Actor and director Alan Stanford yesterday paid tribute to playwright George Bernard Shaw for financing artistic institutions at a time when governments neglected their importance at an event to mark the 150th anniversary of his birth.
In a tribute to the National Gallery of Ireland's most generous benefactor, Mr Stanford said it was "tragic" that no national theatre was currently offering a play written by Shaw in recognition of his "phenomenal influence" as a playwright, philosopher and political writer.
"He was one of the first great modern playwrights who changed the form of play, influenced the way the English language is spoken and was also the only person to ever receive an Oscar for a screenplay and a Nobel prize for literature," he said.
Mr Stanford noted, however, that Shaw had been somewhat overshadowed by other Irish playwrights and had not been given the analysis and respect becoming of him.
His presentation was part of an afternoon programme of events in the National Gallery of Ireland consisting of tours and exhibitions on the playwright who left a third of his posthumous royalties to the gallery.
The Shaw Fund has been a major source for new acquisitions for the gallery, as royalties escalated with worldwide success of the musical, My Fair Lady.
Today a lecture will take place, entitled "George Bernard Shaw: Man or Superman", in the gallery's lecture theatre.
The anniversary exhibition, entitled "Shaw and the National Gallery", will remain on display until the end of the year, while tours of the Shaw works of art in the collection will continue until the end of this month.