Make it Snappy

A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF ATHY
A PHOTOGRAPHIC PROJECT
[WEEK COMMENCING SUNDAY, 7TH SEPTEMBER 2008]

The ordinary activities of everyday life are seldom remembered and are generally unappreciated. Yet photographs of yesteryear showing ordinary people going about their everyday activities evoke an interest which is charming and nostalgic. The merit of photographic records is unquestioned, yet despite the advances in photography we are slow to adequately record and document the society in which we live.

Athy Heritage Centre in cooperation with Athy Photographic Society have initiated a project to capture on film the people, events, places and buildings of Athy during the week commencing 7th September 2008. This is a co-operative project involving not only the two organisations but more importantly the people of Athy. The purpose of the project is to record, by way of photos and film, the people of Athy in their home, at work and in their leisure hours. This will facilitate the creation of an archive of still photographs and film reflecting community life in our town at the start of the 21st century. Various events and parts of the town will be allocated to members of Athy Photographic Group and other volunteers to photograph during the week commencing 7th September 2008. In addition it is hoped that others participating will take photographs or film and in doing so select their own scenes from a long list of possible themes which include.

The following to be photographed during the week.

1. Local factories.

2. Shops and supermarkets, public houses, offices, hotels.

3. People in the streets, at the railway station, at bus stops.

4. Leisure activities – People’s Park, river walks, etc.

5. Public services – Gardai, Fire Brigade, Post Office, Town Council, Ambulance Services, Kildare County Council, Banks, Building Societies, Credit Union, Public Library, Heritage Centre and Social Welfare Office.

6. Clubs – Rugby, GFC, Golf Club, Church Hall on Carlow Road, Tennis Club, Bridge Club, Soccer, Lions Club, Boxing Club, Boy Scouts, Order of Malta, Macra na Feirme, I.C.A., local residents associations.

7. St. Vincent’s Hospital, Clover Lodge Nursing Home, Wheelchair Association, Cuan Mhuire and KARE.

8. Housing Estates.


This list is not exhaustive.

It is hoped to involve all of the people of Athy in this project, whether as photographers or as willing subjects of photographs. We are particularly anxious for family group photographs to be taken during the week of the project and would encourage every household to arrange to do this. If anyone needs help in that regard please contact either of us and we will make appropriate arrangements.

If you are using a digital camera the photographs should be of high resolution JPEG format and ideally should be handed into the Heritage Centre on a CD. If using film you have the option of handing in printed photographs or a CD which you can arrange to have prepared when having your film processed. If at all possible try and give as much information about the photographs you are submitting so as to facilitate identification of the people, scenes or events photographed.

A meeting will be held in the Heritage Centre on Thursday, 4th September 2008 at 8.00 p.m. to finalise arrangements for the project. All interested in participating are invited to attend. Even if you cannot attend on Thursday but wish to be part of this unique project, take whatever photographs you can during the week and hand them into the Heritage Centre.


VINCENT O’CONNOR FRANK TAAFFE
ATHY PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY ATHY HERITAGE CENTRE
Ph. (086) 255 9542 Ph. (059) 8638181