After college I went directly into advertising, working as a junior assistant art director - a grand title for a job that earned me two quid a week. I remained in advertising for about seven years and enjoyed nearly every minute of it. I became very successful and at one stage was earning more than the President at the time. It wasn't enough as I was totally frustrated artistically so one bright May morning, in 1972, I decided to chuck it all in and become an artist. This was a difficult decision to make as I had a wife and two children to support and by the end of the year I was the real thing; an impoverished artist. Despite the fact that a poster I produced under my own imprint in 1968 of the Cuban revolutionary hero Che Guevera Lynch had achieved worldwide circulation I was quite famous: but due to the fact that I made the image copyright-free I earned nothing from it personally, nor did I wish to. I was rescued from oblivion by two unexpected developments: Motif Editions of London, a respected art publishing house, decided to publish my Celtic work as posters and cards which were very successful and Alan Aldridge and Associates in London approached me with the purpose of becoming my agent. At that time Aldridge was one of the best known and most respected artists around and formed an agency to represent those artists that particularly appealed to him. The money that I earned from both kept me afloat during these difficult times but it was Philip Lynott and Thin Lizzy who really made the difference and got me up on my feet."