Born in Waterford City in 1936, Gerhardt Gallagher was renowned for his prowess as both a forester and an artist. He bore witness to the struggle of his parents during significant historical events, with his father Roland being a veteran of the War of Independence and the Irish Civil War and his mother Lisa experiencing the surge of fascism in her native Germany. The poignant memory of being separated from his mother in 1939, during a chaotic attempt to escape war-ridden Germany, left a profound impact on Gallagher.
Gallagher consistently harboured a love for nature and art throughout his younger years. He was known to spend prolonged periods at the docks in Waterford, engrossed in sketching an assortment of coastal scenery, from boats to birds. After receiving his education at De La Salle College and pursuing art at Waterford Institute of Technology, he was on the verge of choosing architecture as his field of study. However, an encounter with the striking forested landscapes of Emo Park in Laois steered him towards forestry. He completed his forestry studies at UCD in 1958 and later earned a PhD focusing on land usage. Simultaneously, he nurtured his growing passion for art, drawing realistic sketches of The Dubliners while they were touring.
Gallagher’s life took a new turn when he fell in love with Miriam O’Connor, a speech therapist, writer, and fellow Waterford native, whom he met at a party in Dublin in 1963. They were wed in 1966 and started a family. As he juggled family life, Gallagher began to establish himself as a distinguished forest researcher, creating ambitious international experiments that elevated the international reputation of Irish forestry. As a prominent member of the Society of Irish Foresters, he was respected for his negotiating acumen, strong advocacy for forests as valuable national assets, and emphasis on community involvement, job creation, and habitat conservation.
Parallelly, his artistic career was gaining momentum. After honing his skills at NCAD, Gallagher exhibited his work at various shows, garnering critical acclaim for his groundbreaking semi-abstract pieces influenced by astrophysics. In the 1980s, his artistic focus transitioned towards political and figurative subjects and he began collaborating with his wife Miriam on creative projects, designing her theatre sets, posters, and book covers. Gerhardt Gallagher left an indelible imprint on both art and forestry when he passed away on May 2nd.
Gerhardt relocated to the newly-established Coillte in the year 1989, adopting the role of a senior manager before transitioning back to the Forest Service demonstrating his expertise as a consultant and then embarking on a self-employed career. In the 2000s, he spent his time teaching at UCD, conducting in-depth research on carbon storage, generating and reviewing scholarly papers and articles, and collaboratively penned Trees, Forests and the Law in Ireland with co-writer Damian McHugh.
Subsequently, he developed an interest in print-making during a course at Airfield House, a skill that his maternal grandmother Margarethe had mastered. Gerhardt became a member of Black Church Print Studios after his etchings were critically acclaimed. In 2011, he co-wrote Verbindungen, a publication that explored the link between Ireland and Germany via print-making. At this point, his favoured artistic subjects were landscapes, often featuring towering tree-form cathedrals and minute human figures.
Gerhardt’s final decade of life was not without its trials, the most impactful being the loss of his cherished Miriam to kidney disease in the year 2018. Despite his grave worry about climate disaster and the static division that seemed to have entrenched Irish forestry, his zest for nature, science, art, politics and philosophy remained steadfast.
He always had a distinct perspective on forestry, championing pragmatic solutions that gained broad respect. He consistently contributed to Crann, the Farmers’ Journal, and Irish Forestry, and gave a TED Talk aimed at young environmentalists for Easy Treesie. His artistry in print-making found fresh appreciation at the Royal Ulster Academy of Arts and, not long before his passing, at the Mill, Dundrum.
The legacy of Gerhardt’s unwavering dedication to nature’s enigmatic creative force lives on in his art and the lush tree cathedrals he both cherished and nurtured. These provide continuous consolation for his children, Mia, Donnacha, and Etain, his brother Len, son-in-law Seán, as well as all family members, friends and colleagues who grieve his absence.