Manus Walsh was born in Dublin in 1940. He began his artistic career in the field of stained glass at the Abbey Studios in Dublin in the 1960s. During his time there, one of his main commissions was five windows for Galway Cathedral. It was at this time that he met the Irish Artist, George Campbell, who encouraged him to pursue a full time career as a painter. In 1976, with wife and three children, Manus moved to Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare. Living and working surrounded by the unique landscape of the Burren for more than thirty years has had a profound influence on his work. The development of Manus's painting has also been affected by his extensive travels, especially through Spain and Chile. The landscapes of Spain have had a particular influence, as for the past seven years he has had the opportunity to live and work in various locations in Andalucia during the winter months. Chile has also been a major influence in his career, and Manus has had four exhibitions there, the most recent being in La Sebastiana, Valparaiso, the former home of Nobel poet, Pablo Neruda. On his cycling trips through many countries he says "Rather than try to paint a specific place or location, I try to capture the essence of the place and to form overall impressions of a landscape, the many moods of the Burren, the strong colours and light of Spain and the dramatic terraces of Valparaiso". Since his first exhibition in Dublin in 1967, Manus has had close to forty solo shows, including a major retrospective in Galway in 2002. His work hangs in the collections of The Arts Council, Office of Public Works and Insurance Corporation of Ireland and in many private collections in Europe, North & South America.