BIRTH OF OUR NATION ...ALL IN LIVING COLOUR
The latest book in a series of colourised archives that give a new perspective on the past
TSOMETHING TO TREASURE THAT MARKS THIS YEAR RATHER BEAUTIFULLY
heir first collaboration, The Irish Civil War In Colour was hailed a ‘runaway success’, its vivid hand-colourised photographs giving new perspectives on a brutal and divisive part of our history. Now, historian Michael B. Barry and photographer John O’Byrne have come together again to celebrate the formation of the State in A Nation Is Born. As before, the addition of colour breathes new life into our past, specifically the 15 years between 1923 and 1938 as Ireland emerged from the rubble of wars and violence and began to shape itself as a fledgling country with a diplomatic presence on the world stage.
The images in the book – some of which are reprinted here – have been painstakingly researched and hand-colourised by O’Byrne, a professional photographer, who specialises in colourising military scenes from the early 20th Century.
With more than 150 colour-rich pictures, we get insights into politics, culture, infrastructure and, of course, the people themselves. The images depict the election of the country’s first governments; rebuilding after the War of Independence and Civil War; the 1932 Eucharistic Congress; scenes of education, cottage industry and rural Irish life. Many of the pictures have never been published before and detailed captions from Barry – whose other historical works include The Fight For Irish Freedom and Courage Boys, We Are Winning – give historical context and deeper insights.
Published last year, the authors’ The Irish Civil War In Colour became a bestseller and was nominated as the Best Irish-Published Book of the Year at the 2022 An Post Irish Book Awards. That book was described by presenter and history lover Ryan Tubridy as ‘something to treasure and something that marks this extraordinary year rather beautifully’. n A Nation Is Born, €27, is out now