The distinguished English painter Derek Hill (1916–2000) was another of the famous gay men associated with the Cloich Cheann Fhaola area, but in his younger years, it was impossible to be open about homosexuality. Although he had previously painted in Ireland, he first came to Donegal in 1949 to make a portrait of fellow gay man Henry McIlhenny, the then-owner of Glenveagh, whom he had met in Rome. McIlhenny’s grandfather had emigrated from nearby Milford to the USA, where he made a fortune. McIlhenny bought Glenveagh in 1937 after the disappearance from Inis Bó Finne of its previous owner, the gay art historian, Arthur Kingsley Porter.
In 1953, Hill bought St Columb’s Rectory on Gartan Lough, not far from Glenveagh, which he proceeded to decorate with his own paintings, pictures by other artists and objet d’art, some created by very famous artists. He visited Tory for the first time in 1958, renting a hut there and visiting for many years up to his death to paint its dramatic scenery. Famously he encouraged and supported several of the native islanders to paint – the so-called Tory Primitive School – which included James Dixon, Anton Meenan and Patsy Dan Rogers. In 1982 he gave St Columb’s and its contents to the Irish people, and now it and the adjacent Glebe gallery and fabulous gardens are open to the public.
Hill was an international socialite, knowing many celebrities. A visit to St Columb’s by the film-star Geta Garbo in the 1970s was the inspiration for the 2010 play Greta Garbo Came to Donegal by the gay Donegal writer Frank McGuinness.
Text by Dr Brian Lacey
I measc na bhfear cailiúil aerach a bhfuil baint acu leis an cheantar tá an t-ealaíontóir mór le rá as Sasainn, Derek Hill (1916–2000), charbh fhéidir leis bheith foscailte fá dtaobh dá ghnéasúlacht agus é óg áfach. Ba in 1949 a tháinig sé go Tír Chonaill den chéad uair, gidh gur phéinteáil sé in Éirinn roimhe sin. Ba le portráid a dhéanamh de fhear aerach eile, Henry McIlhenny, úinéir Ghleann Bheatha, ar casadh air é sa Róimh.
Chuaigh athair mór McIlhenney ar imirce ó Bhaile na nGallóglach go dtí na Stáit Aontaithe, áit a rinne sé a shaibhreas. Cheannaigh McIlhenny Gleann Bheatha in 1937 i ndiaidh dá hiar-úirnéir, an staraí ealaíona Arthur Kingsley Porter, a dhul ar iarraidh faoi chúinsí mistéireacha ar Inis Bó Finne.
In 1953, cheannaigh Derek Hill Teach Reachtaire St Columb’s, ar bhruacha Loch Ghartáin, gar le Gleann Bheatha féin. Rinne sé an teach a mhaisiú lena chuid pictiúir féin, mar aon le deailbh agus objet d’art a raibh saothar cailiúla ina measc.
Thug sé cuairt ar Thoraigh den chéad uair in 1958, ag fáil botháin ar chíos ann agus ag teacht ann go rialta fud a shaoil le radharcanna drámatúla an oileáin a phéinteáil. Ghríosaigh sé cuid mhaith de bhunadh an oileáin scuab phéinteála a thógáil iad féin – “Scoil Phrimitíbheach Thoraí” mar dhea – a d’áirigh James Dixon, Anton Meenan, agus Patsy Dan Mac Ruaidhrí i measc a cuid ealaíontóirí.
In 1982, thug sé Teach St Columb’s agus a raibh ann do mhuintir na hÉireann. Tá sé anois, mar aon le Dánlann Glebe lena thaobh, foscailte don phobal.
Ba phéiceallán le clú idirnáisiúnta é Hill a raibh aithne aige ar go leor daoine cailiúla. Spreag cuairt Greta Garbo ar St Columb’s sna 70í an dráma “Greta Garbo Came to Donegal,” (2010) leis an scríbhneoir aerach as Inis Eoghain, Frank McGuinness.
Téacs leis an Dr Brian Lacey
