Bridge at the Meetings by Rod Coyne

Bridge at the Meetings

“Bridge at the Meetings” by Rod Coyne is an original oil on canvas painting. It was painted in 2012 as live demo celebrating the opening of the Thomas Moore Memorial Park at the Meeting of the Waters, Avoca, County Wicklow. This picture belongs to Rod’s palette knife period and is typical of his work in that phase of his career. This hard-edged vivid style perfectly portrays the crisp sparkling waters as they tumble under the rough stone cut 18th century bridge.

Thomas Moore’s Meetings

At the Meeting of the Waters, the Avonmore and beg rivers come together to form the Avoca River. It was here that Thomas Moore penned his famous Irish Melody, “The Meeting of the Waters”. The lyrics describe a beauty spot in the Vale of Avoca. Moore reflects on the good times he spent there with friends. Moore’s lyrics were set to a traditional Irish melody called The Old Head of Dennis.

Vintage Postcard of Meeting of the Waters.

“There is not in this wide world a valley so sweet

As that vale in whose bosom the bright waters meet!

Oh the last rays of feeling and life must depart

Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade from my heart”

Thomas Moore

Meetings and Intrigue

The song was written by Moore in the Summer of 1807. The song is about the valley where the River Avon Mor and Avon Beag meet in the Vale of Avoca. Despite its undistinguished lyrics the song brought fame to the location and ‘the meetings’ became, and is still, a popular tourist destination today. The Avon Mor flows through Avondale the Parnell family demesne. Parnell’s Grandfather asked Moore if he would say that he wrote the words of the song in the grounds of the demesne. Moore however recognising that the mystery of where the song was written would add to its value remained tight lipped.