A renowned and highly celebrated Newry-based comics artist, caricaturist, illustrator storyboard artist and novelist known for his ‘Deadly Irish History’ books has sadly passed away.
John Farrelly’s creative works were known far and wide.
He was born and raised in a village just outside Newry, Co. Down.
After dropping out of art college because “all he wanted to do was write stories and draw pictures”, he became a freelance caricature artist.
O’Brien Press – publisher of the ‘Deadly Irish History’ books – say “he always did a full day’s work – he just spread it over the whole week.”
Their bio of the author adds: “Finally, after a three-day siege, where no one was injured and all hostages were released, The O’Brien Press let him write stories and draw pictures.”
Indeed, there’s simply no end to his list of achievements and contributions… the amount he squeezed out of that “three-day siege” is quite remarkable.
The Irish Comics Fandom website explained that Along with Paul McCullough, Alan Perry and Seán Doran, he created the anthology ‘NutScrewsWashersNBolts’ in the early 1990s.
In the late 90s he was one of the editors, with Conor McGlone and Christian Kotey, of the anthology DNA Swamp, for which he created “Long Coat and Leather Jacket”.
In 2003 he wrote and drew a “Harlem Heroes” strip for issue 3 of the 2000AD fanzine Zarjaz, for which he also drew the cover. More recently he created Captain Wonder, a comedy strip about a comic shop owner who becomes a superhero.
John was also Artist In Residence at Hydebank Young Offenders’ Centre for several years, doing cartoon and comics-related art projects with the inmates.
Many of his writings and drawings were heavily influenced by Irish culture.
One of his most recent works, published almost exactly this time last year, ‘Farrelly’s Field Guide to Irish Faerie Folk’ featured many quintessential Irish characters, including the banshee.
Paying tribute to the beloved and multi-skilled penman, Abbey CBS said: “The Abbey Grammar is extremely saddened to learn of the death of one of its past pupils and frequent visitors, John Farrelly.
“Having attended the Abbey in the 1980s John went on to carve out a career as a caricaturist, cartoonist and writer.
“He achieved significant success with his ‘Deadly Irish History’ series with O’Brien Press and was often found in schools across the country discussing his work and divulging the odd secret or two on how to create illustrations.
“His work appeared in many comics and magazines including Viz.
“Last Year he published ‘Farrelly’s Field Guide to Irish Faerie Folk’ to great acclaim and was delighted before his death to hear that it was going to a reprint.
“He took great inspiration from illustrators and poster designers such as Bernie Wrightson and Drew Struzan and was very grateful to his Abbey Art teacher, Mrs Oonagh Byrne, for her guidance and attention. Indeed he was delighted to meet her again in his final days.
“John’s great ambition was to walk into a stranger’s home and to find a piece of his work hanging on their wall.
He would not have had to go far to have had his wish come true.
“Having witnessed the great outpouring of sadness at his recent illness he would have been overjoyed to know how well respected and admired he was as an artist and person.
“Professionally he went by the name ‘Captain Wonder’ and whether it was by pencil or pen, John helped us all to see something of the magic that lay within us and the world around us.
“He will be greatly missed.”
John sadly passed away in the care of Evora Hospice on October 31.
A death notice described John as the beloved husband of Ellie, devoted father of Rachel and Emily, loving son of the late Liam and Betty, cherished grandson of the late Nana Margaret and treasured uncle of the late Aileen.
A cremation service will take place on Monday, November 2 at Dardistown Crematorium, Dublin at 1.30pm.
Donations are being gratefully received for Evora Hospice.
