Tag Archives: John Kelly

FOR the third year in a row Clare Champion photographer John Kelly has won the Local Ireland Media Award for Best Photograph of the Year. It’s a huge achievement for the talented Mullagh man who has for many years been known as one of Ireland’s best press photographers. Speaking about the image that won him the 2022 honour, he said it was taken in Doolin on a wintry evening as he awaited a subject. “The picture was actually taken while I was in Doolin one stormy evening. I was waiting for somebody to turn up to another job. As I was waiting I saw the waves were very big, so I went out and shot the waves and the sunset.” He says that the best photographs are often found by chance. “It’s in the little gaps of doing the ordinary work of the day that you see the extraordinary and those opportunities come along, in my experience.” Ray Ryan of …

SOMETIMES raw and always authentic, John Kelly’s photographs capture Clare in all its glorious, local detail.  His pictures have a universal quality too. They celebrate humanity in all its forms and colours. They bear witness to moments and events that are truly extraordinary. They also find the magic in ordinary people going about their ordinary lives. From the intense stare of a rain-soaked Davy Fitzgerald, grappling with a defeat to Tipperary; to the serene faces of pilgrims at St Brigid’s Well in Liscannor, John Kelly’s interest lies in revealing what is going on beneath the surface.  A multi-award winner, John has been honoured many times by his peers. He has been personally singled out for praise by some of the greats of photojournalism including the UK’s Martin Parr and, most recently, by acclaimed portrait photographer, Peter Adams. As part of the Australian’s 40-year mission to track down some of the world’s best photographers, Peter came to Ireland to interview John …

MOUNTSHANNON Arts Festival gets underway this Thursday, May 26, showcasing a wealth of talent and creativity in music, visual art, literature and more.  The theme of ‘Community’ is at the heart of this year’s event, which will involve performances, workshops and exhibitions, running until Sunday, June 6. As always, the festival’s focus will be on erasing the boundaries between artists and audience. Events range from Full Circle Playback Theatre, a songwriting workshop, Origami workshops, a community art installation and the inaugural Mountshannon Maracatu, a family-friendly community parade.  Mel White, Chair of the Volunteer Committee said the return to full, live, in-person activities is particularly welcome after the pandemic restrictions. “We are so excited for this festival after two years of lockdown and we have been supported by the local community in every way,” she said. “We have brought together an eclectic mix of actors, musicians, artists  and creative writers to create an experience like no other this year. We would …

MULTI-AWARD-WINNING Clare Champion photographer John Kelly has scooped yet another top prize, having won the Energy at Any Age photography exhibition, hosted by Trinity College Dublin. The exhibition was organised by Age-Friendly Trinity. Around 50 guests attended the welcome reception and cast their votes for their favourite image, with John’s The Old Man and the Sea taking the People’s Choice Award. His winning entry was a photograph of Paddy Hanrahan collecting seaweed for use as fertiliser for his garden near Cappa, Kilrush. John outlined that when they put out the call for entries, he immediately thought of a number of the photographs that would fit the bill. He was delighted to get the call that they had accepted three into the exhibition. “That one of them had been chosen as People’s Choice Award at the opening, that was an extra bonus,” he said. The same image was a third-prize PPAI winner in the 2015 portrait section. Also selected for the …

BUDDING photographers are being encouraged to showcase their skills by taking part in a photography competition, run by Ennis Rotary Club, with the support of The Clare Champion. Young people, aged between seven and 18, have the chance to win some picture-perfect prizes, while the overall winner will compete in the Rotary International All-Ireland final. Participants are being asked to submit an image based on the theme ‘My Best Friend’. Judging the competition will be award-winning Clare Champion photographer John Kelly, commercial and wedding photographer Paul Corey and Chris Copley, a member of the committee of Ennis Camera Club. The competition is now open, with April 6 the closing date for submissions. According to organisers, they have already been blown away with some of the entries that have been received. However, it is not too late to get involved. Photographs for the competition must be entered in digital format and winners will be printed and presented at an awards night …

A PHOTO opportunity with a difference is being offered to the young people of Clare thanks to both Ennis Rotary Club and The Clare Champion. The two organisations and several other sponsors have joined forces to offer the talented youth of Clare an opportunity to excel and be recognised for photography. This is the first year of what is hoped will become an annual competition for those between the ages of seven and 18 living in County Clare. The budding young photographers are asked to submit an image based on the theme ‘My Best Friend’. Judging the competition will be award-winning Clare Champion photographer John Kelly, commercial and wedding photographer Paul Corey and Chris Copley, a committee member of Ennis Camera Club. The competition is now open, with submissions closing on April 6. The competition is a first for Ennis Rotary Club, according to its president Michael Shepherd. “For many years Rotary has held a youth leadership competition and the …

As storm Eleanor battered the West Clare coastline this afternoon (Tuesday), Clare Champion photographer John Kelly visited a few locations to capture images of its power. Standing at a distance, John described how waves “as high as a two-storey house” were crashing over the harbour wall at picturesque Liscannor. The  waves were also crashing high above the prom and seawall  at Lahinch, with water gushing through the alleyways and onto the Main Street. It was the same scenario at inlets, beach resorts and small harbours south of Lahich and north of Liscannor. Earlier in the day, Clare County Council warned  members of the public to avoid exposed coastal locations from this evening (Tuesday) through to tomorrow morning (Wednesday) due to forecast stormy conditions. The storm, named Eleanor under the Met Éireann / UK Met Office storm naming system,is moving in off the Atlantic and will move across the country this evening. Southwest to west winds of mean speeds 65 to …

AN exhibition celebrating the career of Clare Champion photographer John Kelly goes on display at Shannon Airport from this Friday and will remain on show throughout the month of August. The exhibition, Between You, Me & The Wall, was previously on display in Glór last year and drew on his 25 years at work in The Clare Champion and is now being brought to this second venue, in conjunction with Shannon Airport. Speaking this week, John said he had really enjoyed selecting the work that features in the exhibition. “I even found stuff I had forgotten I had. It’s nice to go back and see how things have changed, see how people have changed, cars have changed, hairstyles have changed, attitudes have changed; everything has changed in 25 years.” When he entered newspaper photography in the early ’90s, the technology being used was wildly different to today. “We started off in the dark room, shooting all black and white film, …