Gerard Dillon, R.H.A., R.U.A. 1916-1971

Dillon first visited Connemara in 1939 on a cycling holiday with his friend and fellow aspiring artist, Ernie Atkin.  He was immediately impressed by the rugged elements of the West country landscape; the dramatic hills, coastline and loughs contrasted with the white washed cottages.  In comparison to the urban life he had grown up with in Belfast, he was also captivated by the apparent simplicity of the lives led by the Connemara farmers, villagers and fishermen. The world he experienced is brought to life in the present work through the bold, bright colours of the curraghs and the pair of fishermen in the centre. The central fisherman in particular exemplifies Dillon's vision of a man from the West, here depicted dressed in traditional tam o'shanter, collarless under-shirt, léine ghals or léine gorm, and trousers of báinin (a type of wool produced in Aran).

The juxtaposition of the colourful curraghs in the background in contrast to the dramatic ruins of the old curragh in the foreground is apt. The ruins dominate the centre of the image, symbolizing a fast disappearing celtic way of life highlighted by Dillon's powerful title The Living and the Dead. However, the brighter tones of the curraghs in the background combined with the vibrant yellow and green tones of the shore are prophetic of a more optimistic future. Moreover, the prominent position of the fishermen in the centre is symbolic of a stanch dedication to their traditional lifestyle in the face of hardship.