Olive Adelaide Swanzy

Olive Swanzy was born in 1882 and her family were members of St Mary’s Church in Newry. She and her sister moved to Rostrevor in the late 1950s and became active in Kilbroney Parish Church.

They lived in Rock House in the Square and she is remembered for her memorial front garden on Remembrance Day.

She nursed soldiers in military hospitals in France during the First World War. She was an accomplished artist and produced many small paintings of the hospital tents. She also used art therapy in her nursing. This is well demonstrated in her autograph books which contain pictures and poems by soldiers who were her patients.

Her portfolio was collated and curated by local artist Marie Claire Douglas.

The war material was exhibited in and now held by the Ulster Museum in Belfast. This also provided the subject and inspiration for a play which was preformed in Rostrevor, Armagh and Belfast.

Olive painted a large number of local scenes and often these were printed on postcards for sale in church fundraising events. Some of those which are connected with Kilbroney Parish church are included in this display.