Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to bring the attention of the House to the Geneva Window masterpiece by Harry Clarke located in Miami, Florida. The Irish Arts Review and other people engaged in the arts have launched a campaign to return the window to Ireland for The Gathering event to celebrate a gathering of our greatest Irish writers. The window depicts 15 Irish writers. It was commissioned in 1926 by the Irish Government for the League of Nations headquarters in Geneva in order to showcase Ireland. It is the best piece of stained glass that has ever been designed. We all know about Harry Clarke's stained glass windows and many of them are located in churches and so on. The Geneva Window depicts Irish writers and brought together the best Irish writers. Unfortunately, after it was commissioned there was controversy when the then President saw it because of Liam O'Flaherty's depiction which included a scantily clad but not nude women but these days we are able for it. The window should be returned to Ireland for The Gathering, although we may not be able to afford to purchase the window. The Clarke family treasured the window until 1988 when it sold it to the Wolfsonian Foundation in Miami.

Yesterday, we were talking about philanthropy and foundations, and I congratulate the Independent Senators for bringing that matter before the House. It was Mr. Mulcahy at the Irish Art Reviewwho started this campaign to try to get the window back. We owe it to all Irish writers to be included in our own Gathering because it is the most iconic work of visual art to have come out of Ireland in the 20th century. Harry Clarke died at the tender age of 41 and this was his last masterpiece. It would be great if we could get it back here. Obviously, we cannot afford to buy it back, but perhaps we could get it back for The Gathering. I am asking the Leader to request the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, to intervene to do what he can in this regard.