The "Queen of Connemara", Bina McLoughlin, the Taoiseach's infamous election kiss, and the late Dr Noel Browne at 80 years. These are some of the images selected by photographer Joe O'Shaughnessy for an exhibition of his work at the Galway Arts Festival.
The exhibition, which was opened last night by former arts minister Mr Michael D. Higgins, captures the rapidly changing face of Galway over 20 years. Many of the images would have appeared in The Irish Times, in his own newspaper, the Connacht Tribune, and in publications in the US and Britain.
Mr O'Shaughnessy (46), was born in Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, and moved with his parents to their native Galway when he was six.
While at school in St Joseph's College - known locally as "the Bish" - he developed a keen interest in film and bought a movie camera with the earnings from his first summer job.
However, when he couldn't buy a developing tank for the eight millimetre film, he bought one for stills photography instead, and borrowed a camera.
His first experience developing his own film was the turning point, he says. "Any photographer will say that this is when you get hooked."
He began with a Roleiflex, and did freelance work with the Tuam Herald, Galway Advertiser and Connacht Tribune, before the Tribune offered him a staff job. He lives in Galway with his wife, Bernie, and daughter, Joanne (11).
The exhibition includes photographs of historic moments, including the demolition of the Rahoon flats, Dr Noel Browne's funeral in Connemara, and that kiss with the young redhead in Galway's Shop Street in 1997 which the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, may never, or may never be allowed to, forget. "The hair of the dog" is an image of a Dalmatian sitting on a bar stool next to former university zoology lecture Dr Paddy Ó Ceidigh.
Well-known faces of Galway include Galway hooker skipper Johnny Bailey, the barber cum Olympic boxing trainer Mr Michael "Chick" Gillen, and there is a group shot of some of the early founders of the Galway Arts Festival, including Ollie Jennings, Mary Coghlan and Joe Boske.
Mr O'Shaughnessy's exhibition runs in Mulligan's Music Shop, Middle Street, Galway, for the duration of the festival, and is part of an extensive visual arts dimension to the programme.
This includes an art trail set up by Artspace Studios throughout the city. Nightly projections by Nicolas Tobazeon-Chevalier are lighting up the city's architecture, while photographs from Africa and France by Denis Felix are on show in the Aula Maxima, NUI, Galway.
Galway-based photographer Seán Tomkins is exhibiting a selection of his work in the Galway City Library in St Augustine Street, while former festival director and designer Ted Turton looks back on the event's 25 years through posters exhibited in the foyer of the James Hardiman Library, NUI, Galway.
Burren-based artist Manus Walsh is holding a retrospective of his work in the Kenny Gallery in Middle Street.
The Galway Arts Festival continues until July 28th.
