The first photographic supply shop in Ireland was founded in Dublin's O'Connel Street by the late Peter Slattery in 1946. Peter Slattery was a native of County Cork who had returned from England to Ireland to open a number of pharmacy shops in Dublin with his business partners. While a pharmacist by profession, Peter Flattery's one great consuming passion was photography, which he realised early on would have a rising importance for society in the post war years. In 1939 he joined the Photographic Society of Ireland (PSI), and, having entered his first serious competition in 1939 was awarded the PSI Aitken Shield and the Silver Medal. The judge that year was the famous Thomas H. Mason. Entering numerous contests over the next two decades, Peter Slattery gained a reputation for himself as one of the best photographers in Ireland.

The Slattery tradition of identifying photographic talent continues today with the Slattery Camera Circle 100 Best Press Pictures of the Year. Now in its thirty third year, the competition is one of the lasting monuments to the memory of Peter Slattery. Over the last five years personalities such as Mary Robinson, Albert Reynolds, Peter Sutherland, Bertie Ahern and Goals John O'Shea have presented the trophies. The competition is widely regarded as the premier event in Irish press photography. To win such an award is an achievement in itself. The contest is judged under four categories; News, features, sport and personalities. Excellence and expertise are the bywords that serve Slattery's. For nearly fifty years they have catered to the ever changing needs of the Irish Photographer. Whether your order is large or small, Slattery's offer ideal value and staff with unparalleled knowledge and expertise in the field of photography. Slattery's supply some of the largest users of photographic equipment from college students to professionals, whatever your requirements it can be found at Slattery's.

The first studio in Ireland opened in October 1841 in a wooden hut and glass house premises built on the flat roof of the entrance to the Rotunda assembly rooms, now the Ambassador Cinema, just up the road from Slattery's.

In the 1850's, but especially from 1861 onwards it was possible to buy photographs from print sellers. Carte-de-visite style photographs (about the size of today's business cards) of personalities could be bought and mounted in albums. It was standard practice, even in Ireland, to start one's album with a photo of HM. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, followed by photographs of their children, and then to paste in photographs of the day, churchmen and politicians. Loyalists and Nationalists made use of photography from the 1860's onwards and it was possible to purchase photographs of one's leaders for mounting in albums or larger photographs could be framed. Towards the end of the 19th century the introduction of the dry plate popularised photography further by making available to a wiber public packets of photographic plates ready to use rather than the cumbersum kits available up to then which entailed the preparation of wet plates in the field. Clearly all the stages of photographic discovery are important but in a special way all photographers appreciate in particular the development of the roll film. This was introduced by George Eastman of Kodak in the late 1880's. There were 100 exposures on some of the early roll films and Kodak built a hugh business on the slogan "You push the button, we do the rest". The roll film revolution popularised photography further and encouraged most households to keep what has become known as the family album.

The realism of photographers was recognised by everyone: prisoners and exiles could have an image of their loved one beside them even though they were separated by hundreds or thousands of miles. From a very early date photographs of prospective spouses were sought in matrimonial columns. In 1877 a widow "with respectable business", advertised that she wished to meet "a gentleman" and wanted a photograph enclosed "which would be returned if not approved of"! A young gentleman advertised in 1884 seeking a partner and hoped "to receive photo's for inspection". Two young ladies wished to correspond with two Irish gentlemen with a view to matrimony and sought photographs of the prospective candidates!

Governments used photography in the 19th century. In America Matthew Brady, whose parents were Irish, organised the photographing of the American Civil War. Timothy H. O'Sullivan was brought as a young child from Ireland to America; he took many photographs of the American landscapes for the government, along the 40th parallel of latitude in Colorado and Arizona and on the Panama Canal survey. In Ireland the government used photography in the fight against crime. Ireland was the first country to have a national system of photographing prisoners and when prisoners were released their movements were noted by the police helped by photo's supplied by the prison officers. Towards the end of the century the police photographed murder scenes, unruly crowds at evictions and crowds at street meetings. Photographs were also kept of M.P.s and people in public life in order to help monitor their movements - Michael Davitt, Paranell, Arthur Griffith.

Photography was also used by scientists and medical men in Ireland. Geologists photographed important rock formations and doctors often photographed patients before and after an operation to show how good they were! About 1900, one Irish astronomer photographed sunspot activity on very early movie film hearlding yet another application of photography.