Headland — Heartland — Meadow — Whitethorn
RRB PHOTOBOOKS BRISTOL
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The wheat is green on The sidey hill—walk backways up it: There’s a primeval plain to the south, There’s a flashing river-mouth. There’s virgin soil—no flesh hand can crop it. … A tin-can rings On the flag-stones of a well that’s running low And a townland drinks from love’s unreasonable springs. … Day passes by the front window round by the stables Like a neighbour coming to borrow a graip or a spade Or to see how the farrowing sow is getting on. Today he is a little taller than he was yesterday And a little brighter of the eye. Now he is gone Round by the end of the boiler house, shining on the west gables. … The girls stand Upon the grassy bank of a fence and one holds a briar That cuts the vision in two aside with her hand.
Patrick Kavanagh From Possessing Eden
Tom in Ireland, 1953
2
Enniscoe hay field, 1993
39
Suckler, 1976
4
Wild swans of cool Castle Field, 1976
41
Charlie, 1974
6-7
Campbell’s crossroads, 1996
42
‘Son what do you think?’ Páirc na Críonna, 1993
9
Hedgetrimmers, 2018
43
Key to the book, 2015
10
Red and green, 1990
44
Filigree fields, 1980
11
Prevailing, 1990
45
The last house Edmund built, Gauleen Wee, 1995
12
Later, with lupins, 1993
46
‘I’ll be back in 20 minutes’, Scots Ground, 1979
13
Upper room, McMorrow’s, 2019
47
Tea in Blitos, ‘we still have this kettle’, 1976
14-15
Fancy mirror upstairs, Hickson’s, 2013
48-49
Of ragwort and fuchsia, banks and stones, Ballinglen, 2006
16
‘As far as the east is from the west, so far as He removed our transgressions
51
Cloonamine, 1976
from us’ , Psalms on Croag Patrick. As planned met Chris Killip at top, 2003
52
Granny and Jacqueline feeding the hens, early 1960s
Lost by one point (Mayo last won the All-Ireland final 1951), Ballycastle,
53
Stooking the hay, Gauleen Wee, 1995
2013
54
Picking the site, Gauleen Wee, 1993
18
Little boxes, n.d.
55
Nosing a cow, 1980s
19
Intelligence of sheep, Portacloy Bay, Ceathrú Thaidhg, 2017
56
Violet in blue, (having to sell the land), 1991
20-21
Red Cemetery, Kilmurray, 2008
57
Tea and crackers, 1973
22
Red bonnet, 1990
58
Feeding time, Ruari and Charlie, 1996
24-25
Annual migration, 1996
59
Tea set, (leaves for Kathleen to read), 1990
27
Roadside roundup at lake view, 1999
61
Jacqueline and cattle, Lake Field, 1973
28
‘Looks like something seen out of the corner of my eye while I was going
62
Jacqueline with Julia the mare, (Julia worked 32 years before being sent to
17
somewhere else’ (John Davies), 1990
the factory), 1960s
29
Albert Reynolds, Edgeworthstown, 2002
63
Wedding present for Vivian, Blitos, 2006
30
Sky blue, St. Mary’s Bofeenaun, 2003
64
Outdoors/Indoors, 1980s
31
Under ravens nesting, 1991
65
River Deel, view from Gents, John Cawley’s Bar, 1995
32
Yes this does happen, 2012
66
Norman and Alan, 1974
33
Ruminants, 2004
67
Tommy and Poppy’s wedding, 1955
34
May Day bush, Céide Fields, 2005
68-69
‘Unadulterated bliss’, the Nut Gardens, (unworked since Charlie left in 1954),
35
Wiring, Nephin Beg Range, 1986
36
My mind’s eye, Donegal, 2000
70
Auntie Betty’s school book, 1930s
37
Moon over Ruane home, 2012
71
Unopened, upstairs Hicksons, 2013
38
To McMorrow’s for a pint, 1991
72
Unnamed standing stones, Connemara, 1987
2008
73
Jack Leonard, ‘on a beautiful moonlit night, fixing a puncture, Jack reciting
101
Gateway to Nephin, 1993
from Songs of Osian – were you ever out on the great alone…’ n.d.
102
Time lapse, 1990
74
Saints and Mothers, (Micheal Gilroy), 2019
103
Zetor, from Jenůfa’s home, 2013
75
Goodbye Norman, (in the bed he was born in - where George, Charlie, Tommy,
104
Charlie and Tom, 1951
Jim, Betty were born, where I was born. Where little Charlie, Jacqueline and
105
Air bells (Agfa Portriga Rapid), Kerry, 1988
Alan were born. I said, ‘I’ll see you in a few weeks’, he said ‘you’ll have to go to
106-107 Past the Priest, 1980s
Garraunard’, [the funeral home]. He lifted his hand, said goodbye Tom, I lifted
108
Lone digger, Reynville, 1980
my hand and said goodbye Norman), 2006
109
Approaching Manulla Junction, 1978
76
Sweet Afton or Senior Service, n.d.
111
Key to the book 2, Connemara, 1987
77
Tullycross, Connemara, 1980
112
The North, (gates to the Green Field), 1976
78
Jacqueline and hayfork, the Well Field, 1978
113
Less taken, 1986
79
A tree in a nest, (walking the fields with Ivan Fair), 1978
114-115 Pailings, Our Ladies Kilmurray, 2008
80
Heather for the garden back home, Tullycross, Connemara, 1992
116
Rose of Tralee, 1990
81
Charlie, Lake Field, 1986
117
Sheep dogs, St. Bernard trailing, Ballinglen, 2013
83
Coastline near Renvyle, 1987
118
Delinquent cow, Slievemore, Achill, 1979
84
Opis Map (home of Major Pratt. He never married and his life’s work was the
119
Old man looks out/loyal companions, 2005
garden), Enniscoe, 2012
120
Norman, my pram, 1951
85
Céide Fields, Belderrig, 2013
121
Into the vista, 1990
86-87
Soft evening clearing light, (fishing boat leaving Clew Bay), 1999
122-123 Monarch of All He Surveys (recited to me from ‘The Great Hunger’), 2006
88
Atlantic Cliffs towards Downpatrick Head, 2013
124
Flanked by Cushogs, 1986
89
Bitter eyes, Cacht (Kathleen) Leonard, Queen of Connaught, (went to school in
125
Walk to the Green Rooms (bit the camera arm as I passed), Kilshannig, 1987
bare feet, only returned of funerals), 1995
127
Back of beyond, 2000
90
Due west to America, 1986
128
Poor old horse, Donegal Gaeltacht, 1999
91
Hurricane at Kidd Island, 2013
129
Out back to the toilet, Henney’s Pub, 1987
92
‘Essence of the Glen’/ local efforts, 2013
130-131 ‘White wyandots like powder-puffs’, (PK), Donegal, 1999
93
Dugort, Achill, 1986
132
Worked for Major Pratt, (left, Vivian’s Grandfather), early 1950s
94
Forms of water, 1992
133
‘Who’s that now?’ 1993
95
Can we agree? Kylemore, 2001
134
Making hay, 1986
97
Trapped, the Nut Gardens, 1980s
135
Sleán, 1990s
98-99
Patches of blue, 1994
137
Banjaxed (with Hugh Lynn), 1974
100
Roadsign perch, n.d.
138
Mare and pony, Norman, Little Charlie, Maureen and Trixie, 1960s
139
All the stories I never heard (arguing about the best way to mix dung), 1977
175
140
Late June, 1974
176-177 Up to their necks in meadow thistles, 2010
141
I asked Marion to photograph Nephin and the rock we sat on, 1970
178-179 Lost in Mayo, (the first evening with Neal and Fred), 1997
142-143 Where Paddy Leonard lived before he went to Boston, 2005
180
144-145 A new floor, Mt. Nephin, 2006
‘Not too far’, Ballycastle, 2017
The great aunts, Jane and Rebecca, never married, played violin for Queen Victoria, buried in unmarked graves, (or could be Vivian’s Lynn family sisters).
147
Key to the book 3, upstairs, McMorrows, 2019
181
148
Gloss, n.d.
182-183 Sycamore to make a garden, 2006
149
Granny’s geraniums, 1972
185
‘Not much happened there’ (Johnny Gallagher), Strokestown, 2000
150
‘Jesus I don’t remember the stable being pink’, 2008
186
Reflected past, 1996
151
A gentleman’s bedroom, (John Cawley’s as he left it), 2008
187
Political movement, (Jack Leonard?), n.d.
152-153 Aggies bedroom (She was very religious. Every Sunday she would go to the
188
The Windy Gap, 1991
graveyard and clean up the graves of people she knew who had no relatives.
189
The Land League, Campaign of the West, (Jack Leonard, Thornton Pickard
She used to say “will anyone clean my grave when I’m gone?”), 2013 154-155 Aggies kitchen (She had three clocks, one with time set to East Coast America,
Close to reality, 2019
Camera), c.1909 190-191 Horses’ Haven, 2012
one at the correct time and one set an hour different for when the clocks go
192-193 Resting place for Ruane and Leonard, Kilmurray Cemetery, 2008
forward or back), 2013
194-195 In position, Gortskeddia, 2004
156-157 Where the aunts lived and I grew up (swifts nest in the rafters), 2008
197
158-159 Stonewall footprints, Presbyterian Church, Ballycastle, 2008
White lichen, (estimated 1165 species of lichen found in Ireland), Rakestreet, 1996
160
Perspicuous, McMorrow’s Bar, 2019
198
Nigel with Alan, 2015
161
Green in every shot, (like John Ford or Hinde), Achill, 1990
199
Niall coming on 5, Nigel age 8, 2015
163
How do you explain pictures to a dead German? 1975
200
Ballina, B&W Corner, 1978
164
Emerald Green, Leenane, Connemara, 1988
201
Richard Harris, 1987
165
Bluestone for Kerr’s Pinks, small field at Garveys, 1975
202
Reflected past 2, Bridge Street, 2013
166
Cycling to Bofeenaun to meet Rowland girl, Christmas Eve, 1975
203
A large pint! Ballina, 2000
167
A charm, 2011
204
Hickson’s Corner, 1975
168
Norman, Polly’s Acre, 1991
205
An enquiry, Cawley’s, 1991
169
Palaeolithic Plain, back from Pontoon, 1975
206
Heels, Westport, 1990
170
Steady lift from Norman, 1994
207
Inverse patina, Gaughan’s Bar, Ballina, 2019
171
Udder and a smile, (evening milking), 1997
208
Flight of the girls, photocopy, Crossmolina, 1990
172
Under the wires, Enniscoe, 1996
209
Box under each Hickson brother’s Bed, 2013
173
Fallen wren, 1995
211
‘Away on with you’, 1993
212
Flight of the girls 2, 1990
246
Somebody’s blues. Somebody’s reds, 1998
213
My life/after school, Westport, 1990
247
A glass of stout, (John just about in a book), 1998
214
Radio Eireann, 1988
248
Cowboys/middle child, Ballina Show, 1990s
215
Father to lunch, 1993
249
Carr’s icepole, 1997
216-217 Liam Cawley’s Hardware Store, 2004
250
Nigel, age 5, 2013
218
‘Well, these now…’ James Cawley, 1991
251
The passing show, 1996
219
Modelling at Hickson’s, 2013
252-253 The passing show 2, (last ever visit to Crossmolina), 2004
220-221 Inherited by Geraldine, 2009
254-255 Ciaran, Cait, Matty, Niall, Nephin, Loch Conn, 1994
222-223 Out from Hickson’s, 1997
256
Goatherd, Kerry, 1987
224
Vincent Leonard the Hackney Man, 1986
257
Plasterers on the verge, 1987
225
Taxi to the West, (from Dublin in Vincent Leonards’ Ford Consul, shared
258
Standing tall on Gráinne, (quietest cow in Mayo, milked for the house. This
with fellow Irishmen travelling home, 3 in front, 3 in back, Madonna on
Charolais cow had 17 calves and lived to be 21. Down the Shraigh), 1975
the dash-board. ‘Each town we passed a magic password’ Mullingar,
259
Alan, Charlie and Gráinne, the Shraigh, 1986
Edgeworthstown, Longford, Ballinagare, Frenchpark, Charlestown,
261
A promise, Loch Conn, n.d.
Foxford [Paul Durcan]), 1986
262-263 The green track, (once Tommy’s land), 1997
226
A camera, 1986
264
Puddles, Irish Ikebana, 1987
227
Half-talk code, 2001
265
Stone into stone, 1981
229
‘This fella here’, Sligo Fleadh, 2015
266
One for the cats eyes, follow the white line, 1995
230
Irish Bar in Notting Hill, London, 1973
268
The airport down in Knock, 2000
231
‘Well now’, 1973
269
The leaving, Shannon Airport, 1960s
232
Henney’s at 7, 1987
272
Tom with Trixie, 1953
233
Buttons (Irishman in Leicester), 1975
234-235 Bosca Ceoil, 1997 236-237 Fleadh, Ballina, 1997 238
‘Now for ye’s’, 2019
239
Table for one, Lahardan Fair, 2004
240-241 Ballina Show, 2006 242
Wondering brothers, Crossmolina Show, 2015.
243
Abode of stones, Bonniconlon, 1993
244
Lunging/larruping, Bonniconlon, 2005
245
Race meeting, Ballinrobe, 2018
Photographs were made in the west of Ireland between 1970 and 2019 Co. Mayo Sligo Donegal Galway Clare Limerick Kerry Cork
Camera
Film Format
Kodak Brownie Cresta (1965)
1970-73
6x6 cm
Rolleicord IV (1953)
1972-80
6x6 cm
Olympus 35 ECR (1972)
1972-74
35 mm
Olympus OM1 (1972)
1974-79
35 mm
Linhof Tecknika UR (1934)
1977-86
6x9 cm
Ensign Selfix 8-20 (1952)
1979-82
6x9 cm
Leica M2 (1954)
1980-present
35 mm
Leica M3 (1954)
1981-84
35 mm
Leica CL(1973)
1984-88
35 mm
Plaubel Makina 670 (1978)
1983-89
6x7 cm
Wista Field 8105
1984-87
8x10 inch
Noblex Pro 6/175 UX
1996-99
5x17 cm
Noblex Pro 6/150 UX
1999-present
5x12 cm
Hasselblad XPan (1998)
2000-02
24x65 mm
Widelux F1 (1959)
1989-96
24x56 mm
Mamiya 7 II
2005-present
6x7 cm
Mamiya Universal (1969)
2000-08
6x7,6x9 cm
Mamiya Press (1960)
2018-present
6x7,6x9 cm
Leica M9
2010-13
Digital
Fuji x 100/x 1005
2012-15
Digital
Leica M240
2014-present
Digital
Leica CL
2018-present
Digital
Bell & Howell 624
1970s
Standard 8 mm
Nizo 58T
1980s
Super 8 mm
JVC GR-S77
1988-94
Super VHS Tape
Sony CCD-TR2000
1994-2000
Hi-8 Tape
Canon XM1
2000-07
Digital Mini DV
Leica M 240
2014-2018
HD1080p Digital
Leica CL
2018-present
3K Digital
Film/Video camera
Acknowledgements Firstly, I want to express enormous gratitude to all those who trusted me and let me photograph them, without whose help and support I would not have kept going. Thank you to all my family in Ireland: Alan, Vivian, Nigel, Niall, Jacqueline and Reuben, for years of hospitality. Alan in particular for all his patience with me since 1972! Vivian for her research and encouragement. And also to the Leonard and Ruane families. To the Stones, Allens and Woods. John Stone for map reading and guidance through the topography of the West. To my own family Lorna, Ciarán & Ruari, for everything. I would like to thank Peter Finnemore for the first edit and sequencing, many of his ideas carried through to the final book. And Padraig Timoney, above all, for his layout and vision, for orchestrating all the additional photographs as the book doubled in size. The scale and range of the material must have tested him to the limit. I am grateful also to Rudi, Josie and RRB Photobooks, for taking on such a large project in its unabridged form. Additionally, my thanks to the Arts Council of Wales, Mark Durden for the initial curation, Centre Culturel Irlandais Paris, Ballinglen Arts Foundation, Françoise Bornstein, Augusta Edwards, Richard Bright and Maurice O’Brien at BBC 4, Iolo Williams, Martin Parr, Matt Stuart, François Saint-Pierre, Douglas Gordon, Anthony Haughey, Helen Blakeman, Tim Williams, Paul Lowe at Spectrum, Kirsten Jensen and all at Narayana Press. My thanks to the locals around Crossmolina, Ballina and Ballycastle, the Lynn family, Eamonn O’Boyle, John Patterson, Geraldine at Hickson’s, Barbara Kelly, Cauleen Barrett, Mary Munnelly, Eileen Robinson, the Leonard Collection. In memory of those who are no longer with us: Uncle Norman, Charlie, Kathleen, Violet, ‘little Charlie’, my sister Marion Stone (née Wood) and Edmund Burke.
The lines from ‘Possessing Eden’, ‘The Hospital’ and ‘Inniskeen Road: July Evening’ by Patrick Kavanagh are reprinted by kind permission of the Trustees of the Estate of the late Katherine B. Kavanagh, through the Jonathan Williams Literary Agency.
RRB Photobooks, October 2021 Photographs © Tom Wood Layout, artwork and Special Edition dustwrapper by Padraig Timoney Hardcover and typesetting by Jessamine Thoemmes-Tondowski Scans and additional design by Richard Millichap Scans and quality control by Craig Magee Printed at Narayana Press, Denmark 978-1-83-826833-6 rrbphotobooks.com