Derek Hill, who died in London on Sunday, was born in Southampton in 1916. He attended Marlborough public school in England, where he developed an interest in painting and drawing. On leaving school in 1933, he went to Munich to study stage design. He visited Vienna and then Russia and went on to China and Japan. He also spent time in Italy. Although he worked in theatre as a designer, painting was to become his passion.
As a conscientious objector during the second World War, he worked on a farm and immediately afterwards went to paint in Achill. He first visited Donegal around 1949, as the guest of Henry McIlhenny, who owned Glenveagh Castle. Within a year he had bought St Columb's, a glebe house and 20 acres on the shores of Lough Gartan for £1,000. It became a base for travelling, a centre for entertaining and a home for his growing collection of paintings and artefacts. In 1981, he gave St Columb's and its contents to the State and moved into a cottage nearby.
From 1956 onwards, he started to visit Tory Island to paint. When an islander, James Dixon, saw Hill painting he decided he could do better himself. That was the start of the Tory Island school of painters which has since exhibited to international acclaim.
Hill's lifestyle on Tory Island was in marked contrast to his social activities. He loved high society and painted many portraits of the rich and titled.
The President, Mrs McAleese, last night paid tribute to him.
"Derek's career as a painter and his exceptional artistic talent had won him international renown. Last year I had the pleasure of conferring honorary citizenship on him as a mark of the nation's deep admiration for his contribution to Ireland's artistic wealth over many decades."
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, said his contribution to Irish art was immense. "In recognition of his great contribution to the arts, he was made an honorary citizen of Ireland, the highest accolade that can be bestowed by the State."
The Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Ms de Valera, said it was with sadness that she learned of the death of Derek Hill.