Eyewitness: Ireland through the lens of Colman Doyle

The James Hardiman Library is hosting an exhibition of more than 80 photographs by Colman Doyle. The exhibition, on loan from the National Library of Ireland, displays a selection from almost 25,000 images by Colman held by the National Library.

Colman was probably Ireland's first documentary style photographer, with his portraits of political leaders and literary figures, as well as for his photographs of ordinary people throughout Ireland. As a sports photographer, he acquired a huge reputation for his action shots of GAA matches and horse races.

The exhibition, located on the ground floor of the Library, includes portraits of politicians such as Charles J Haughey and Eamon de Valera, and visiting dignitaries including John F Kennedy and Princess Grace of Monaco. There are fascinating vignettes of Irish life from the 1950s to the 1990s. Colman recorded daily life in Northern Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s, a period during which he photographed behind-the-scenes images of political meetings and street violence.

Also featured in the exhibition will be a film, first shown on TG4 in 2006, that follows Colman as he returns to photograph West Kerry, reconnecting with his earliest work as a press photographer.

The exhibition will remain open until 25 June 2010.