'The Liffey Swim' (1923) by Jack B. Yeats (1871-1957) is an oil painting that "marked Yeats’s growing interest in Expressionism and his adoption of fluid brushwork and a charged palette." It depicts a famous sporting event in Ireland and is currently residing in the Irish National Gallery.

The more we stimulate our brains, the more nerve connections we make and the better our brains work. At our Monday group we work with an amazing group of people living with Dementia, where we often look at art and review what we see. Making art is fun but it’s also a workout for our brains! Recently we looked at the painting 'The Liffey Swim' and here are some of what was said:

“Watching the race”

"There aren’t many colours.

It looks fine, but only browny stuff, with some blue and white.

Can’t see any more than that really.

It’s a limited palette."

"Looks like they’re having trouble swimming.

The river is a funny colour, filthy."

"It’s quite a long time ago.

It’s Northern, with those flat caps.

Georgian maybe?

It’s in a big city."

"I’m worried about the swimmers.

Is that a person in the water?

Doesn’t seem to be any sunshine, but there’s enough light though-

-I feel cold looking at it.

It’s abroad somewhere.

It looks like somewhere I’ve been, like Australia."

"I presume it’s some sort of race.

They’ve all gone there to watch it.

This side with the yellow, I wonder if it’s a trolley bus.

Or is it some sort of stand?

They are facing this way.

They are the one that paid, then at the bottom it’s the cheap seats."

"There’s a lady there, not looking at the race, but looking at the man.

Maybe she’s a pickpocket?

Cause he’s not paying attention.

She could have been round them all!"

"It’s impressionistic; the buildings are very sketchy, not delineated.

In the water there’s some red.

Maybe dye from the works.

They are working class, are they British?

They are pale.

It’s a big city."

"The buildings on the other side look quite decrepit.

You would expect something more substantial, even if it’s old."

"It’s a narrow river,

Nothing like the Thames.

I was thinking if I would copy it or not; the part that interest me are where the people are, the hats.

There’s a lot going on, a long way along.

Once you’re on the other side you can see the houses.

I wouldn’t want to live there."

"This river appears to be running fast.

They spent a fortune on the river bank, but not on the buildings.

It appears to have a fancy lamppost, but it’s not very clear.

Is that a tram?

It looks like they stop the tram so people can watch the race.

I wouldn’t want to be in the crowd."

"Could it be a train on the bridge?

Looks like someone got their hand up."

"It could be a trolley bus, or a tram with an open top.

It looks Edwardian, because of the woman’s hat.

The men in the front looks thin, he has a long thin chin, and looks thin in the face,

Like people of that era.

Those men haven’t seen much sun.

Maybe it’s Dublin. Or maybe America."

"It looks competently done. The artist has got over what he wanted to get over."

These sessions run every Monday and are designed with the needs of people living with all stages and types of dementia and long term neurological conditions in mind, and the needs of the people who are caring for them. We have spouses, children, professional carers, friends and family members who stay and get involved.