Arts Week with Judy Murphy

“When you put a camera in your hand, it slows you down and you start looking at things in a different way,” says chairperson of Galway Camera Club, Patricia Donohue.

Fellow members John Considine and Michael Gough agree.

“It makes you notice things,” says Michael, while John feels that “being in a photography club opens your mind to different opportunities and different ways of seeing”.

Members of the public will have a chance to enjoy the work of camera club members this Sunday, March 30, at an exhibition in the city’s Galway Rowing Club.

One wall will have work with the theme This is Galway, with images capturing diverse aspects of the city.

The other work being shown is more general and, as John explains, the exhibition will also be a social occasion, with members on hand to share their knowledge and the stories behind their photos.

Galway Camera Club, which is more than 60 years old, attracts people of all ages, “from students at ATU to seniors”, says Patricia. Currently, it has almost 60 members with four of them having first signed up more than 30 years ago.

“I’m only involved for seven or eight years,” says this relative newbie with a laugh. Patricia did a GRETB photography course after retiring, where the Education and Training Board lent equipment to students. She got hooked.

“It made me realise I could handle a DSLR camera and helped me step out of my comfort zone.”

As she discusses the club’s busy annual calendar with John and Michael, it’s clear they work hard to ensure things run smoothly.

The club runs from September to early May, with 30-40 people regularly attending weekly meetings, rising to 50 in winter. The group has its meetings, competitions and talks in a room at ATU’s Cluain Mhuire campus, where the university – formerly the GMIT –  has rented a space to the club for more than two decades. They feel Cluain Mhuire is a perfect location, given that the former Redemptorist building now houses ATU’s art and film department.

In the event of storms or snow, meetings move to Zoom.

“And we have an outing every second month,” says Michael, adding that these could be in town or further afield. A recent excursion to the Bellharbour point-to-point offered members an eclectic mix that included horses, dogs, humans and Burren scenery, ensuring everyone was catered for.

But, they add, even on a rainy day at home, there’s always something worth photographing.

Guest speakers help to keep members’ ideas flowing and are happy to share their expertise.

PPAI Photographer of the Year James Crombie – “a great friend,” says Patricia – spoke to the group after returning from the Paris Olympics, giving a great insight into what his job there involved; there was very little by way of glamour, they agree.

Pictured: A selection of the photographs on display.