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My book "FACES & PLACES - Clonmel
1955 - '60" came about when I realised that thousands of photographs which
I had taken during those years would now be worth compiling into book form
as a record of what life was like in an Irish town more than 40 years ago.
The management of The Nationalist Newspaper Co. in Clonmel readily granted
me access to my original negatives. |
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While the vast majority of the photographs
in the book contain thousands of Clonmel faces of that era, there are some
of more general interest, like for instance my picture of the two greatest
hurlers Ireland has ever produced - the legendary Cork hurler Christy Ring
and the equally famous Limerick hurler Mick Mackey. This is the only photograph
ever taken of them together. I took it in the Limerick Sportsgrounds in
1957 when Ring was leaving the field injured and had words with Mackey
who was an umpire. |
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Also of interest to Gaelic Games
fans is this one in Croke Park, Dublin in 1957 before the present Hogan
Stand was built. Note also the advances in the Press photographers' cameras
in the intervening years. |
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My picture of filmstar Gene Kelly
was taken during his holiday in Ireland around that period. No, this was
not the footwear he wore during his famous "Singin' in the rain" dance
routine! |
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Another famous showbusiness person
included is comedian Jimmy O'Dea (star of "Finian's Rainbow") seen on the
stage of the Collins Hall, Clonmel with Dance Band leader Mick Delahunty
and the Mayor of Clonmel Jim Taylor. This Collins Hall was of course named
after General Michael Collins, the subject of my other book "Michael
Collins - The Final Days". |
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The election rallies in the late
1950s were very different from the present day. Here Eamonn deValera, who
fought against Michael Collins in the Irish Civil War encourages the voters
to vote for his Fianna Fail party in an upcoming Irish general election. |
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The marriage of Princess Margaret,
(sister of Queen Elizabeth), to Lord Snowdon resulted in my picture at
Shannon Airport when the newly-weds arrived to spend a second honeymoon
with Lord Snowdon's relations in Birr Castle. This was the moment when
the first member of the British Royal family set foot on Irish soil since
the foundation of the Irish Free State. |
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Later as a TV cameraman with RTE
I had this view of the arrival of President John F. Kennedy at Dublin Airport
for his historic visit to his ancestral home. |
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I would welcome your comments. Contact the
author Justin Nelson at jnelson@iol.ie |
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