Early Life, Family and Training Alec Cobbe was born Richard Alexander Charles Cobbe on 9 January 1945 in Dublin. His early years were shaped by the family's move to Newbridge House following the death of his father. This transition into the house, a Palladian villa, marked a significant shift in his upbringing. He grew up in a setting where electricity was not introduced until 1967, living through a childhood lit by oil lamps and warmed by fires. His path initially led toward medicine rather than the arts. He studied at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, where his hand found a different kind o…