A British Dictionary description: ‘Townland’ and ‘Damhliag’ translate to townland and Duleek respectively; ‘grandson’ retains the same meaning; ‘Donaghshaughlin’ equates to Dunshaughlin; ‘ventilation’ is synonymous with open-air entertainment; ‘correspondence’ maintains the same interpretation; ‘realization’ translates to development; ‘glass plate’ and ‘magic lantern’ have unchanged meanings; ‘project’ remains the same.
The unorganised assortment of photographs were housed in timber boxes on glass panels, some of which have been preserved for well over a century. Not all have lasted, but they’ve avoided ruin for most of the duration.
Daithí Ó Muirí, a descendent of Peadar Ó Muireadhaigh, who amongst other things was a photographer and articulator for the language, was closely linked to the revivalist movement in County Meath in the early 1900s.
He talked about historical images captured by his grandfather during the rebirth that had been brought to attention lately.
Peter Ó Muireadhaigh took birth in 1872 in Rush, a townland located in Duleek, County Meath. He later relocated to Garristown in northern Dublin County, with his family, where they ran a public house and farmed.
The details of his young life are widely unknown, but from his exchange of letters with the influential politicians of that era, it is evident that he developed a keen interest in politics when he was still young, roughly between 1887 and 1889.
In his adolescent years, he dispatched letters to every nationalist politician, requesting their signatures, as noted by Mr. O’Mara. He kept all the responses he got immaculately stored in a book of leftover clippings, currently held by his relatives. This record includes letters from the members of the Irish Parliamentary Party, like Joseph Biggar, T.D. Sullivan, Justin McCarthy, William O’Brien, Thomas Sexton, Tim Healy, and T.P. O’Connor to name a few.
By 1896, Peter had moved to Donnyshaugh, a local term for Dunshaughlin, where he ran his own tavern, and given his occupation, he was familiar to numerous locals. He remained active in community affairs, held the post of secretary for a cyclist club and formed a new one, named the Buffalo Bills. Bicycles had become a common sight on the roads about two decades earlier, making cycling a symbol of personal freedom, which he used to promote resilience within the community.
O’Mara referred to him as a proactive individual. He ran a pub and a store, traded in fuel, pursued farming, participated in hurling, athletics, cycling clubs, and held a passion for photography. Peadar actively engaged in the language movement in County Meath, founding a Conradh na Gaeilge branch in Donnyshaugh’s courthouse in November 1900.
He taught Irish classes, amassing articles from The Claidheamh Soluis, centred around teaching Irish and sharing teaching strategies, shared Ó Muirí. The final saw assistance from four individuals including Seán T. Ó Ceallaigh, who later became Tánaiste and President of Ireland. The rest, Pádraig Archer, Tomás Ó hAodha, and Colm Ó Gairbhigh, were notable figures in the revival movement and cultural scene, referred to as “poets, composers, and playwrights” by Ó Muirí.
Numerous other influencers of the nation’s future were visited by Peter, including Patrick Pearse. “Pearse went to Donnaill in 1902 to make a presentation at an arranged airing,” stated Ó Muirí. He revealed that 1,500 people attended the event, despite only having a population of 300. He noted well-known individuals like Harry Boland and Eamonn Ceannt were later mentioned by Peter.
Photography intrigued Peter. According to O’Mara, he learned it himself despite limited camera availability. Independently trained, he gathered articles from newspapers and magazines, taught himself, purchased a camera, and put it to use. He exhibited his photos publicly across the county.
“He printed them and transferred them onto glass plates for showcasing.” An intense light source was positioned behind the plate or slide in a magic lantern, enabling the images to be projected onto a screen or a fitting wall.
Peter demonstrated his photographic pieces to the crowd, delivering his self-penned verses as accompanying context. He showcased his works in various locations such as Donnyshaugh, Athboy, Trim, Navan, and several other areas of County Meath. “He must have transported them on a bicycle,” O’Mara suggested. Donnybrook, despite having an efficient train network, lacked a train station, indicating that Peter travelled the extra mile to access the rails, according to his statement.
Peter wed Margaret, also known as Daisy Hackett, from Dublin in 1911, and together, they parented nine children. Notably, Margaret was the first female to be elected to the Meath County Council, showcasing her active political involvement. After Peter’s life ended in 1949, his son Brendan preserved his dad’s epistolary and glass plates, although the latter’s quality deteriorated over time. “Stored in wooden crates, many are degraded and some even unprintable due to their lack of clarity,” O’Mara explained.
A retrospective exhibition was curated in 2022 at the Donnybrook Library alongside the publishing of a book titled Peadar Murray’s Photographs the previous year. “The book has roughly 100 photos, among an array of pictures that remain unseen,” said Ó Muirí. Several snaps are of the Conradh na Gaeilge society. One interesting photograph showed the society’s platoon visiting Tara, donned in their Sunday best, as per O’Mara’s description. Among other pictures, one showed girls studying Irish and another captured the Buffalo Bills.
The archive, capturing the past lives of its subjects, boasts of high-definition photos, some of which seem recent due to their apparent clarity. Peter’s total photo collection, featuring between 400 to 500 pictures, is currently housed in the Meath County Council Archives, with hopes of digitising all images in the future given that funding would be accessible.
While the identities of all people captured remain a mystery, Ó Muirí remains hopeful that they will be uncovered eventually. “The Donnybrook historical society has been vital in offering information for some photos, but a good number still remain ambiguous,” he conceded.
“But it’s still probable that somebody recognises a grandfather in them, or perhaps it’s another person altogether who spots him – this signifies that hope still lingers,” he expressed. You can purchase photos by Peadar Murray either at the Dunshaughlin Library or from antoniasbookstore.com, they are priced at €15.