Award-winning images in Nenagh

Photographs of the year on display in Civic Offices

An exhibition of some truly marvellous photographs is currently on public display in Nenagh.

The AIB Press Photographer of the Year exhibition was formally launched at the Civic Offices last week. It features an eye-catching array of images captured last year by members of the Press Photographers Ireland (PPI).

On display in Nenagh for the third year in a row, the exhibition launch was attended by Vice President of the PPI Dan Linehan with three-time Press Photographer of the Year James Crombie as guest speaker. Also among the attendance were members of local photography group the Nenagh Street Collective.

Welcoming all, Nenagh Municipal District Administrator Rosemary Joyce pointed out that the exhibition features only a sample of the more than 1,000 photos submitted to the Photographer of the Year competition. Among those to enter was local freelance photographer Odhran Ducie, whom Ms Joyce praised as a “tower of strength” for the local authority in Nenagh, always making himself available to photograph council events when asked.

His portfolio was showcased onscreen at the launch. Among the pictures it included was one of the Shane MacGowan mural on Emmet Place, the creation of which Odhran captured on a daily basis over a 10-day period. Ms Joyce said that his series of mural images would soon be on display in Nenagh Tourist Office.

Cathaoirleach of Nenagh Municipal District Cllr Fiona Bonfield said the PPI exhibition captured Irish life at home and abroad in 2024 through sport, nature, culture, heritage and the family. She praised the dedication and skill of the photographers involved.

Cllr Bonfield was particularly glad to see her fellow Newport parishioner Sharlene Mawdsley included in the exhibition in an image captured by Morgan Treacy at the Paris Olympics. She appealed to those present to spread the word about the exhibition in the Civic Offices and looked forward to having it back again, adding that she was sure Odhran would have a winning photo in a future exhibition.

‘VERY UNSOCIAL JOB’

James Crombie expressed his pleasure at returning to Nenagh again so soon, having been guest speaker at the launch of the Nenagh Street Collective exhibition the previous week. The Press Photographer of the Year told the attendance about the difficulties encountered by those in his trade, who usually have to work at social occasions, evening and weekend events when most others are enjoying time off.

The photographer's work is “a very unsocial job”, James said, going on to speak of how it has become an even harder career to make a living from, one that fewer young people are getting into. Yet, he said, the tenets of press photography had to be upheld and that was why he was glad to see Tipperary Co Council engaging a PPI member in Odhran Ducie.

Talking those present through his own portfolio of images, James spoke of how the professional photographer must become a “Jack of all trades”, turning their hand from sport to wildlife to politics and all manner of other categories. He had made a career from sport photography, but he became best-known for capturing murmurations of starlings during the pandemic, when the absence of sport gave the Westmeath man cause to turn his lens to something different.

Odhran thanked the guest speaker for his attendance and congratulated him on his latest award, noting that the first was not celebrated in-person due to the Covid restrictions of the time. He also congratulated Brendan Gleeson on taking second place in the News Freelance category for his photo of a defiant Natasha O'Brien at Limerick District Court; and Mr Linehan on winning an Individual Award for capturing country life in Ireland.

Odhran also praised Ms Joyce for having the foresight to bring the exhibition to Nenagh, and congratulated her on recently marking the 47th anniversary of her career with Tipperary Co Council. He said Nenagh is fortunate to have such an exhibition space for people to visit at the Civic Offices.

Concluding the evening, Ms Joyce hoped to bring the exhibition back to Nenagh again next year. The current exhibition will remain on display at the Civic Offices until the end of this month.