An art exhibition featuring the paintings of King of Tory Island, Patsy Dan Rodgers was officially launched today by Past President of RCSI Mr Peter McLean.

The week-long exhibit will feature works of Tory Island's best known resident. 

As a young man Patsy Dan was one of the leading campaigners against the government's plans to resettle the islanders on the Donegal mainland following storms in 1974 that had cut off Tory Island for nearly two months.

Patsy Dan was one of the original members of the Tory School of Art, whose patron was the renowned artist the late Derek Hill. Led by James Dixon they mounted their first combined exhibition at the New Gallery, Belfast in 1968.

Their acclaimed appearance was to be the forerunner of many similar showings around the world in the years that followed. In recent years with a seemingly never ending supply of his work mostly portraying island life, he has been the driving force behind art on Tory along with Anton Meenan and Ruari Rodgers.

Patsy Dan's contributions to his island's culture and wellbeing have been recognised by his fellow islanders who bestowed on him the title of King of Tory.