Austin Molloy (1886-1961)

Cover art to Cogadh na Reann, Irish translation of War of the Worlds

Austin V. Molloy (aka Austin Ó Maolaoid, AóM) was born in Castleknock, Dublin, in 1886, son of John Molloy, a master carpenter, and his wife Marianne. He studied at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art, where he became friends with Harry Clarke, and started selling cartoons to Arthur Griffiths' Sinn Féin magazine from about 1909. His cartoons also appeared in Dublin Opinion from 1922.

From 1923 he taught illustration and layout at the Dublin Metropolitan School of Art, taking over from Clarke. Between them they taught a generation of illustrators, including George Altendorf, Olive Cunningham, Richard King, Victor Penney and John Henry.

He illustrated numerous book covers, particularly for An Gúm ("the scheme"), a government project to publish books in Irish, including translated works of English, American and European literature. He died in 1961.

Fairy tale illustration, 1921

"The Nation's Armour"

Clan Lir

Leprecaun Booklet No.1. Dun Dalgan Press, Dundalk.

from The Tale of Cuchullain. Told by Maura Molloy; illustrated by Austin Molloy. Dublin: Browne and Nolan, [1923].

from The Tale of Cuchullain. Told by Maura Molloy; illustrated by Austin Molloy. Dublin: Browne and Nolan, [1923].

from The Tale of Cuchullain. Told by Maura Molloy; illustrated by Austin Molloy. Dublin: Browne and Nolan, [1923].

from The Tale of Cuchullain. Told by Maura Molloy; illustrated by Austin Molloy. Dublin: Browne and Nolan, [1923].

from The Tale of Cuchullain. Told by Maura Molloy; illustrated by Austin Molloy. Dublin: Browne and Nolan, [1923].

Balor / Austin Molloy, Dublin Magazine, 1923.

THOUGH MANY ARE CALLED, I WILL GATHER THEM IN, c.1917

References

• Niall McCormack, Dracula 1933 cover by Austin Molloy, Vintage Irish Book Covers, 21 October 2013