World honour for Corofin snapper

A Corofin man has won one of the world’s top photography prizes. Kenneth O’Halloran was revealed as one of the World Press Photo award winners at the weekend for his stunning Fair Trade series of portraits, which tells the story of Irish country fairs.

The annual awards are recognised as the world’s best showcase of photographic talent from around the globe. Kenneth was placed third in the portraits, stories category.
“It is a great honour to be recognised by World Press Photo. I spent over two years travelling all over Ireland to fairs and festivals and met hundreds of amazing people, all of whom made the collection what it is,” Kenneth said.
The photo essay included pictures taken at Spancilhill fair, Cork’s Cahirmee Fair and Galway’s Ballinasloe Horse Fair. Getting recognised for this work is particularly meaningful given that it is so close to the type of events Kenneth covered when starting out as a photographer.
“During my teens I fell into the role of village photographer recording local horse shows, fetes, communion and confirmation ceremonies. There were some expectations at home that I might become a school teacher, following a well-worn path but all I wanted to do was take pictures,” Kenneth said.
It is the third major international accolade this year for the North Clare man, who was also recently short listed for the Terry O’Neill award and the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2010 at the National Portrait Gallery, London.
The North Clare man must be becoming quite used to the spotlight of award ceremonies having picked up over 10 national photographic awards in his career. His work has appeared in publications like the Sunday Times Magazine, Paris Match and Time Magazine.
Kenneth is a son of Eileen and Michael O’Halloran who run an undertaking business in Corofin. He is a former pupil of the Christian Brothers in Ennis and is a graduate of the Dun Laoghaire School of Art and Design.
Kenneth is well known in the Mid-West having worked for photographic agency Press 22 before freelancing in Dublin and becoming a staff photographer with Independent Newspapers in Dublin.