Changing Faces Catalogue - Clare County Library

changing faces
name name
description
A moment in time:
Ballina & Killaloe
Photography by
Charlie McGeever

changing faces

This project, by photographer Charlie
McGeever, captures a place in time through
its people; the men and women who are part
of the fabric of this community.
Through the artist’s lens we are introduced to the diversity of life in one Irish
village on the Tipperary-Clare border and given a fleeting glimpse of the richness,
colour and depth of Irish society which has witnessed such change in the past
decade both socially, economically and physically. Of course a community is a
broader concept than a portrait of a number of its inhabitants, but what the artist
has captured is a mix of the uniqueness, the quiet contributors, the diversity of
lifestyle that co-inhabit in a single place, each making its mark and re-asserting
its importance for a diverse and unique society. We wish to congratulate the
artist on his wonderfully succinct vision and also to offer a huge thank you to
the people whose portraits are included in the project for their willingness to
participate and share in this celebration of what it means to live in Ballina/Killaloe.
Melanie Scott
Arts Officer
North Tipperary County Council

changing faces
Copyright © 2011 Charlie McGeever
Design: Raindesign.com
Dedicated to the memory
of Patsy Healy
North Tipperary County
Council Arts Office
Civic Offices
Nenagh
County Tipperary
www.northtipperary.ie/arts
Our thanks to everyone who participated in the
Changing Faces project, those included in the
selection of images featured in this catalogue,
and those who feature in the broader exhibition.
Sadly, one of the participants, Michael
Seymour, passed away as this project
reached completion, may he rest in peace.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form by any
means electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise without the prior
permission of the publisher.

charlie mcgeever
photographer
I have been cataloging and documenting the
everyday events of the area since I moved
here – first day at school, carol singing at
Christmas, Brian Boru Festival, as well as
the ordinary moments that many people
take for granted.
I became fascinated with the multi-layered make up of the town that I observed
on a daily basis, the mixture of old and new, physically represented by an everchanging
landscape and the ecletic mix of outlooks and values held by the
people who live here. Whilst the area has been constantly evolving, it has also
held steadfastly to its old ways and values and, mainly for this reason, we choose
to call it ‘home’.
I would like to express my thanks to all the people who allow me to view their
lives through my camera lens on a daily basis. These images represent a tiny
moment in time in the lives of the people of Ballina /Killaloe, an area of constantly
changing faces.

Biographical notes
Charlie was born in Glasgow to Irish parents from
Falcarragh, Co Donegal. When he left school he
became a professional musician and he spent
several years touring the UK, Channel Islands,
Europe and the Middle East, as well as owning
and managing a night club whilst in Dubai.
Charlie always had an interest in photography
and he decided to pursue this by undertaking
a BA Hons degree in photography at The
Glasgow School of Art. In 1998 Charlie and
his wife Róisín moved to Ballina having been
introduced to the area by Patsy Healy, Róisín’s
mother, who came from Nenagh. They live in
Derrycastle with their three sons.

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james casey
builder/ex-boxer

fergus collins
building contractor

paddy gleeson
farmer

josh neary
retired

aiden lynch
framer

hubert férte
stud manager

name name
description

jimmy whelan
shopkeeper

jean
barriscale
garda

eda helebert
farmer’s wife

joanne dillon
pig farmer/former beautician

joe king
mechanic

jack quigley
retired

paddy kennedy
master of the hounds

itchil
szczytkowski
shop assistant

andrew
lofthouse
deli/italian coffee shop

slawomir
janicki
sacristan

majella
monaghan
firefighter

elaine
mckeogh
market gardener

michael
seymour
retired builder

geoffrey
carey
carpenter/coast guard

joe doolin
publican/search & rescue

padraig
gough
digger driver

pat
mckeogh
farmer

name name
description

jackie &
con frawley
snowdrop collector/farmer

changing faces

Photography © Charlie McGeever | Design: Raindesign.com