Photographs a record of Roscommon’s social history
Thousands of photographs that were taken by the late Michael ‘Mickcie’ Farrell have been saved for posterity thanks to the initiative of two well-known local men.
Auctioneer Pat Hughes this week formally handed over the collection to Sean Browne of Castle Studios in Castlerea.
Sean says there are “thousands of negatives” in the collection left behind by Mr. Farrell, who died in 2005. Mr. Farrell was a prolific professional photographer for many years.
“There are photographs from all kinds of community events, including weddings, communions, parades – and indeed from outlying towns and villages” Sean Browne told the Roscommon People.
Mr. Hughes purchased ‘Mickcie’ Farrell’s house in Church Street, Roscommon some years ago. When he unearthed the massive photo collection he was anxious that they would be salvaged. Pat contacted his friend, Sean Browne, who is vastly experienced in the video and photography business.
Sean expressed delight this week.
“I think it’s a great credit to Pat Hughes that he had the vision to retain them and then pass them on. They will now be kept for posterity. It would take years to go through them all but I certainly look forward to scanning them…it will be time-consuming, but it will be an adventure! After all, they are a wonderful record of our social history.”
Also handed over to Mr. Browne were a Kodak Kodascope Cinema Projector and Junior Sanderson Camera which ‘Mickcie’ Farrell worked with, and which were included with the sale of the property to Mr. Hughes.
On this page we reproduce some images of Mickcie’s – courtesy of Sean Browne – taken on Fair Day in Roscommon Town in 1952.
* If anyone wishes to view the photographs online please see facebook.com/seanbrownevideo
