In Our Own Image: Photography in Ireland 1839 to the Present

The first comprehensive historical and critical survey of photography in Ireland.

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.

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.

AH Poole Studio, Group photograph commissioned by Rev. Fr. Laurence Coghlan, 9 May 1915, 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.

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.

The exhibit is now on display through February 6, 2022 at the Gallery of Photography Ireland and includes the Sean Sexton Collection. The Photo Historian of Ireland: Sean Sexton appeared in Irish America’s October / November 2010 issue and Ireland at War: Photos from the Sean Sexton Collection appeared in the February / March 2017 issue.

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.

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.