Focused on putting history in the frame

There are few events in Galway from the 1960s onwards where Stan Shields, the former Chief

Photographer for the Connacht Tribune Group, could not be spotted at – his camera in hand, ready to capture the view from every angle.

As Ireland and Galway commemorates the centenary of the 1916 rising this year, they too marked the 50th anniversary in 1966 with a whole host of parades and plaque unveilings.

And Stan was there, at them all, making sure that the readers of the Connacht and City Tribune, as well as the Sentinel, had a front row view.

On Monday last, a commemoration was held at the Lime Park House with unveiling of a roadside plaque at the location where Liam Mellows and the Galway volunteers surrendered to the might of the British Empire 100 years ago to the day.

A similar event was held 50 years prior, and Stan, it is safe to say, was one of the few to be at both – but was certainly the only photographer to have worked at both.

Michael Howley, grandson of the volunteer Peter Howley, explained that the presence of a photographer at these events is so important in ensuring that the next generation can understand the importance of the rising.

“It is so important – Stan was there fifty years ago – and when you look at those photos now, and you see the faces, it creates a bond and a connection,” said Michael. “If you were only to have the event so that there would be a picture taken, it would still have the same importance.”

For Stan, the commemorations in 1966 didn’t leave as big a mark on his memory as perhaps being jumped on by two CIA agents as he climbed in the car with President Kennedy – but the event brought back memories of an Ireland very different to today.

“It brought back great memories of how things were,” said Stan. “Everything is very different today, Ireland is very different.”

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.