Pioneering filmmaker George Morrison dies aged 102
He is best known for Mise Éire, a documentary produced by Gael Linn and whose celebrated score was written by composer
Seán Ó Riada
, and its follow-up, Saoirse.
Morrison was born in Tramore, Co Waterford on November 3rd 1922.
His mother was an actress at the
Gate Theatre
in Dublin, while his father worked as a neurological anaesthetist.
READ MORE
Having developed an early fascination with motion pictures, Morrison dropped out of his medicine studies at Trinity College to pursue a career in the arts.
He first became interested in photography in 1934, creating throughout his lifetime a large body of still photographs in both black and white and colour relating to antiquities, food, industry, architecture and landscape.
In 1942 he directed and photographed his first film – Dracula – with Aidan Grennell and Eileen Cullen. The film could not be completed due to wartime stock shortage.
He served on the Council of Designers of Ireland and in 1957 became the Founder Member and vice-president of the Inaugural Congress of the Bureau International de Recerche Historique Cinématographique, Paris.
Soldiers attend Mise Eire. George Morrison's film showed over twenty years of Irish history, from the 1890s to 1918, through existing archive material. Its soundtrack, an orchestral score by Sean O'Riada, became hugely popular
In 1959, the documentary Mise Éire was released. Considered to be Morrison's seminal work, the documentary was the first full-length feature film produced in the Irish language.
It pays homage to
Patrick Pearse
's poem of the same name, using newsreels and newspapers from the period between the late 19th century and 1918.
In 2009 he received the Industry Lifetime Contribution Award at the Irish Film and Television Awards.
Morrison later received the highest honour in the Irish arts world in 2017 when
elected as Saoi of Aosdána
. President
Michael D Higgins
bestowed the title, presenting him with the symbol of the office of Saoi, a gold torc.
Mr Higgins described Morrison as 'a film-maker of superb craft and skill, an archivist, a writer, a photographer and, above all, a great pioneer and innovator' whose contribution to Irish art and cinema were 'immeasurable'.
George Morrison with artist Imogen Stuart (left) photographed at the Arts Council of Ireland where he was bestowed the honour of Saoi in Aosdána by President Michael D.Higgins. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons / The Irish Times
No more than seven members of Aosdána may hold this honour, which is held for life, at any one time.
Paul Muldoon
is the most recently elected Saoi, joining the company of Morrison, Roger Doyle, and Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin earlier this year.
The filmmaker is predeceased by his wife, Theodora Fitzgibbon.
Sinn Féin TD Conor D McGuinness paid tribute to Morrison in a post on social media on Tuesday, describing him as 'a visionary filmmaker and proud Tramore man'.
'Honoured to have nominated him for a civic award last year.'
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