Monday, February 20, 2012

The Death of Brian Mór

Monday, February 20, 2012  AM  23 comments

It is with deep regret that The Pensive Quill informs its readers of the death of our great cartoonist Brian Mór. Brian was an indefatigable artist of prolific output. His work touched many and scorched more. He had been ill for some time but never failed to keep in touch with us. Always there, offering moral support, while expressing regret that his eyesight would not permit him to add to his prodigious volume of work. A bane of the Section 31 mentality that so often managed to co-opt those it once censored, Brian was a tireless advocate of those who would not be silenced.

He will be remembered long after the censors have been forgotten.


View Brian's cartoons on The Pensive Quill - to scroll through all of them, use the "Older Posts" link at the bottom of each page.

A selection from The Blanket:

But Will Anyone Object


One for the Road


Introducing, Big Ian & the Gerryaires


Because It's What We Do


Tales of the VamPIRA


Hard Times for Gerry Adams


The Provie Peelers

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23 comments:

Farewell to my good friend, mentor, and founder of Radio Free Eireann. A true artist, a true New Yorker, and a true METS fan: Brian Mor Ó Baoighill. To see more of his art go to irishfreedom.net or http://hackshotnyc.blogspot.com/

In pop culture, Brian Mór O’Baoighill will always be known as the man who illustrated the Mouse on the Barroom floor. But as an artist and an activist, he was so much more. When the twin towers were attacked in New York City, Mór drew the iconic sketch of a policeman, fireman, and emergency service worker standing on the smoldering pile, with the caption “. . . because it’s what we do.” To this day, it is found on t-shirts, precincts and fire stations throughout the city. When the Irish political prisoners were on hunger strike in 1981, Mór designed wall murals in their memory, and was behind the electronic sign in Times Square sending Christmas Greetings to Irish Republican prisoners in 1983, and delighted in the fact that the U.S. ambassador to England had to answer for his artwork. He was the official cartoonist of the Irish People Newspaper in New York City – and one of his proudest moments was when he was condemned by the House of Parliament in England for one of his drawings. In between political cartoons, Mór painted murals on the walls of bars and restaurants across the country – including the Comic Strip in New York City, a wall mural with the history of NYC at Robert Emmet’s, and Eddie Murphy’s comedy club in Miami.
Brian Mór was the go-to Irish-American graphic artist. He designed album covers for Black 47, Joannie Madden, Cherish the Ladies and Seanchie. His artwork filled both the old and new Rocky Sullivan’s Bar. Mór designed a coat of arms for Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown, illustrated Christmas cards, and designed a line of Irish china. His artwork is hung in the Bloody Sunday Museum in Derry, Ireland. Mór was one of the founders of Behind the Green Curtain on WBAI, which eventually became Radio Free Erieann, and he was an active contributor until his death. Ironically earlier this year, Mór’s poster memorializing Theobald Wolfe Tone and The United Irishman, first displayed in New York City Hall, was hung in place of a picture of the Queen of England in Belfast City Hall. While Mór rallied against it being hung in a government office in Ireland still under British rule, somehow, it is fitting that it is there.

Really sorry to hear that news Anthony,the man was sharper than any sword a talent for detail unsurpassed, I, love everything he produced,and it was prolific from the Blanket to TPQ and beyond gonna miss the wee dog as well, maybe if TPQ gets a chance could you maybe put up a number of his pics as a tribute,sad sad news indeed,

For more detail on Brian paste the following link into your browser

http://www.irishfreedom.net/

My deepest condolences to the family and friends of Brian his art conveyed a meaning all could understand.

Rest in peace.

Just visited that site Anthony ,what a massive hole in the republican cause his death has caused,genius is not a big enough word for that man,

Sad news Anthony, a great artist with a scathing wit, a tough act to follow. R.I.P. Big Fella.

R.I.P. Brian Mor Ó Baoighill., an inspiration to all.
always spoke his mind, also through his great graphic posters with added humour, loved his graphics on the shinners.
He is now part of our history, and he will never be forgotten, especially for the hanging of the one in Belfast City Hall.

Brian was truly a great artist. I always looked forward to his cartoons with childlike expectation of what he would produce next to make us laugh.

He had that talent of putting a lot in each piece of work; something else hidden that would jump out at us from some corner or other.

I'm certain that his work will be enjoyed for years to come. May he rest in peace.

Very sorry to here this, Brian you'll be sorely missed.
Gerry and the peacemakers have lost one of their sharpest critics.

R.I.P

He was a true genius without having to boast about it. His pencil was sharper than any sword, and he loved directing it at the hypocrites and liars we have to listen to daily. Terrific guy.

An unrepentant Fenian is something to be and Brian was undoubtedly that.

RIP comrade.

His art was more cutting edge and incisive than most critiques I have heard over the years. He managed to pack so much socio-political commentary into a cartoon giving us ample food for thought for hours on end. He possessed a keen eye for detail and his enormous talent was evident in every piece of work that he produced for this blog. He will be sorely missed.

I have lost “The Brother I Never Had”. My Bernard Boyle passed away last evening at approximately 9:45 pm Saturday the 18th.
Bernie and I were great friends since we were kids in the Lower South Bronx.
Hugs,
Joe Pecoraro
To all the members here at the LSBX (Lower South Bronx), please send me your condolences that I posted on my new built website just for Bernie.

www.fosland.org

http://www.fosland.org

Sorry about the loss of your friend. At least he was prolific enough to leave alot of art and other things to remember him by.

Mackers,
So sorry to read this. He was an absolute genius and a very sad loss.

Great loss... He truly illustrated the saying 'when a picture can say a thousand words.' Love all his work - his work is known worldwide. The images were, are and always will be slices of acute insights coupled with humour. He was in fact brilliant. Thanks jmcd for background info - worthy reading.

Very sad news. I will miss his brilliant cartoons. My sincere condolences to his family and friends.

Rory

This monday afternoon I noticed that I missed a call from Bernie .I figured it was good news about his operation and that maybe we would be having a visit here in Clonbur.When I finally got through that evening Joan told me the sad news.It was just 6 months age that I called Bernie to give him the sad news of the death of his life long friend John Buddy Burke here in Clonbur.Bernie was the greatest story teller and I am lucky enough to have a family crest he just drew for us on our wedding in June.My condolences to you Joan,sister Margie and the rest of the family.His cards are a treasure and we promise to keep the Holy Ghost in Halloween.Slan

What a loss. Loved his work and usually had to really look at his cartoons because he had a way of slipping little things into his work. My sincere condolences to his family. He will be missed.

deepest sympathy to all concerned. sad news.

Funny piece hereby Mark McGregor which sort of shows the censorship type mentality that Brian was such a bane to

Loved that piece from Mark mind you Bangers looked quite a lot like Mr Hankey and when you think about what comes out of him in both verbal and written form ,then surely Mr Hankey is a close run 2nd name to that eejit.

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