Ruth FERGUSON

Sincere condolences to Ruth's family & circle of close friends who have lost such a wonderful person in their lives.
I have very fond memories of Ruth from our days at UCD in the 80s and afterwards at the National Gallery of Ireland. A warm & sincere person, Ruth combined intelligence & fun in equal measure. The world is a darker place without her bright light.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis.

Lovely Ruth. The mischief, the laughs and the fun we used to have in the late '80s and early '90s at the RHK, and latterly IMMA. We really were a merry bunch, living and supporting each others successes and heartbreaks. I was always in awe of your hair (strong fringe energy!), your incredible laugh, your style (great jackets, opaque tights - you inspired me!), and your encyclopaedic knowledge, which you.were always generous with. Your voice is ringing in my ears since I heard the news. Sending love to Nick, and all the family, wishing you strength through this monumental loss.

I was so sad to hear this week of Ruth's passing. I worked with her in RHK/IMMA and she was a great colleague and friend to me. We shared many adventures together including a trip to Paris where I was in awe of her knowledge of the art and architecture of the city. I will remember Ruth fondly for her integrity, beauty, knowledge, love for her family, joy for life and most of all her wonderful, all consuming laugh. She left an impact on everyone she met, RIP dear Ruth

Sincere Condolences to Susan, Nick and all Ruth's family and friends. From an old school friend.

Deepest sympathy to Ruth's family. I was at UCD with Ruth and I remember her as enthusiastic about her art studies. Later I heard what a fantastic tour guide and curator of newman house she was. She will be sadly missed. May she rest in peace.
Bernadette keating UCD

Sincere condolences to the family of Ruth. I am so sorry for your loss, she will be sadly missed.
It was always a pleasure to work with her when she was the Curator of Newman House and we were delighted when she included our Photo Collection in one of her exhibitions.

I was unbelievably lucky to have the opportunity to work as a tour guide of Newman House whilst doing my postgrad.

Ruth was a marvellous manager; always clear, direct and unfailingly passionate. I respected her enormously.

RIP Ruth. My sympathies to her family and friends.

I'm so sorry to hear of the passing of Ruth. I had the pleasure of working with Ruth at RHK/IMMA in the early 90's and always remember her graciousness, integrity and lightness of being. May she rest in peace.

I am very sorry to learn of the death of Ruth Ferguson. She was a very committed art historian and a lovely person. I worked with her when I served on the committee of Irish Association of Art Historians. Ruth was Chair of the Association at the time. She was always most supportive of my work on the artist Richard King. I wish to express my sympathy to Ruth's family and close friends.

My sincere condolences to Ruth's family on her recent passing. I am so sorry to hear the news of Ruth's death. I was lucky enough to work in Newman House for a number of years while Ruth was Curator. She was a genuinely lovely person who wanted to pass on her passion for Newman House to others, she was also great fun. She had a welcoming smile and time for everyone and that is how I will remember her. Rest in power and peace Ruth.

My sincere condolences to Nick, Ethna and all the family on the very sad loss of your lovely Ruth. Thinking of you all at this sad time xx

I am truly sorry to hear of Ruth's passing. I remember her well from her student days in History of Art at U.C.D. It was a delight to know her and she was always so helpful with anything to do with Newman House. She will be sadly missed, and I offer my sincere sympathy to her family and her close friends. May she rest in peace.

It was an absolute privilege to have met Ruth Ferguson in May 2019 at Newman House. Deepest sympathy to her family & friends. May she rest in peace.

My condolences to you all on this sad time. My thoughts and prayers are with you all. May Ruth rest in peace.

I was very sorry to hear the sad news of Ruth’s death. Although it’s been some years since we last met I have very fond memories of her lovely personality. Susan and family have our sincere sympathy.

We were both so sorry to hear of Ruth's death. She was a great and loyal friend and a wonderful custodian of Newman House. It was Ruth who made it possible for us to be married there in 2008. Her cheerful and positive presence will be much missed. Our sincere condolences to her family. Andrew Carpenter and Lucy Collins.

Sincere sympathy on the passing of Ruth. You are on our thoughts and prayers.

Angela O' Malley and family

I was deeply saddened to learn of Ruth's passing. I had the good fortune of working with her for nine years at Newman House. She was much more than a colleague but a friend and indeed someone I could go to for advice on many occasions. Her family and friends have my deep sympathy.

I was so sorry to hear of Ruth’s passing. Sincere condolences to the Ferguson family. Ruth was such a lovely lady - energetic, fun and so very helpful and knowledgeable. Always smiling and laughing. She will be truly missed. May her gentle soul Rest In Peace.

Condolences to all the family. Ruth will be missed deeply. She was always good company, witty and erudite
and always with a joke or smile.

Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
And like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capp'd tow'rs, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve,
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on; and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.

My condolences to the very caring Susan and Nick and their families.
Ruth was an attractive, engaging personality, highly intelligent, quick thinking with a good sense of humor _ The world was her oyster !
When illness struck she was pragmatic about it _ 'it is what it is'.
Each day was another challenge and she rose to it, all the way to the end.

'ONLY THE UNLOVED BEAR NO GRIEF'

From a deeply grieving long time friend,

Hilary McCullagh

Susan and Nick so very sorry to hear of the death of Ruth. May she rest in peace.

I am very sad to hear of Ruth’s demise. She was so creative to work with on projects in the UCD Sutherland School of Law. We learnt so much from her as curator and her fortitude in light of her illness truly humbled and inspired..it was an honour to work with her.

Deeply saddened to hear of the death of Ruth who I have known since the late 1980s. She was a strong and bright force in UCD and Newman House, and before that at the RHK, and wherever she went. She bore her illness with great forbearance and bravery. She will be sorely missed. Please accept my deepest condolences. May Ruth rest in peace.

Sincere condolences to Nick, Susan, and all Ruth’s family.

I was fortunate to have known Ruth since the early days when she worked at the National Centre for Culture and the Arts, now IMMA, at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

As well as assisting with the organization of exhibitions, Ruth gave guided tours and lectures on art, architecture and military history; she was hailed in the Irish Times as being the best guide in Ireland. She certainly was!

Ruth worked far beyond the call of duty; nothing was ever too much trouble for her. She was always charming, obliging, efficient and cheerful, with a great sense of humour.


Ruth loved colour, especially yellow as portrayed in Van Gogh’s sunflowers at Arles.
Her front door was yellow, and the plants and flowers in her garden were yellow. It somehow reflected Ruth’s sunny disposition.

When last I saw Ruth, a few weeks ago, she laughed, as she had always laughed as we spoke about things passed. Stoic and brave, she never once complained. She really was unique.

“The soul takes flight to the world that is invisible
But there arriving she is sure of bliss and forever dwells in paradise”
(Plato)

Dear Nick and Susan, I am so very sad to hear that Ruth has slipped away. She worked with me in my early days at the National Gallery of Ireland and was always cheerful, good fun and full of ideas. We later had dealings through Newman House, and through UCD collections. She was always professional, considerate and kind. What a loss for the Ferguson Family.

Very sad to hear about Ruth’s untimely passing. Many happy connections to Newman House over the years. Sincere sympathies to Ruth’s family and may she Rest In Peace

Nick, Ethna, Susan, Kevin, Sieve, Sonny and Genevieve,

I am so so sorry for you all, the loss of Ruth to your family is immeasurable.

Ruth was the kindest, most special and unique person I have known. She was creative, vibrant and resilient in the face of a challenge. She had a great sense of fairness, always standing up for the underdog and feisty when there was a perceived injustice. Ruth was a joy to be with, she brought technicolour to my life. She had a wicked sense of humour, she was clever and her knowledge diverse, it made for interesting conversations over a cuppa or a glass of vino. Ruth was always generous and giving of herself and a safe harbour for many. She lived life through love and made a difference to all who crossed her path.

Ruth meant the world to me. We grew up together, we laughed (how I will miss that laugh), we cried, we supported one another. We celebrated the little as well as the big things in life. Ruth was my best friend, she was my fun person, my oracle, my champion, my strength and my heart. The loss of her in my life is immense. I owe so much of who I am today to the positive influence Ruth and all the Fergusons have had on me and my family. I have been blessed to have met and to have known Ruth and to have had her in my life for so long.

You are all in my thoughts and prayers. All the Kennedy’s and the Farrell’s send our deepest condolences.

Miriam

My sincere condolences to Nick and family on their sad loss. May Ruth rest in peace.

My deepest condolences to Nick and all your dear family on the sad passing of your sister Ruth. Thinking of you all at this sad time.

Condolences to Ruth’s family at this sad time. I had the pleasure of working with Ruth over the years. May she rest in peace.

Sincere condolences to Ruth’s family RIP

Sincerest condolences to all Ruth's family at this heartbreaking time.
Ruth was a wonderfully kind, warm, & vibrant person. She always had a smile & was extraordinarily positive, brave & full of life.
May she rest in peace.

Ruth was a truly special person. Her enthusiasm was infectious and her knowledge immense. We will miss her deeply. I hope that when the sadness of laying her to rest has passed, you - her precious family - will be able to share memories of wonderful times with dearest Ruth. Ar dheis De do raibh a anam dilís

Sincere condolences to Ruth's family on your sad loss. Ruth was a colleague in UCD and it was always a pleasure to work with her. She will be sadly missed.

Sincere condolences to Ruth's family and friends. I was very fortunate to know Ruth through artworks she commissioned me to make for UCD and Newman House. She was such an inspiring and uplifting and cheerful lady. It was a pleasure and an honour to meet her and work with her. Taken way before her time. She will be very sadly missed and remembered dearly. May she rest in peace.

Heartfelt sympathy to Ruth's family on her untimely death. I worked with Ruth on many projects over the years. She was so knowledgable and so generous with that knowledge. She was full of fun and life and it was always a pleasure to spend time in her company. Ruth's smile and hearty laugh will be sadly missed by me and by all who knew her. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis.

Our deepest condolences on the loss of Ruth. May she rest in peace, sending you all our love at this difficult time

Sincere condolences to the Ferguson family on Ruth's passing. You are assured of my prayers and sympathy at this sad and difficult time.

I was so sorry to hear the sad news about Ruth. I worked with her on a project in UCD ; she was a pleasure to work with, kind and generous with her time. Someone who wore her immense knowledge of the arts lightly.

Sincere condolences to the Ferguson family on hearing the sad news of Ruth’s passing. Ruth was a wonderful colleague and so much a part of UCD, Newman House and MoLI. She had a great sense of fun and passion for life and was always a mine of information. She will be fondly remembered. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam.

My deepest sympathies to Nick and Susan and to Ruth’s close friends. I worked with Ruth in IMMA and enjoyed her company and graciousness. I am very sad to hear of her untimely death.

It's been said here elsewhere, but I found Ruth so full of life ,despite her illness. We only met since lockdown and a big regret is that I didn't get to know her and Monica years earlier. May her loving and generous soul rest in peace now.

Nick, Ethna & Ruth’s extended family, Please accept my deepest condolences on the passing of your beloved sister, she was always so brave & dignified in her battle against her illness. May she rest in peace. My thoughts & prayers are with you you all.

Deepest sympathy to the Ferguson family on the passing of Ruth, a pleasure to have worked with her in UCD for a number of years. May she rest in peace.

Most sincere sympathies to Ruth's family, friends and colleagues from the team in the OPW Art Management Office and myself. I was privileged to have known Ruth, both personally and professionally, and to have shared conversations and projects with her over many years. May she rest in peace.

To all the Ferguson family, please accept the deepest sympathy of the Board and staff of the James Joyce Cultural Centre on the passing of your beloved Ruth. She was such a wonderful, warm-hearted person who loved to share her passion for the UCD art collection and her knowledge about Newman House. Sharing was part of who she was and we were lucky to have enjoyed the value of her informed contribution to the work of the Board at the Joyce Centre, albeit for too short a time. Sleep well and rest in peace. Deirdre Ellis-King. The James Joyce Centre, Dublin

Dear Susan,Nick and family.It's with great sadness we heard of Ruth's passing.Please accept our deepest condolences at this very sad time.Catherine,Clyde and Alec.

Sincere condolences to Nick and Susan on hearing the sad news of Ruth’s passing. Thinking of you and all the family at this difficult time. May Ruth’s gentle soul Rest in Peace.

Sincere condolences to Ruth’s family and friends. I remember the happy times at events that I worked on with Ruth in Newman House and elsewhere on campus. Ruth always greeted any situation with a smile. She will be sadly missed.

Heart felt condolences to Nicky and Susan on the passing of Ruth. May she rest in peace.

Deepest sympathy to Susan and Nick on the passing of a wonderful person - Ruth - I had many dealings with Ruth in UCD and found her so full of life in spite of her illness. Sadly missed.

My sincere condolences to her family on Ruth’s passing. I worked on many projects with Ruth over the last two decades in UCD and it was always a pleasure. She will be sadly missed. May she rest in peace.

Sorry to hear this sad news, God be good to her and ye.
Sean, Rita and Clann

Sincere condolences to Ruth’s family on her passing. I worked with her in Newman House over 20 years ago and she remains to this day my favourite manager. She was so full of life, fun and professionalism. We all learned so much from her and her laugh could turn a bad day into a good one. She will be so missed. Thinking of you all over the coming days. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam dílis.

To Ethna Nick and family sending condolences at this very sad and difficult time. ❤️Hugs to you all xx

My most sincere condolences to Ruth's family and friends on her sad passing. She was such a beacon in her profession and always exuded energy and enthusiasm. Her knowledge of Irish art history was unsurpassed; taking a tour of Newman House with Ruth was an unforgettable experience.

To Nick,Ethna and family

Our deepest condolences on the loss of Ruth. Sending you all are love and prayers at this heartbreaking time.
From The Rossiter Family.

Sincere sympathies to the Ferguson family on the loss of Ruth. It was always a pleasure to work with her to bring creative pieces to our building & surrounds. Will always remember her smile. May she find peaceful rest.

My sincerest condolences to Nick, Susan and the family. We all have fond memories of Ruth from her days at the RHK/IMMA a few years back.