The exhibition displays artworks by Lilla Bagwell Perry, an acclaimed national and regional artist, who was admired for her kindness and community spirit locally. The collection was loaned from various family and friends living in Ireland, the UK and New Zealand and without their kindness our exhibition would not have been as splendid as it is.
Museum Curator, Marie McMahon stated “I had the pleasure to meet with Lilla Perry’s Grand Daughter, Diana Finning, in London last summer. She welcomed both Jayne Sutcliffe and I into her home, where a vast array of Perry’s work was hanging. I was overwhelmed with Diana’s generosity to loan Lilla’s paintings and some of her personal belongings to the museum. Diana expressed her delight and the families joy to return her Grandmothers work to Clonmel, where she was first inspired to paint. I would like to thank Lilla’s Grandchildren, Diana Perry Finning, her brothers Charles and Richard Perry. Also her Grandniece Sue Perry and to all the friends of the Bagwell and Perry family. We had a wonderful launch night and I look forward to welcoming the family to Ireland in March 2026”.
Lilla Perry was born Lilla Minnie Bagwell at Marlfield, near Clonmel, the youngest daughter of Richard Bagwell, author of Ireland under the Tudors (1885) and Ireland under the Stuarts, (1909).
She was educated at home and had access to a large family library. Her privileged upbringing enabled her to travel to Europe and Italy in her youth, and possibly to study art there, although there is no record of any art education. Her affluence permitted her to paint, without concern to work for a living. Her nature sketchbooks
As Lilla Bagwell, she showed her first landscapes at the WCSI in 1908 and annually until 1915, when she married Capt. John Perry from a neighbouring estate, Birdhill, Clonmel and began to exhibit under her married name.
Perry’s work was accepted at the London Salon in 1909 and in 1911 and 1912 she showed with the Society for Women Artists, London. Her subject of choice was landscape, generally painted in watercolour. Over the years she showed nearly 100 watercolour paintings at the annual exhibitions of the WCSI, also exhibiting at the RHA, the Munster Fine Art Club (1933), and Ulster Academy of Arts.
Lilla Bagwell Perry’s family were prominent unionists and in 1923 part of her former family home, Marlfield, was destroyed in a republican arson attack, as was her home in Newcastle, but despite that her paintings show a great love of the area. From a young age Lilla sketched and painted native plants and flowers she saw on walks along the river banks, while on trips to Dublin and presented them in nature notebooks from 1899 - 1932. She painted Clonmel and its surroundings in all weathers, sometimes animated streetscapes, sometimes quiet, undisturbed country scenes, but unfailingly in a positive light.
Lilla outlived her husband John, and later died at Marlfield, then home of her daughter Mary Lilla and Comdr. William Bagwell, in 1974.
Tipperary Museum of Hidden History is honoured to be given permission by Lilla Bagwell Perry’s grand daughter Diana Finning and grandsons Geoffrey and Charles Perry to exhibit their grandmother’s private collection.
In this watercolour painting, “Snow in Clonmel”, Clonmel is presented like the archetypal Christmas card scenes invented by the Victorians. Time seems suspended, but the presence of a motor car reminds us that this one is actually more modern. The painting seems to have been done around the area of Irishtown looking down towards the spire of Saint Mary’s Roman Catholic church in the middle distance with the West Gate and the Main Guard beyond.
This painting has been produced as a blank greetings card and currently on sale in the Museum, a pack of 5 or singularly.
A 10% donation will be given to Cuan Saor, Clonmel from the sale of this card and many more to come in 2026.
Later this month Julia Walsh Education officer, will be working on installing a giant wall jigsaw for children and adults to enjoy. Later in February, 2 table top jigsaws will be added to this exhibition by our inhouse technician David Nolan and supplied by Lion Print, Cashel.
The Exhibition will run until early April 2026.
A special word of thanks to our sponsors Tipperary County Council,
The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport / An Roinn Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt and Medite Smartply.
