Council acquires collection of 19th century photos
WEXFORD County Council has acquired a significant collection of historic photos depicting life in rural Wexford in the 19th century.
The collection of newly discovered photographs has been on display at Enniscorthy Castle for the last few weeks and had caused great interest among visitors and locals.
All 17 of the images have now been added to the local authority’s art collection.
Manager of Enniscorthy Castle and the National 1798 Rebellion Centre, Rory O’Connor, said acquiring the photographs was very important for the County Council.
‘I was delighted with the reaction of the public to this exhibition and it is very good news that these pictures will continue to be shown round the county,’ he said.
‘A large number of negatives [glass plate and acetate] were found a few years ago in the archives at Monksgrange, near Killanne, where they have since all been documented and digitised,’ he added.
Photography in Ireland was still in its early days in the 1890s, when Goddard Orpen went out and about to record life in the Barony of Bantry which was also the name of the exhibition in the castle.
That display was curated by Jeremy Hill, from Monksgrange Archives, who commented: ‘This acquisition is a very encouraging outcome of the recently completed 10-year archive project on the papers of the Richards and Orpen families.’ Mr Hill said it follows on from the publication of Dr Philip Bull’s ‘Monksgrange: Portrait of an Irish House and family, 1769-1969.’