yeats is buried at Drumcliffe churchyard, only a few kilometers away and he wrote a poem about it "Under Ben Bulben".
Benbulbin is a protected site, designated as a County Geological Site by Sligo County Council, and is an established walking destination. From the summit there are coastal views over the Atlantic Ocean.
Benbulbin is the setting of several Irish legends too, and much folklore and history.
See the painting and more Original Irish Art here.