The Dead

IWhat is the conflict in the story? is it internal or external?  is the setting specific or general and how does it contribute to the central idea?s the main character static or dynamic?

The main conflict is an internal one within Gabriel.  Although he does have external conflicts with his wife and with a few others, the true conflict is internal.  This is evident at the end when Gabriel sees his wife in a completely different light after she shares the story of Michael, a young man that courted her, who told her that he could not go on living without her if she moved/left him.  Gabriel has his epiphany at this point when he realizes he can never love his wife like Michael did.  He doesn't "have it in him," so to speak.  Gabriel is a dynamic character because he does change by the end of the story. His outlook on life is very different at that point.

The setting (Ireland) is important to the work, yes.  eNotes states that:

In his book, Joyce wanted to give the history of Ireland. The prominent characteristic he saw in Ireland, and particularly in Dublin, was the spiritual paralysis of its people.

The setting is not as important to this piece of literature, though, because the primary focus is on the characters for Joyce.  The reader becomes immersed in the character of Gabriel and his wife and their struggles with each other and with other people in the work.