28 September 2026
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Some of Ireland’s most powerful press photographs of the past year are currently on display in Cork, with the AIB Press Photographers Ireland exhibition open to the public in the Atrium of Cork City Hall until Wednesday morning, September 30.
The exhibition was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Damian Boylan, at an event attended by members of local camera clubs, representatives of AIB, local media and members of Press Photographers Ireland whose work features in the exhibition.
Welcoming photographers and guests, the Lord Mayor highlighted the enduring importance of professional press photography in an era of constant information and increasingly sophisticated image manipulation.
“Yet the value of a great press photograph remains unchanged,” he said. “A powerful image can tell a story in a fraction of a second, capturing joy, triumph and heartbreak, capturing history itself in a way that words alone often cannot.”
He described press photographers as “witnesses to history”, noting that long after headlines fade, it is often photographs that remain in the collective memory.
“They help us remember not just what happened, but how it felt,” he said, highlighting the ability of photographs to capture “the human emotion behind the story”.
The Lord Mayor also paid tribute to the role of photographers in documenting life in Cork, from housing and infrastructure projects to cultural events, community initiatives and the people and organisations that make up the city.
“Your photography helps bring these stories to life,” he said. “It helps residents see the progress being made in their city and the people who are helping to make it happen.”
He also emphasised the wider democratic importance of the profession.
“Your work is also an important expression of a free and independent press,” he said. “A healthy democracy depends on informed citizens, who depend on journalists and photographers to record events honestly, accurately and without fear or favour.”
He said that Ireland’s free and independent press should never be taken for granted, and recognised the “skill, dedication and professionalism” required of press photographers, including their patience, judgement, technical ability and, at times, courage.
Chani Anderson, Communications Officer with Press Photographers Ireland, and winner of the reportage category, said the exhibition demonstrated exactly why professional press photography continues to matter.
“What you’re looking at on these walls is not just photography, it’s history,” she said. “These are moments that mattered, captured honestly, responsibly, and often under enormous pressure by photographers who dedicate their lives to documenting the world as it really is.
“Because being a press photographer is about far more than taking pictures. It’s about judgement. Ethics. Trust. It’s about knowing when to put the camera down, when to keep shooting, and how to tell the truth with integrity.”
A highlight of the evening was a presentation looking back through the archive of Mark Condren, who this year became AIB Press Photographer of the Year for a record-breaking seventh time.
For more than two decades, the Castletownroche native has documented Ireland and the wider world, from the aftermath of earthquakes in Haiti and Nepal to conflict zones in Syria and Gaza. His work has also included an early long-form project documenting An Garda Síochána, which became a fundraising book for Temple Street Children’s Hospital, while his repeated return to Haiti reflected his desire to continue telling stories long after the international spotlight had moved on.
The AIB Press Photographers Ireland exhibition features award-winning images from across Ireland and beyond and offers a snapshot of the stories, people and moments that shaped the past year.
The exhibition is on display in the Atrium of Cork City Hall’s new civic offices on Anglesea Street until Wednesday morning, September 30, after which it will continue to tour the country. Follow @PressPhotographers_irl on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for details of upcoming locations and updates.
Press Photographer of the Year Mark Condren delivers his presentation to guests at the opening of the AIB Press Photographer of the Year exhibition in Cork City Hall. Picture: John Allen.
Ger, Emma and Luke McCarthy pictured at the opening of the AIB Press Photographer of the Year exhibition in Cork City Hall. Picture: John Allen
Guests browse the collection at the opening of the AIB Press Photographer of the Year exhibition in Cork City Hall, which showcases the work of press photographers documenting the people, places and events that shape our lives. Picture: John Allen.
Lord Mayor of Cork Councillor Damien Boylan addresses guests at the opening of the AIB Press Photographer of the Year exhibition in Cork City Hall. Picture: John Allen.