Thomas Bodkin

Clongowes 1901-1905 I Thomas Bodkin

Thomas Bodkin (1887-1961), art historian and director of the National Gallery of Ireland, was a native of Dublin, who attended Clongowes in 1901-05. He studied at UCD and was called to the bar, serving for a decade as secretary to the commissioners for charitable donations and bequests. He mixed in artistic circles, becoming a close friend of Harry Clarke and Hugh Lane. From this developed his real bent as a forthright and perceptive art critic. He became an advisor to successive governments on artistic matters, arguing consistently, if unavailingly, for the importance of arts in education and design. He served on the board of the National Gallery for many years, eventually becoming director, then a part-time appointment. Despite the shortage of finance, he made many important additions to the collection and prepared the much-praised 1932 catalogue. Increasingly disillusioned by the neglect and marginalisation of the arts by successive Irish governments, in 1935 he accepted a professorship of fine art at the Barber Institute, Birmingham. He continued to try and influence artistic policy in Ireland, writing a report for the government in which he suggested a minister for the arts and an arts council. The last suggestion was taken up. He declined the appointment as its first director, which then went to his fellow Clongownian, PJ Little. He was a prolific writer and a popular broadcaster on the BBC ‘Brains Trust’. He was also a tireless campaigner for the return of the Lane pictures to Ireland. On his death, his own extensive art collection was distributed to galleries and museums throughout Ireland.