Jeanne Rynhart facts for kids

Jeanne Patricia Rynhart (born March 17, 1946 – died June 9, 2020) was a talented Irish artist. She was famous for creating sculptures, which are artworks made by shaping materials like clay or metal. Jeanne Rynhart is best known for making the popular Molly Malone statue in Dublin, Ireland.

Growing Up and Learning Art

Jeanne Rynhart was born Jeanne Scuffil in Dublin, Ireland, on March 17, 1946. Her father, Frederick Scuffil, worked as a sign writer for the famous Guinness company.

Jeanne loved art from a young age. She spent two years learning from a skilled artist named George Collie. After that, she went to the National College of Art and Design in Dublin. She finished her studies there in 1969.

Moving and Setting Up Shop

After college, Jeanne moved to England to continue studying fine art. She even shared a studio with another sculptor, John Letts.

In 1981, Jeanne returned to Ireland. She settled in Ballylickey, a beautiful area near Bantry in County Cork. There, she opened her own art gallery and workshop called Rynhart Fine Art. This became her main place for creating sculptures. Jeanne and her husband, Derek Rynhart, had two children.

Famous Sculptures

Jeanne Rynhart created many well-known sculptures that you can still see today.

The Molly Malone Statue

One of her most famous works is the Molly Malone statue. She made this statue for Dublin's Millennium celebrations in 1988. The statue shows Molly Malone, a character from a famous Irish song.

When the statue was first shown, some people talked about the way Molly was dressed. However, Jeanne Rynhart explained that the clothing was accurate for women of that time. Today, the Molly Malone statue is one of Dublin's most popular tourist spots. Many locals also love it.

Other Important Works

Jeanne Rynhart also created other important statues:

• She sculpted a statue of Mary O'Connor, who was the original "Rose of Tralee" from another famous Irish song. This statue stands in Tralee Town Park.
• In 1993, she made two statues of Annie Moore. Annie Moore was the very first immigrant to arrive at Ellis Island in New York City. One statue is at the Cobh Heritage Centre in Cork, Ireland, and the other is at Ellis Island. The statue at Ellis Island was officially opened by Mary Robinson, who was the President of Ireland at the time.

Family Business

In 1994, Jeanne's daughter, Audrey, joined the family art business. Today, Audrey and her husband, Les Elliott, continue to create art from their studio in Glengarriff, County Cork.

Later Life

Jeanne Rynhart passed away on June 9, 2020, at the age of 74. She died in Schull Community Hospital in Cork. Jeanne was buried in the Abbey Cemetery in Bantry. She is remembered by her husband, Derek, and their children.