Saint Dearbhla of Belmullet, Art Print, Dancing Monk Series

“Dearbhla of Belmullet”
A print from the original painting by Marcy Hall.

Each vivid print is on acid free, archival quality matte photo paper and measures 5"x10" and is mounted on a 11"x14" matte. The print is hand-signed and titled on the matte.

The Dancing Monk series is a collaboration between Pennsylvania painter Marcy Hall of Rabbit Room Arts, and author Christine Valters Paintner of Abbey of the Arts, a virtual monastery based in Ireland. From her blog:

Dearbhla is said to have lived in the sixth century, of noble lineage in County Meath. Like many women of her time, she was supposed to marry but didn’t want to. So she fled to Belmullet in the northwest of County Mayo. Her lover followed her there much to her dismay. She asked him why he loved her, and he swooned over her beautiful eyes. The story tells us that she then plucked them out of her head and extended them out to him. He was horrified and ran away, just as Dearbhla hoped.
She is then said to have washed her eyes in the waters of the holy well and her eyes and sight were miraculously restored. She then set up her monastery at that location where there is still a church ruin and a well dedicated to her.