'It was the first time I’d ever met a sexologist': Ben Reilly on art and Cork

As his exhibition opens at Cork Printmakers, Ben Reilly recalls his life in art, and the woman who was his first patron  

Dublin-born Ben Reilly has been resident in Cork for many years. 

The tombstone of Thomas Ronan, a former Mayor of Cork, can be seen today on the grounds of Triskel Arts Centre on Tobin St in Cork. Known as ‘the Modest Man,’ it was carved in the late 17th century and features a human skeleton.

The carving has fascinated the artist Ben Reilly for years. “The skeleton has 11 ribs on one side and 14 on the other,” he says. “And it looks like he’s got a Walter Raleigh moustache. I suspect the craftsmen who made it were taking the piss, big time.”