Volunteer Artwork of the Month - Girl Going by Trinity in the Rain

The National Gallery of Ireland is proud of its panel of enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers.

Volunteers play an important role in many areas of the Gallery, from welcoming our visitors as they enter the Gallery to showing that anyone can be an artist in the Creative Space. They ensure that the Gallery is consistently offering an outstanding visitor experience. In return, Gallery volunteers deepen their knowledge of art, develop a variety of skills, meet like-minded art enthusiasts, and more. Our volunteers are often the first point of contact for people who come into the Gallery. As part of a new series, we're asking our volunteers to share the artwork they tell visitors not to miss when exploring the Gallery for the first time. 

Catherine Crichton chose Girl Going by Trinity in the Rain, 1959, by Una Watters (1918-1965). Scroll down to read more. 

What do you like about this artwork? Does it have any personal significance for you?

This modernist picture with its cubist influences is a stylish and evocative image of a familiar location. In contrast to the dull, wet day and Trinity’s stone façade, the girl wears a vibrant ruby-red coat. Hunched against the weather, she looks ahead, gripping her orange umbrella determinedly in both hands. The rain slants down in parallel rods, distorting her outfit’s chic lines, the paving and building stones, and the upright railings. The picture demonstrates wonderful technical skill. The vivid green of Trinity’s front lawn seems to bounce up, reflected in the sheeting raindrops.

In 1965 Una Watters died suddenly, aged just 47. Her husband gave her paintings to friends and relatives as keepsakes and they disappeared from view. Many have now been rediscovered thanks to the writer Mary Morrissy and the artist’s niece, Sheila Smith. Una Watters attended the same school I did, the Holy Faith in Glasnevin. I like to think she was a proud northsider.

What do you enjoy about volunteering at the Gallery?

I love the surprised, happy look on visitors’ faces when we tell them the Gallery has free admission. And when they ask an obscure question and I actually know the answer (not that I always do). The online art appreciation courses are a great way to learn more about the national collection. 

Thank you, Catherine! Find Una Watters' painting hanging in Room 15 the next time you visit us.

You can read more about the Gallery's Volunteer Programme here. 

Please note that we are not currently seeking volunteers - our next callout will be in 2027.