Vanishing Ireland

In their years travelling the Irish countryside, award-winning photographer James Fennell and author and historian Turtle Bunbury are constantly struck by the importance of friendship and community in the lives of the people they meet.
Here, in Vanishing Ireland: Friendship and Community, they take to the roads of Ireland once again and, through stunning photographs and poignant interviews, bring us the stories, friendships and memories that form the identity of our nation.
From sea-swept Ballinskelligs where the traditions of music and storytelling have passed through generations, to the quiet calm of a group of Cistercian monks, we are reminded of a time when kinship and friendship formed the lifeblood of every community; a time before social media and mobile phones, where communicating with a neighbour meant a chat over a cup of tea, on a country lane or over a garden wall.
Through times of adversity and prosperity, the bonds of community between people – family, friends and neighbours – has remained a vital part of Irish life. Vanishing Ireland: Friendship and Community celebrates these bonds and reminds us of what it means to be Irish.