The Photo Album of the Irish Canada edition celebrates the ordinary and extraordinary histories of Canadians with Irish heritage across generations, reflected in family photo albums. Beginning in February 2019, the Photo Museum Ireland team worked with families across Canada to record, preserve and share diverse social histories, revealing details that official histories can often overlook. The project continued during the COVID-19 lockdown thanks to the support of the Embassy of Ireland in Canada, the Consulate of Ireland Vancouver, The Irish Women’s Network BC, the Canada Ireland Foundation and the dedication of individual contributors.
The resulting exhibition, book and online archive present a diverse and varied insight into the family histories of Canada’s Irish diaspora that is at once personal and universal.
The Photo Album of the Irish: Canada is the latest edition of the wider Photo Album of the Irish Digital Archive project. Begun in 2014, the project celebrates the ordinary and extraordinary histories of people with Irish heritage across generations. It is building a unique visual record that is at once personal and universal.
Photo Museum Ireland would like to thank the families for their generosity in contributing to the Photo Album of the Irish: Canada project: Glass Family; Courtney Family; Davis Family; Hurley Family; Hughes Family; O’Hare- Schubert/Jahrig Family; Flood Family; and the O’Ruairc Family; and Elaine Wong. This project was made possible in B.C. thanks to the support and commitment of Frank Flood, Consul General of Ireland, Vancouver, Jennifer Bourke, and Bláithín Noone and the team at the Consulate General of Ireland, Vancouver, Eilis Courtney, President of the Irish Women’s Network of B.C.
Supported by the Government of Ireland Emigrant Support Programme.
The Photo Album of the Irish: Canada is an initiative of Photo Museum Ireland, Organised in partnership with the Consulate General of Ireland, Vancouver; Embassy of Ireland, Ottawa; the Irish Women’s Network of B.C., Ireland Canada Foundation; Eamonn O’Loghlin Irish Canadian Immigration Centre, Toronto.
