In the summer of 2011, a year after my brother Paul had died, I went back to Ireland to see the family over there. I stayed in County Clare for a few days before heading down to Cork, staying over night in a B&B in Tipperary.
On the way down south, I stopped to take perhaps fifty pictures in geographical squares that had not been bagged either by me or any other Geograph contributor. One stop I made was in the main square of Mitchelstown - a small town in northern County Cork.
It was a case of stopping, taking a couple of pictures and jumping back in the hire car. I didn't even know who the statuesque fellow was on the plinth. It turns out that he was John Mandeville (1849-1888). In 1887, he led an uprising of tenant farmers in the town - protesting about increased rents and evictions.
Three men were killed by police that day in what is sometimes known as "The Mitcheltown Massacre". For his part in the unrest, John Mandeville was arrested, tried and imprisoned. The harsh treatment he received in Cork City Gaol had a truly awful effect upon his health and he died at home the following year at the age of just thirty nine.
I uploaded the statue picture on to the Geograph website and thought little more about it or Mitchelstown until early this year when - out of the blue - I received a message from a retired Mitchelstown resident called Anne Griffin.
Anne is a leading light in the town's active history group and she was co-ordinating the creation and production of a 250 page book called "Mitchelstown Remembered". She had found my statue picture on the internet and wanted to know if she could use it as the cover picture for the book. Of course I agreed and then she asked how much money I wanted for using my image. I said that I wanted nothing but I would love to receive a copy of the book when it came out.
In the course of time I will read the book and send my thoughts about it to Anne Griffin whose energy and "can do" spirit must have made the book happen. Very kindly, Anne also sent me this "thank you" card which was posted on my birthday. If you enlarge it, you may be able to read it better.
Congratulations, you! That's amazing, to have your photo used on a book cover. Isn't it funny how sometimes the pictures we take that seem almost routine wind up attracting the most attention? I've had similar things happen with a few of mine. (Never a book cover, though!)
ReplyDeleteRents & Evictions : No end to the travail of Ireland, centuries in the making.
ReplyDeleteWriting from unknown or emergent writers comes high on my priority book list.
I'll order these stories from Hyndland Books, Glasgow, my local retailers.
Your photo created the cover art ; I'd purchase this book on first sight.
John Mandeville is a local hero ; a man of courage ; their treatment killed him.
As the ghost of Hamlet's father said : * Remember me. *
MISSING PERSONS, OR MY GRANDMOTHER'S SECRETS
Delete(Penguin 2025) by Clair Wills.
A memoir and family history of 180 pages.
The author is Professor of English at Cambridge.
Her grandmother was born in 1891 in County Cork. Enthralling. 5 stars.
VERY cool.
ReplyDeletethis is a good story when you weren't expecting it.
ReplyDeleteI can read the card just fine. How lovely of her to ask and then send a copy of the book to you. I hope it is as interesting as it sounds.
ReplyDeleteHero being bandied about to describe the generally unworthy has devalued what should be a special word to describe someone. However in this case, I really think Mandeville is a hero. Your photo, whether you praise it much or not, makes a very good book cover photo. I've granted permission for a couple of my photos to be used, but certainly not for a book cover.
ReplyDeleteIt must be great to know that your photograph now serves to illustrate a book with otherwise forgotten stories which deserve to be remembered. Poor Mr Mandeville! He meant to make the world better in his sphere of influence but ended up dead before he even turned 40. His family must have been devastated.
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ReplyDeleteit is good to be recognised and you justly deserve it. Also it is always good to see local people taking note of their local history and writing it down as the Writer's group did in this town.
Great photo, and isn't fun seeing your work in print.
ReplyDeleteVery nice photo and makes a lovely cover.
ReplyDeleteThat's great that your photo got used as book cover. I'd say that quite competes with being turned into a statue yourself! ;)
ReplyDeleteI have complimented you on your photos. You have a good eye and take the time to compose something interesting. I don’t understand why people take such terrible photos. Even when you photograph something that isn’t traditionally photogenic you make it interesting.
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Neil!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful honour. I've never visited Ireland (I'm not well travelled) but would love to discover it's rich and often disturbing history.
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