‘Once that era is gone, there won’t be people like them again.” The poignant words of Breda Cahill Durr as she reflects on the inspiration behind her first photographic exhibition in Co Roscommon.
‘People Among Us’ was not planned and came about quite naturally. Breda, who has always been taking photos as a hobby, started posting portraits of local people in their own surroundings on social media, and the response was phenomenal.
A photo of her mother, Josie Cahill from Castlerea, who is 92, attracted more than 60,000 views on social media, and she realised it was an idea worth exploring because it was striking a chord with so many people.
“The story is in their faces,” she says. “They probably see their granny or their mother or their neighbour in the photos.”
What was a pastime has become a job over the last year for Breda, with her photos regularly featured in local and national press, including the Irish Farmers Journal.
Stories behind the faces
The exhibition, which will take place in Trinity Arts Centre, Castlerea, on 6 November, is all about ordinary people, especially the older generation – the people we see every day but maybe do not always stop and really look at.
“There is something about the older generation that really draws me in. Their faces tell stories. You can see the life they have lived, the hard work, the humour and the character. I am always looking for the little things – an expression, a pair of hands, a glance or a moment that says something about a person without needing any words,” explains Breda, who lives outside Ballinagare in Co Roscommon.
Most of her photographs are natural and very evocative portraits, taken in people’s own surroundings primarily around Roscommon, but there are also photos from Clare, Mayo and Galway.
For example, baking fan Bridget Lyons, a great grandmother of 25, from Trien in Castlerea, stands in a beautifully whitewashed farmyard in her apron, while Tom Beirne from Ballinagare smiles on the country lane before heading off to feed his cattle with a bucket of meal.
“I didn’t want them to feel posed – I wanted to capture people as they are,” explains Breda. “I would go anywhere to capture that photo.”
And she did just that for her favourite in the exhibition, an atmospheric black and white portrait of Matt Tighe, who still makes cocks of hay in Belmullet, Co Mayo. He needed some persuasion to come in front of the camera, but the result was worth it: showing a scene caught in the mists of time.
Also included in the exhibition is Michael Corcoran from Fairymount, Co Roscommon. Just weeks short of his 86th birthday, he has a few cattle and takes care of the jobs around the yard with the Massey Ferguson 135 he bought brand new in 1978. His story featured in the Irish Farmers Journal, 11 September 2026.
Over tea made on the old range, Michael recalled the family’s 11 ac farm, the limestone quarry that ‘reared’ them and nights dancing in Castlerea and Ballintubber.
Losing people very close to her has changed the way Breda looks at photographs. When someone is gone, those evocative photographs become so precious. She refers to a photo of her late father Anthony, who died in 2018, working on the bog as an example of that.
“In the end, all you have are the photos. Your memories fade,” she says. At the same time, looking at a photo brings a smile to your face, takes you back to a precious memory or a moment you shared with the person.
Memories fade
For Breda, this is the essence of what ‘People Among Us’ means to her. It’s about preserving those faces and moments before they become memories.
Another inspiration was Vanishing Ireland by James Fennell and Turtle Bunbury, a book she came across some time ago featuring portraits of older people in their homes telling their life story.
Breda, who turned 50 this year, says that milestone has made her whole journey over the last 12 months even more special. While she always dabbled in photography in her spare time, it really only became more serious over the last year after doing some courses and getting some opportunities by chance. She had been a stay-at-home mother to her five children, Rachel (23), Anthony (22), Joseph (18), Pauric (15) and Emer (10), for almost 20 years.
“I love it,” she says about the photography. “The fact I get paid for it is a bonus. I put a smile on people’s faces, and they put a smile on mine. It’s given me huge confidence after being home for so long,” Breda tells Irish Country Living. “I suppose it has shown me that it is never too late to start something new,” she adds, paying tribute to her husband TJ for his unstinting support.
“To see my work published in both local and national newspapers has been amazing. I was very nervous at the start and doubted myself a lot, but every opportunity gave me a bit more confidence.”
“Photography has given me a real sense of purpose, and it genuinely makes me happy. I love meeting people, hearing their stories and capturing moments that might otherwise be forgotten. I would travel any distance for a photograph, especially if there is an interesting face, character or story behind it,” she comments.
While Breda is “nervous and excited” about her first exhibition, something she could never have envisaged in her wildest dreams, she wants it to be more than people simply looking at photographs on a wall.
“The pictures will be projected onto a large screen so people can sit, watch and really take them in,” she points out. There will also be music from soloist Jacqueline Kenny and the O’Donoghue Brothers and stories from All-Ireland storytelling champion Vincent Pierse, which for her all fits naturally with the evocative photographs.
“So many of the people I have photographed come from a generation where stories and song were a big part of their lives. It is photography, but it is also music, memories and community,” she adds.
Minister for Social Protection, Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary will officially launch ‘People Among Us’ on Friday 6 November at 8pm in the Trinity Arts Centre, Castlerea. Darragh Kelly will act as MC on the night.
Breda is hugely thankful to the many sponsors who have supported her showcase and says the beneficiary of the event will be Roscommon Sub Aqua Search and Rescue.
“Their members give their time to help others, and I felt that an exhibition about people should also give something back to the community. I want it to be a community evening and an evening of warmth,” Breda points out, adding that she hopes people will come along, recognise a face or two, hear a story, enjoy the music and depart with something to think about.
“If people leave the exhibition thinking about someone they know, a parent, grandparent, neighbour or friend – then I will be happy.
“And maybe someone will go home and take a photograph of a person they love, instead of leaving it for another day,” she concludes.
Breda intends to continue the series into the future and would love to hear from rural people. Contact her by email: durrbreda@yahoo.com or via her Facebook and Instagram page (@photography_by_breda)
