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Gerard Dillon RHA RUA (1916-1971
Connemara Lads
Oil on board, 59.5 x 64.5cm (23½ x 13½”)
Signed, title inscribed on label verso
While Dillon was living in Dublin during the War he made several trips to the Aran Islands in the period
1943/4. Influenced by Seán Keating’s illustrations for “
The Playboy of The Western World
”, Dillon first exhib-
ited his Aran images in the Irish Exhibition of Living Art (IELA) in 1944. Other works from this period
include “
Playing Games, Inishmór
” and “
Inishmaan Couple
”.
Surrounded by sea two teenagers appear directly in front of the viewer. Standing, their attention is focused
on something to the right of the picture plane. Dillon may have persuaded the youths to allow him sketch
them while they watched for the arrival of Hookers returning from the sea. Hands in their pockets, the
handsome youths appear relaxed indicating their ease with the artist. .
Born into a Catholic Nationalist family in Industrial Belfast, Dillon’s fascination towards the Islanders was
due in part to their lives being in contrast to his childhood. Accused of ” painting Ireland through the eyes
of a visitor”, Dillon explained in a letter to John Hewitt in the 1940’s “that part of Ireland that I’ve painted,
is strange and I do see it as a visitor-for could you honestly call me an Aran Islander?”
The ‘Lads’ are wearing wide-legged patched homespun trousers, which had wide loose legs ending well
above the ankle with a slit on the outer side of each leg that were worn with oiled wool jerseys. The youth
on the right is wearing what is now known as an ‘Aran Sweater.’ Women in the family knitted the jerseys
with undyed homespun wool to help their husbands or sons weather the often-treacherous island condi-
tions. Each family had their own distinct raised geometric pattern stitch which also had its own meaning
and the islanders could identify a fisherman by this stitch in fishing accidents. A
báinín
jacket, which was a
double-breasted waistcoat, is worn over the jerseys. Aran men did not wear an outer coat. Their sleeveless
waistcoat was the outer garment worn over layers of shirts, or
léinte
and for extra warmth the youths might
have worn a second heavier woollen shirt, the
léinte ghorm
.Their shoes worn over thick socks were made of
a single piece, or single sole known as ‘
Pampooties’
. These were made from rawhide, which prevented the
teenagers from slipping in their currachs. Footwear had a lifespan of about a month and required soaking
in water to keep them supple. Around their waists, the women of the house made their colourful belts or
‘
Crois
’. Over their mass of reddish curls, their distinctive hats were seen over distances from the knot of
threads or bob on top known as a ‘
bubbelín
.’
Following the artist’s retrospective in Belfast and Dublin in 1972 and 1973, art critic Brian Fallon com-
mented on his early work, “…Dillon was very much of his age, but his style always had a personal quality
and an absorbing love of his surroundings. Arguably, he really found himself in the West, and the work
done in Connemara and Aran…remains his best.”
Karen Reihill
Currently researching Gerard Dillon & Friends.
€25,000 - 35,000
