One of Ireland's most famous painters, Keating was the leading exponent of Irish nationalist realism in the 1920s and 30s. He worked largely from his studio, in oil, charcoal and pencil. Probably his most important painting was 'Night's Candles' which depicts the building of the Ardnacrusha Dam, a huge prestigious hydro-electric scheme on the River Shannon.

The painting is an allegory representing, as Keating put it, 'the dawn of a new Ireland' and was commissioned by the Irish Electricity Supply Board (for the past 15 years it has been on loan to the ESB in Dublin).

It was part of a much wider attempt through the media to make the public aware of the significance of the dam scheme, at a time of deep recession when an unpopular government had few other tangible achievements to point to.

The frame has recently been conserved by the Irish Electricity Supply Board.

This painting depicts Eire in the 1920s, shortly after it gained independence from Britain. The figures in front of the dam represent different pressures on society. Some are looking forward to helping to build a new Ireland. Others are scared of change and cling onto outdated ways of doing things. The hanging skeleton represents the death of the old order, the children the new order.

The way change is managed has to be faced by all countries. At the Earth Summit in 1992, over 150 nations, including Britain, signed up to an agreement called Agenda 21. This sets out how all countries should work together to promote 'sustainable development'. This requires us to find new ways of thinking and acting so we achieve economic and social progress which recognises everyone's needs at the same time as protecting the environment.

Oldham has a plan for sustainable development. It is called the Oldham Local Agenda 21 Plan.

"Mumble your prayers if you must Father, or shout 'em out loud I don't care, but woe betide you if you get in my way!

Come on! Come on! We're losing the light and there's a deal to be done before the dark comes on. Aye, my lads, Night is the enemy, and he's full of spite, and he'll spoil our plans if he can. But he can't!

His days are numbered and well he knows it, because you can't stop progress. And I am a man of progress!

Come on! Come on! Shape yourselves! A man of the world me! Not some airy, fairy Celtic twilight world, that's for your little people with their little minds; that's for your pale skinned, opium addicted poets, in love with angels dancing in the candle light; that's for your spineless, gullible, feeble-minded fools. For I'm a man of the modern world. A rational man. A man of experience, Father, and if to shift this landscape into the modern world I must drowned all your ceremonies of innocence, then mark me, I will!

Revelation is at hand Father! I bring you energy, power, light. Light! The night will soon be nothing but the reeling darkness of indignant nightmare birds.

Let there be light, is what I say Father. Let there be electricity to milk your cows, to see the blush on the girls you kiss, to shoe your old mare, to light up your spit and sawdust saloons, your schools, your great houses and hovels alike - democracy, Father, democracy; aye, and we'll bring the light into your churches an' all Father; aye, and we'll build you some fine, noble factories, you wait and see, you'll be breathing a new progressive atmosphere soon Father.

Come on! Come on! The Second Coming is at hand. Come on you sluggards, there will be no slouching on the road to Bethlehem to be born! Bring on the empty horses!