An image of the World Ploughing Contest held in Co. Kerry in the 1950s features in a new national photographic exhibition.
The National Library of Ireland (NLI) has launched the ‘People and Places’ exhibition in the National Photographic Archive, which is based in Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, Dublin.
The free exhibition aims to capture the social, cultural and technological changes that have taken place across Ireland from the middle of the 19th century up to the turn of this century.
The images on display give a glimpse into Irish history and the evolution of photography.
The exhibition comprises 50 photographs taken between 1858 – 2001, representing the age of analogue photography in Ireland.
World Ploughing Contest
The collection features a photograph from the World Ploughing Contest which took place in Killarney, Co. Kerry on October 8, 1954.
This was the first World Ploughing Contest to take place on European soil and the second ever World Ploughing Competition.
Competitors from 12 countries took part in the event which was won by Hugh Barr, from Coleraine, Co. Derry.
The aerial black-and-white photograph, measuring 10 x 13cm, shows the stalls selling and promoting agricultural goods.
In 2019, the National Ploughing Association (NPA) unveiled a ‘Cairn of Peace’ monument in Killarney to mark its historic hosting of the event.
The World Ploughing Contest was due to be held in Russia last year.
However, following the invasion of Ukraine, it was decided that the event would run alongside the National Ploughing Championships in Co. Laois last September.
Ireland is set to host the World Ploughing Contest again in 2037.
Exhibition
The NLI houses over five million photographs, which are a visual record of the history and culture of Ireland.
“What’s collected today becomes history tomorrow,” Sara Smyth, acting head of exhibitions at the NLI and curator of the exhibition, said.
“The images selected speak to the diversity of Ireland, with photographs representing almost every county, north and south of the border.
“We highlight working-class and middle-class communities; women, who usually appear less often than men in history telling; and we juxtaposition rural communities alongside their urban counterparts.
“Themes, such as climate change and transport, are also addressed,” she said.
There is plenty of time to see the photographs as the exhibition will run until 2025.