Rince na hÉireann - The Dance of Ireland
The last fifteen years in the history of Ireland has been one of dramatic change moving the country from a position of economic stagnation to being the fastest growing economy in Europe. This resulted in an alteration in the traditional value structure of the nation, an expansion in the population and a transformation in the appearance of the country.
This appearance often manifests itself in the individual and their correlation to the population in general. Codes of behaviour, notions of chronological movement and aspects of the specific related to the generic all interest me in this new environment. Cultural activities have evolved to a point where they also illustrate this general transformation.
Rince na hÉireann is a set of individual portraits of a group of teenage girls from the Cora Cadwell School of Irish Dancing, Dublin, Ireland. They were photographed in their everyday clothes in the community hall where they practice on a weekly basis. They were also photographed outdoors in their costumes which they use when performing in feiseanna (competitions). As an ex-dancer I chose to work with a group of girls that have only lived in what might be called a post ‘Riverdance’ culture.
By portraying specific individuals involved in a traditional activity whose roots are firmly grounded in the past and whose whole raison d’etre has been to develop an understanding of what it is to be Irish I hopefully give some insight into this extraordinary change. These simple images aim to detail the ordinary yet allude to the extraordinary.
For more info contact info@photoireland.com
