During a balmy springtime Friday twilight at Dublin’s United Arts Club, there was an extraordinary energy in the air. Renowned across generations for its unique ambience, this club noted the 15th of March, 2024 as an extraordinary day. A scores of members, including painters, writers, maestros of drama, musicians, actors, and all other artistic spirits congregated to pay tribute to the 150th birth anniversary of Kazimierz Markiewicz – one of the club’s founding fathers.
In virtually every Irish home, the surname Markiewicz (or rather, Markievicz) resonates. Constance Georgine Markievicz, affectionately referred to as Countess Markievicz, was an outstanding woman. She made history in western democracy as the first female minister, the premier woman to be elected to the Westminster parliament, a politician, and an ardent social activist devoted to the battle for Ireland’s liberty and independence. Across the nation, monuments, plaques, photographs, and murals are dedicated to the valiant countess. Similarly, Poland honours the gorgeous and spunky Constance with a school named after her.
Constance Markievicz’s husband, the love of her life, was equally reputed for his formidable character. Within the caricature adorned walls of the United Arts Club, Kazimierz (Casimir) towered above his counterparts, metaphorically and physically. His presence commanded attention, and he led the club’s vivacity. Standing tall not only in size but also in activity, he embodied the artistic culture of Dublin from the early 1900s. Primarily a visual artist, Kazimierz’s creations can be discovered within the club’s confines, and various locations in both Ireland and Poland, including Dublin Castle. His iconic grand portrait of Constance garners admiration in both, the Irish parliament and the National Gallery of Ireland. His internationally acclaimed portrait of Marshal Józef Pilsudski, the man who set Poland’s independence in motion, enjoys a place of pride in Poland. In addition to this, he was also a playwright and a theatre director, unveiling his artistic versatility to a wide audience.
Constance and Kazimierz’s deep affection and shared interest flourished in the city of Paris, while they also devoted considerable time to being together within not just Ireland but additionally Polish and Ukrainian communities in Ukraine, home to the former Markiewicz family residence. Both the Polish and the Irish lacked their own individual nations or organisations during this historical period. Poland, Belarus, Lithuania and Ukraine were where Constance encountered individuals deeply committed to the January Uprising of 1863-1865 opposing Imperial Russia. The dedication to the cause, the faith in its fairness, the required armed resistance against oppressive governance, and the significant participation from both genders significantly impacted Constance.
Patrick Quigley offers persuasive commentary on the effect of Polish self-governance and revolutionary ideologies on Constance. He has written three publications focusing on the Markiewicz family and is not solely a remarkable writer but also a superior advocate for awareness regarding the Polish-Irish relationship, as exemplified by the Markiewicz matrimonial union.
The Markiewicz partnership still motivates, showcasing the tight connections between the two countries, and elevates the significance of public involvement in civic and political matters, as well as the arts and culture’s relevance. It proves that every one of these elements holds importance in national and civic rejuvenations. Without an enhancement in cultured artistic fields, providing responses to the query of our identity is not possible.
What defines being Irish in the early 1900s, in a society that has been devoid of its own structures or even language for centuries? What signifies being Polish, what are the legacies of the multitude nations’ commonwealth, what should 20th-century Polishness represent?
Both countries referred to culture, particularly literature, in the quest to resolve fundamental concerns. However, in unison with culture, there arose a need for social involvement, commitment that would transform the populace into conscious citizens, an integral part of the national and political society. Citizens who would bear the burden for the independence of the state. All these aspects were linked and prominently displayed by both Constance and Kazimierz.
The memory of Kazimierz, a man whose prominence was once cloaked by his impressive and flamboyant wife, is being slowly reinstated, specifically owing to the endeavours of Patrick Quigley and others including the Irish Polish Society, Dr. Jaroslaw Plachecki, Polish-Irish publications and the highly respected Polish House (POSK) – a landmark on the same distinguished Fitzwilliam Street as the United Arts Club, imbuing both venues with an even deeper symbolic resonance. The couple’s unique characters, collective effect, and ventures were interwoven with a massive number of instrumental historical incidents: including World War I, the Easter Uprising, the Bolshevik Rebellion, the culmination of World War II, and the restoration of independence, initially by Poland then Ireland, along with the Polish-Soviet War, and resistance against the incursion of communism upon their newfound autonomy, indirectly impacted Europe as a whole.
In the forthcoming year, part of the efforts from the Polish Republic’s Embassy will see a showcase of Kazimierz Markiewicz’s art at Dublin Castle, where one of his artwork is already on display in the picturesque St Patrick’s Hall. His portrait of Constance, adorned in a symbolic green attire, is an attention-worthy detail.
The 150-year commemoration of Kazimierz Markiewicz’s birth is being marked, in part, by the National Gallery of Ireland and the National Library of Ireland. It is important to acknowledge and publicise the extraordinary story of Constance and Kazimierz Markiewicz’s marital union and their stellar accomplishments, in both Poland and Ireland, as they exemplify the profound, shared Polish-Irish connections and mutual creativity.
Arkady Rzegocki, Poland’s currently appointed ambassador to Ireland.