THE GLORY OF WEXFORD
THE Wexford photographer, John Ironside, is holding an exhibition of some of his original work during Easter Week, from April 11 to 17 at Drinagh Retail Park ( next door to Michael Murphy Furniture).
The exhibition will include photographs of the Old Ferrycarrig Bridge taken in 1976 when it was a rickety thoroughfare with speed bollards to reduce car capacity to one vehicle at a time.
There are also Lighthouse views including Tusker Rock from 1978 when it was still manned and Hook Lighthouse. The image of the Hook has been treated to enhance the spectral and spiritual mood of the area.
A photograph called ‘ Washing the pony’ shows a Traveller washing his stunningly beautiful stallion piebald pony in the River Slaney at the bridge in Clohamon.
There is an image of basking seals relaxing on the sandbanks at the mouth of the River Slaney, just beyond Wexford Town which paints an image of the quiet calm at the mouth of the river when there are no south easterly storms blowing.
Views along the tidal region of the River Slaney capture the banks lined with leafless willow trees, colourful reed beds, sand and mud flats in the estuary, romantic salmon cots once in abundance here when salmon were plentiful, and traditional wooden sailing cots in Wexford Harbour.
There are a number of abstract creations taken from local flora which are vibrant in colour while still maintaining a mysterious beauty.
John has included a number of majestic Tall Ships at sea to create a romantic vision in tribute to the courageous people who travelled the world in search of a new life, some never to return to their homes again.
John has been a professional photographer for 40 years and has spent a great deal of time pursuing his love of nature and the great outdoors, framing nature and isolating fascinating aspects of the subject in the viewfinder of his camera.
His work has been used for illustration, books and finished wall pictures all over the world, for large scale and smaller wall hangings and murals that bring colour and beauty to enrich the space in which they hang.