About me : an insight into my influences and background

Although I began learning the craft of photography and darkroom processing during my secondary school days in Waterford, Ireland, professional work demands ensured that I didn't take photographs consistently until more recent years. I started my career in broadcast journalism with WLR in Waterford (during the pirate radio era) before moving to RTE in Dublin in 1987 where I worked as a senior journalist and producer in Radio News and Current Affairs programming. 

Being an active shop steward/chapel and branch chairperson with the Dublin Broadcasting Branch of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) led to me becoming the union's senior full time official in Ireland (Irish Secretary) in 1994. I moved to the Civil Public and Services Union (CPSU) in 2002 and eventually, as it's General Secretary, negotiated the union's amalgamation with two other public service unions to form Ireland's second largest union, Fórsa, in 2018. 

Retirement beckoned in 2024 and while I still do some consultancy work in Organisational Communications and Facilitation, I am finally finding the time to explore my passion for documentary photography. In that context my earlier years as part of the the arts community in Waterford , my work in journalism and latterly in the trade union movement means social justice, inclusion, diversity and political change are key motivational touchstones.

My first exhibition 'RETRO 40 - On a Night Like This' was shown as part of the Imagine Arts Festival in Waterford, in late October/November 2025. Currently I'm working on an exhibition 'The War in Spain - travels in the footsteps of the Waterford International Brigadistas, 1936 - 1938' scheduled to open in the Index Gallery at the  City's Central Library in late April/early May 2026.

I am interested in taking on new projects involving people, landcapes and buildings working in black and white. Feel free to use the contact page if you have some thoughts or proposals you'd like to discuss with me.