Death of Derek Biddulph

Date Published: 22-Feb-2008

Artist Derek Biddulph knew almost every inch of Galway City and County as he had either photographed, sketched or painted most of it over the last 40 years.

The Dublin native, who got hooked on Galway City when he moved here four decades ago, passed away suddenly last weekend at the age of 83. His many friends gathered in the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas for his funeral service on Tuesday before he was interred in the New Cemetery in Bohermore.

His beloved wife, Dorrie (nee Whitehouse of Frenchville) passed away in 2006,which devastated him as they were extremely close and did everything together.

He came to Galway to work as a display artist for Cadburys Chocolate which involved dressing shop windows but quite soon he got involved with the Patrician Musical Society painting sets and soon he was being asked to drawor paint Galway scenes. He had also been involved with the Church of Ireland theatre company, Lamplighters.

He never had any formal training but his work, through Kennys Art Gallery in High Street, became so popular that he soon packed in the day job to concentrate on his art. Indeed, Derek Biddulph’s name is synonymous with Galway scenes and his distinctive style,whether in oils or watercolours, is easily recognisable and in many a private and public collection.

He had several one-man exhibitions in Galway and in several other locations in Ireland and the United Kingdom. He is now regarded as a very accomplished artist, having mastered watercolour, which is a notoriously difficult medium. He painted in a studio in his home on Glenard Road in Salthill but liked to photograph scenes first.

On Sunday, he died peacefully though suddenly at his daughter Anne’s house in another part of the city during a visit. He is also survived by his son Peter, grandchildren, and a wide circle of friends.