The first comprehensive historical and critical survey of photography in Ireland.
Launch exhibition at Printworks, Dublin Castle
AH Poole Studio, Group photograph commissioned by Rev. Fr. Laurence Coghlan, 9 May 1915,Courtesy National Library of Ireland
In Our Own Image: Photography in Ireland 1839 to the Present
The first comprehensive historical and critical survey of photography in Ireland.
Launch exhibition at Printworks, Dublin Castle
Curated by Gallery of Photography Ireland and the Office of Public Works, Dublin Castle, this launch exhibition charts how the medium has both reflected and shaped Irish cultural identity, from the work of the earliest photographic pioneers up to the emergence of a recognisably modern state. Presented in partnerships with leading archives, cultural institutions, museums, and private collections, it reveals the depth of our rich photographic heritage, viewed through important works by key photographers.
Delighted to welcome An Taoiseach at Printworks in Dublin Castle for “In Our Own Image” the first survey exhibition of the history of photography in Ireland - 9th December 2021, press images by Kenneth O'Halloran.
In Our Own Image: Photography in Ireland, 1839 to the Present is the first in a series of exhibitions that will serve to establish the canon of photography in Ireland, from the earliest pioneering works through to a survey of contemporary photography by Ireland’s many acclaimed photographic artists. Unfolding across 2022 it features exhibitions, online programmes, installations, events and education programmes.
J.J. Clarke, Woman with birdcage at the junction of Grafton Street and South King Street, c.1900, Clarke Photographic Collection, Courtesy National Library of Ireland.
Throughout the period of intense change that characterised Ireland in the late 19th and into the mid-20th century, we see how photography served as a mirror for shifting experiences of what it meant to be Irish. More than that, it also defined the way we saw ourselves, creating an image of life on the island of Ireland that still forms part of our identity today.
In Our Own Image launch exhibition at Printworks Dublin Castle, click image for directions.
- The exhibition surveys the contribution of early photographic pioneers such as Augusta Dillon, Mary Rosse, and the Tenisons. Photography’s role as an eyewitness to history is explored through the work of Robert French, William Lawrence, A.R. Hogg and others.
- Photographs of life in the west of Ireland by J.M. Synge and surveys of heritage sites by Robert Welch and Jane Shackleton highlight the contribution of photography to the Celtic Revival movement.
- Photography’s role in constructing popular representations of Irishness is outlined through the production of romantic images to feed the new tourist market.
- The use of photography as reportage during the War of Independence and the Irish Civil War contrasts official viewpoints with the more nuanced perspectives of commercial and citizen photographers.
- The concluding section presents an overview of the key social and infrastructural developments that defined the emergence of the modern Irish state framed through the vision of creative Irish photographers up to the 1970s.
This historical survey exhibition reveals the depth of our shared photographic heritage, viewed through important works by key photographers held in leading archives, cultural institutions, museums, and private collections.
In Our Own Image featured in The Irish Times and Irish Independent, press photography by Kenneth O'Halloran
In Our Own Image: Photography in Ireland 1839 to the Present
Now open in The Printworks, Dublin Castle until 6 February 2022
11am - 5.45pm, Monday - Saturday,
1pm - 5.45pm Sunday, admission is free
A look at the Irish: photography in Ireland from 1839 to now – in pictures - Guardian feature, click image for image Gallery.
In Our Own Image launch exhibition at Printworks is curated by
Gallery of Photography Ireland and the Office of Public Works, Dublin Castle.
This programme is presented in partnership with:
The National Library of Ireland
The National Museum of Ireland
National Museums NI
The National Archives
PRONI
RTÉ Archives
UCD Archives
Irish Folklore Commission
University College Cork
Book a free tour, click button below
In Our Image programme supported by:
Dublin City Council Commemorative Committee
The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
The Department of Foreign Affairs
The Heritage Council of Ireland
Office of Public Works, Dublin Castle
Creative Centenaries NI
RTÉ Supporting the Arts
Joseph Cashman (1881-1969), British Army soldiers on the roof of the Four Courts, Dublin 1922, RTÉ Cashman Collection, © RTÉ Archives.
Launch of our new History of Photography Timeline.
Press image to enter.
Photography in Ireland Timeline.
Explore the richness of Ireland's photographic heritage.Discover amazing photos by the earliest pioneers right up to today's photographic artists.
This interactive digital timeline brings together for the first time a dazzling array of photos spanning more than 180 years. The goal is to situate the development of photography in Ireland within broader technical, historical and artistic movements.
Unknown Photographer
A group of sailors and Irish Free State Army officers on board ship looking towards the distance, c. 1922
Desmond Fitzgerald Photographs, Reproduced by kind permission of UCD Archives.
Visit our pop up Christmas shop at the In Our Own Image exhibition, image by Albha Hodgett
Continuing the story...
National Photography Collection launch exhibition at Gallery of Photography Ireland
The exhibition of the new National Photography Collection initiative at Gallery of Photography Ireland marks the commencement of a process of working with artists to build archive collections.
Gallery of Photography Ireland is proudly supported by:
