BARRY O’CONNELL – PHOTOGRAPHER
Based in Schull, West Cork, Barry has been developing his photographic skills over a period of more than fifty years. As a young man, Barry enjoyed cycling around Ireland, and staying in youth hostels – literally – from Cork to Donegal! The beauty of both the Irish landscape and the many animals that abound around Ireland encouraged him to try his hand at photography.
Over the years, he has enjoyed recording faces and places in many parts of the world, ranging from Nepal and India to the Middle East to South America as well as many parts of Europe. He very much enjoys contact with local people in the places he visits. Often, it has been an honour for him to be welcomed into “unsophisticated” families and communities and to get a sense of their traditional lifestyle. And to record, photographically, individual members of these communities and the natural environment that they live in. Schull has been a significant part of Barry’s life since the 1970s, and continues to be. The south-west of Ireland has much beauty. For Barry (and for many other photographers) there is an ongoing challenge to record some of that beauty. And to share those records with others. A few of his favourite images are presented here. Hopefully you will enjoy looking at them.
