Ciaran skips big Guns n’ Roses gig for special image

GIFTED Drogheda artist Ciaran Dunlevy (36) had to give up a chance to see Guns n’ Roses in Hanover for a very special commission.

He was trusted with the task of painting an image from a photograph, taken on the day Princess Grace and Prince Rainier visited Drogheda in 1961, and handing it to their son (right).

And it was no ordinary image as historian Des Grant stated.

It was of a seven year old schoolgirl, Marian Byrne, who stood in front of the Royal cavalcade to present Princess Grace with a bouquet of flowers.

Ciaran got the call last week to see if he could do the commission and he duly missed the gig in Germany to spend three days working on the painting.

‘It was an honour to do it as a gift from the people of Drogheda to the prince,’ he stated.

He even watched old films of the princess to capture her essence. ‘It was a big moment for me, very proud,’ he added.

The ambassador with her family and Prince Albert of Monaco.

The Prince sees a picture of the garden created by St. Joseph’s school at Bloom.

The prince meets local schoolchildren

Prince Albert poses for a picture with boys from St. Patrick’s NS.