Maurice Desmond was born in Co. Louth and studied at the Limerick School of Art. He exhibited regularly at the Oireachtas shows and the Irish Exhibition of Living Art, where he won a first prize in 1969. Two decades later, he had three solo shows at the Triskel Arts Centre in Cork in the 1980s. From early years painting nudes from his time on Sherkin Island and waterfalls in Monard Glen, over the years the palette has darkened and the subject matter has been refined to minute variations on a single theme. Critics have described his work as having a brooding presence and a classical feel.
He has participated in a vast number of group shows both nationally and internationally and solo shows in the Hallward Gallery in Dublin and the Vanguard in Cork. His work is included in major Irish collections including the Crawford Art Gallery, the University of Limerick, the Arts Council, the collection University College Cork and AIB collections.