Photography – The First Hundred Years with Andy Kelly. A brief look at the development of photography, featuring some of the earliest photographers and photographs from Cork and West Waterford

Before the opening of the Youghal Film and Photographic Museum, Andy had a lifelong passion for photography and film, which began at the age of nine when he acquired an old Box Brownie camera. Over the years, he built up an extensive collection of historic photographs, negatives, films, cameras and projectors, preserving invaluable images of Waterford and the surrounding areas.

Andy has published and contributed to a number of photography related publications. He has also worked as a projectionist with the Waterford Film Society for more than twenty years.

Much of Andy’s work has focused on restoring, identifying and sharing these images, ensuring that future generations can see and better understand the lives, places and communities they represent.

In 2021, Andy first proposed the idea of establishing a Film and Photographic Museum in Youghal. After years of planning and preparation, the museum finally opened its doors in 2024.

Today, the museum houses more than 250 items of photographic equipment dating from the 1880s to the 1980s. It is the only museum of its kind in Ireland, offering visitors a unique insight into the history and evolution of photography and film.

This year also marks the 200th anniversary of the world’s first permanent photograph, captured in France in 1826 by pioneering inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, making it a particularly fitting time to celebrate the rich heritage of photography.

Andy will exhibit several vintage cameras and photographic paraphernalia during the evening.