Garret Morphy

Garret Morphy (c. 1655 – c. 1716) was an Irish painter who is considered to be Ireland's first recorded professional artist.

[3] It is thought he may have visited the Netherlands and France as his paintings reflected the newest artistic trends.

Morphy appears to have moved around constantly during this period, making it difficult to ascertain how much time he spent in Ireland.

His importance perhaps lies in the fact that he recorded the “remnants of a once powerful social grouping that was passing out of Irish history.”[5] He returned to Ireland around 1689, moving in the same circles as the O'Neills, the Talbots, and the Bellews.

Many of the people Morphy painted were subsequently killed or lost their estates in the Williamite war.