Famous People of Achill, Co. Mayo, Ireland

Famous People of Achill, Co Mayo, Ireland

Heinrich Boll

Heinrich Boll was born in Germany in 1917 and won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1972. He carved out a career as a journalist and writer and in the late 1950's he made his first visit to Achill. Throughout the 1960's and into the 1970's, Boll lived and worked in Achill, residing in a cottage in the village of Dugort. His book 'Irische Tagebuch', 'Irish Journal' is well known and recounts some of his experiences of Achill. The Boll Cottage in Dugort has been used since 1992 as an Artist's Residence. A local committee, the Heinrich Boll Foundation in Germany, the Boll Family and Mayo County Council maintain the cottage and administers the Artists residency programme.

Paul Henry

Belfast born artist, Paul Henry spent eight years on Achill Island, and became fully immersed in local life during that time. Henry painted scenes of people at work and views of the sea and mountains and his paintings have become part of private and gallery collections all over the world. The Luxemburgh Gallery in Paris has Henry's painting of Dooagh village on permanent exhibition.

Robert Henri

American painter Robert Henri spent several summers in Achill with his wife, between the years 1924 - 1928. Henri is most famous for his portraits of the local people of Dooagh, where he stayed while in Achill. Many of these paintings are on display in galleries across the United States.

Charles Lamb and Derek Hill

Other painters such as Charles Lamb and Derek Hill also spent time in Achill, attracted by its wild beauty and unique character.

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