The Photo Album of the Irish: U.S. Edition
Your Photos, Your Memories, Our History
Family photo albums give a fascinating insight into our private and public histories, revealing details about how people lived and worked that official histories can often overlook. The Photo Album of the Irish is a digital archive project that celebrates the ordinary and extraordinary histories of people with Irish heritage.
In Spring 2019 the Photo Album team from the Gallery of Photography Ireland travelled to the U.S. to carry out the digital archiving work. Our aim was to create a visual record of diverse emigrant stories and represent the enduring links between Ireland and America. We wanted to actively embrace diverse traditions, affiliations and ethnicities, challenging stereotypical notions of Irish identity.
Funded by the Government of Ireland Emigrant Support Programme
Credits & Thanks
With thanks to the contributors and their families: Michelle Beyers & Gretchen Yohe Gutshall; Sioban Bowyer & Conor FItzGerald; Erskine C. Childers; Shirley Clerkin; Seán Conlon; Mike Dwyer; Joe Flynn; Ann Geraghty; Gerry & Rich Gilligan; Mark Griffin; Kim Haughton; Andrew & Stuart Hetherington; Aine & Brian Kennedy; Tim Kovar; David Kronn; Alice McDermott; Beth McNally; Brian Murphy; Chris Murray; Rory O’Flaherty & Elizabeth Hyun Maertens; Cormac O’Malley; Abigail Parker; Ciara Patten; Patsy Ryan.
Essays and texts: Daniel Mulhall, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States of America, and Seán O’Hagan, photography critic for The Guardian and feature writer at The Observer for their considered texts.
Funders: Thanks to the Emigrant Support Programme of the Global Irish Fund, The Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade and the Government of Ireland with particular thanks to Anna McGillicuddy, Anne Norton and Yvonne Ellison at the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade for their generous assistance.
Partners and supporting organisations: Thanks to the individuals and organisations who helped organise the project in the US:
- Ambassador Dan Mulhall, Lillian Farrell and team at The Embassy of Ireland in Washington D.C.; Eimear Friel and Sean OhAodha and the staff at the Consulate of Ireland New York.
- Aidan Connolly, Christine Cullen, Pauline Turley and the team at The Irish Arts Center, New York City.
- Maudy Dooher, the Board of Directors and the team at The Irish Cultural Center of New England, Canton, Massachusetts.
- The Consulate-General of Ireland, Boston, in particular the Irish Consul General Fionnuala Quinlan.
- Cormac O’Malley and the Stonington Irish Presence Committee, Stonington, Connecticut.
- Chris Murray and Carlotta Hester and Govinda Gallery, Washington D.C.
- Miriam Nyhan, Marion Casey at Glucksman Ireland House and Timothy Johnson, Tamiment Library, New York University for their invaluable support.
Thanks also to Ruza Leko and team at Studio Suss; iCulture web design; Peter FitzGerald; Lynda Shepherd; and the many individuals who have worked on the Photo Album of the Irish over the years.
Touring Partners: Monaghan County Council Heritage & Art Offices;
Donegal County Museum, Letterkenny; Nerve Centre, Derry~Londonderry.
With thanks: Shirley Clerkin and Somhairle Mac Conghail, Monaghan Council Heritage & Arts Office; Caroline Carr and Judith McCarthy at Donegal County Museum; Mairead Ní Ghallachoir at Áras Éanna, Inis Oírr, Altnaveigh LOL.
Project team: Trish Lambe, Tanya Kiang, Darren Campion, Darragh Shanahan, Daniel Scully. A special thanks to our photographic researchers/curatorial team who gave so much of their time and commitment to the project: Brendan Maher, Niamh Crowley, Deirdre McGing, Maeve O’Neill, Emma Maguire, Marlena Morris, Ailish George, and Karena Hutton.
Advisory committee: Shirley Clerkin, Orla Fitzpatrick, Dr Justin Carville, Dr Mick Beyers