CONNEMARA SEA SCAPE

When the waves crash on the west coast of Ireland they send vibrations throught the whole island and beyond, these vibrations eventually get as far as me here in Saint-Malo and I rejoice.
The light shining on the Aran islands is difused by an ambiant humidity which is so like the early morning light here in Brittany that sometimes I loose sight of the fact that I am in one place and not the other. The solidity of the rocks and the liquidity of the sea sometimes seems to inverse in my minds eye as I sense the vibrations of both.

This painting I did on the Aran island called Inismor, or the big island, in English. I was the guest of two wonderful people and their family who lived in a beautifully build modern round house made of the local stone. Their welcome made the Irish formula "Cead Milé Failte," which means, a hundred thousand welcomes, seem as real as it is in such places.

TRINITY COLLEGE LIBRARY

The centre of Dublin is crowned by college green, the Georgean facade of Trinity faces the old Parliament building which now houses the Bank of Ireland.

If you wander into Dublin someday make the effort to walk under the large portico of the College and as you do you will step into a space which is as vital today as it ever was, the square in front of you is splendid and relativly silent after the cars and buses of Dublin. The bell-tower stands solidly at its centre inviting you to walk under it and do a 360° turn.

The library contains Brian Boru's harp and the magnificent Book of Kells.

Not to be missed!

FINE TIME

Today the weather was magnificent, the sun shone on the sea as I watched a squadron of mine sweapers arrive into the bay of Saint-Malo in indian file, they were dwarfed by the huge white bulk of the Pont-Even, the flag-ship of Brittany Ferries, as she sailed towords the U.K. The sea was billiard table flat with hardly a breath of air pushing tiny wavelets towards the sandy shore. As I walked around the ramparts I reflected on my week in Ireland and how different the two countries are. On the inward journey as I came closer to Irelands green shores I felt more and more Breton/French.
On the way home to my family and friends here in Saint-Malo I became more and more certain of my Irishness.

The painting herewith is the replica of Endevour, captain Cooks ship, which was in port here sometime ago. It is a watercolour and has a matching view of the ship from the stern.

ON THE EDGE IN IRELAND

A pal of mine called Eoin O'Brien told me of one of his relations who passed away recently in Australia, he was by all accounts a bit of a 'tare-a-way', and his mother had carved on his toombstone.

"Unless you live on the edge you are taking up too much room".

What do you think?

DUBLIN CAN BE HEVEN

'Dublin can be heven with coffee at eleven and a stroll on Stephens green.'
I have just returned from a trip to Dublin, Limerick and Glenstal Abbey in County Limerick.

A mixture of business, culture, family, friends, painting and a wee bit of religion too boot. I shall write more about the subject over the next few days but in the meantime I will include a watercolour of a Dubliner who turned out to be a German jazz musician drinking a pint of Guinness.

STORM'S OVER

The storm's over

The tide's out

On the beach men are bending

Searching for cockles

Boats too lean over

waiting for tides to re-erect them.

The sea has run off into infinity

waiting to be called back

again and again and again........

St- Malo's flag

I have painted the city flag or 'pavillion' as they say in French. This one flies above the French tricolour in the city by order of the King and Emperor for services rendered by the city to the French state. Every citizen of the region knows it well.