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Magnum Ireland
The changing faces of Ireland—social, political, and cultural—documented by some of the greatest photographers of the modern era.
Since the invention of photography, Ireland has been a magnet for photographers, but this book is unique in bringing together the work done by the unrivaled talents of the members of Magnum. From Ireland's first attempts to forge a modern identity in the 1950s to the confident country of the twenty-first century, here is a stunning survey of a beautiful and complex place and people, through times of peace as well as trouble.
The photographs reflect the extraordinary insights of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Elliott Erwitt, Josef Koudelka, Inge Morath, Erich Lessing, Eve Arnold, Martine Franck, Martin Parr, Bruce Gilden, Donovan Wylie, Stuart Franklin, and others. They bring a truly international perspective to the book, reflecting the sensibilities of America, France, Germany, Iran, Japan, Morocco—and, of course, Ireland itself.
Organized decade by decade, the images show the lingering influence of rural life in the 1950s; the hidden story of ordinary Irish men and women—as well as the sectarian conflict—during the uneasy 1960s and 1970s; renewed confidence and the growth of prosperity and peace as the century passed through its last two decades; and the robust "Celtic tiger" of today. Each decade has commentary and context supplied by one of the most notable Irish writers of our time. With texts John Banville, Anthony Cronin, Anne Enright, Eamonn McCann, Nuala O'Faolain, Fintan O'Toole, and Colm Toibin. Over 250 photographs in color and duotone.
A touring exhibition of the photographs in Magnum Ireland will begin in Ireland in Spring 2006 before continuing in the United States.
Since the invention of photography, Ireland has been a magnet for photographers, but this book is unique in bringing together the work done by the unrivaled talents of the members of Magnum. From Ireland's first attempts to forge a modern identity in the 1950s to the confident country of the twenty-first century, here is a stunning survey of a beautiful and complex place and people, through times of peace as well as trouble.
The photographs reflect the extraordinary insights of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Elliott Erwitt, Josef Koudelka, Inge Morath, Erich Lessing, Eve Arnold, Martine Franck, Martin Parr, Bruce Gilden, Donovan Wylie, Stuart Franklin, and others. They bring a truly international perspective to the book, reflecting the sensibilities of America, France, Germany, Iran, Japan, Morocco—and, of course, Ireland itself.
Organized decade by decade, the images show the lingering influence of rural life in the 1950s; the hidden story of ordinary Irish men and women—as well as the sectarian conflict—during the uneasy 1960s and 1970s; renewed confidence and the growth of prosperity and peace as the century passed through its last two decades; and the robust "Celtic tiger" of today. Each decade has commentary and context supplied by one of the most notable Irish writers of our time. With texts John Banville, Anthony Cronin, Anne Enright, Eamonn McCann, Nuala O'Faolain, Fintan O'Toole, and Colm Toibin. Over 250 photographs in color and duotone.
A touring exhibition of the photographs in Magnum Ireland will begin in Ireland in Spring 2006 before continuing in the United States.
- GenresPhotographyNonfiction
256 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2005
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50 people want to read
About the author
John Banville
135 books2,420 followersWilliam John Banville is an Irish novelist, short story writer, adapter of dramas and screenwriter. Though he has been described as "the heir to Proust, via Nabokov", Banville himself maintains that W.B. Yeats and Henry James are the two real influences on his work.
Banville has won the 1976 James Tait Black Memorial Prize, the 2003 International Nonino Prize, the 2005 Booker Prize, the 2011 Franz Kafka Prize, the 2013 Austrian State Prize for European Literature and the 2014 Prince of Asturias Award for Literature. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2007. Italy made him a Cavaliere of the Ordine della Stella d'Italia (essentially a knighthood) in 2017. He is a former member of Aosdána, having voluntarily relinquished the financial stipend in 2001 to another, more impoverished, writer.
Banville was born and grew up in Wexford town in south-east Ireland. He published his first novel, Nightspawn, in 1971. A second, Birchwood, followed two years later. "The Revolutions Trilogy", published between 1976 and 1982, comprises three works, each named in reference to a renowned scientist: Doctor Copernicus, Kepler and The Newton Letter. His next work, Mefisto, had a mathematical theme. His 1989 novel The Book of Evidence, shortlisted for the Booker Prize and winner of that year's Guinness Peat Aviation award, heralded a second trilogy, three works which deal in common with the work of art. "The Frames Trilogy" is completed by Ghosts and Athena, both published during the 1990s. Banville's thirteenth novel, The Sea, won the Booker Prize in 2005. In addition, he publishes crime novels as Benjamin Black — most of these feature the character of Quirke, an Irish pathologist based in Dublin.
Banville is considered a contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature. He lives in Dublin.
Banville has won the 1976 James Tait Black Memorial Prize, the 2003 International Nonino Prize, the 2005 Booker Prize, the 2011 Franz Kafka Prize, the 2013 Austrian State Prize for European Literature and the 2014 Prince of Asturias Award for Literature. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2007. Italy made him a Cavaliere of the Ordine della Stella d'Italia (essentially a knighthood) in 2017. He is a former member of Aosdána, having voluntarily relinquished the financial stipend in 2001 to another, more impoverished, writer.
Banville was born and grew up in Wexford town in south-east Ireland. He published his first novel, Nightspawn, in 1971. A second, Birchwood, followed two years later. "The Revolutions Trilogy", published between 1976 and 1982, comprises three works, each named in reference to a renowned scientist: Doctor Copernicus, Kepler and The Newton Letter. His next work, Mefisto, had a mathematical theme. His 1989 novel The Book of Evidence, shortlisted for the Booker Prize and winner of that year's Guinness Peat Aviation award, heralded a second trilogy, three works which deal in common with the work of art. "The Frames Trilogy" is completed by Ghosts and Athena, both published during the 1990s. Banville's thirteenth novel, The Sea, won the Booker Prize in 2005. In addition, he publishes crime novels as Benjamin Black — most of these feature the character of Quirke, an Irish pathologist based in Dublin.
Banville is considered a contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature. He lives in Dublin.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 28, 2014
"Magnum Ireland" is a forceful look at the grungy Irish agony and ecstasy (seemingly always half terror, half wonder) during the 20th century, and goes totally beyond schmaltzy commercial coffee table fluff. This is a phenomenal anthology of the best documentary work made in Ireland for the Magnum photo cooperative -- everything from gritty 35mm street shots to formal large-format landscape views by the likes of Martin Parr, and spans a range of styles from classic mid-century photojournalism to the New Topographics and beyond. The book includes perspectives on Ireland by several non-Irish photographers, like Josef Koudelka, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Bruce Davidson.
Awesome to see early color photos of Ireland dating back to the late '40s, and to revisit the time (not so long ago) when Ireland was still sunk in serious poverty. It's a hard question to ask as you flip through these photos just how the new Irish affluence will affect the country's landscape, art, literature, and soul, in a place that's now half abandoned, half affluent, with only a third of the population it had before the Famine. Several photos here tackle the ongoing abandonment of rural Ireland, a topic usually overlooked or over-sentimentalized. Another strength of the Magnum book is that it's not focused on politics or "big players." (The gypsy and circus photos are some of the best.)
"Magnum Ireland" is a beautiful, rich, cold, and clinical story all at once. Penetrates pretty fast through all the Irish stereotypes.
Awesome to see early color photos of Ireland dating back to the late '40s, and to revisit the time (not so long ago) when Ireland was still sunk in serious poverty. It's a hard question to ask as you flip through these photos just how the new Irish affluence will affect the country's landscape, art, literature, and soul, in a place that's now half abandoned, half affluent, with only a third of the population it had before the Famine. Several photos here tackle the ongoing abandonment of rural Ireland, a topic usually overlooked or over-sentimentalized. Another strength of the Magnum book is that it's not focused on politics or "big players." (The gypsy and circus photos are some of the best.)
"Magnum Ireland" is a beautiful, rich, cold, and clinical story all at once. Penetrates pretty fast through all the Irish stereotypes.
January 10, 2025
This is a collection of great essays with some interesting photographs. The editors assembled a formidable team of essayists to complement a collection of selective images. The decade by decade commentary brings together a fascinating range of insights into modern Ireland.
March 3, 2012
An outstanding book of photos capturing the many different sides of Ireland. It captures some beautiful imagery from the rural Irish countryside in wonderfully candid portraits and also the darker side of more recent Irish history. At first glance it was the photos taken during the troubles over the course of the last 30 years that I gravitated to the most; However it ended up being a simple portrait of a family making dinner on the Aran islands that ended up being one of my favorites.
Highly recommended if you can find it in a library or used as it can be a bit pricey brand new.
Highly recommended if you can find it in a library or used as it can be a bit pricey brand new.
October 30, 2012
Een heel mooi boek met werk van verschillende fotografen van Magnum. Het omspant de decennia vanaf de jaren zestig tot het eerste decennium van de 21e eeuw. Heel diverse foto's, van portretten tot landschappen tot de geëngageerde fotografie waar Magnum zo bekend om staat.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews