A collection of rare black-and-white photographs from 1963, capturing Ireland on the cusp of modernity, has been unveiled at the Irish embassy in Berlin. The images, taken by German photographer Diether Endlicher, offer a poignant glimpse into a vanishing way of life. Endlicher, now 85, was honored last weekend for his work, which documents the daily lives of Irish people before the advent of modern conveniences. The photos depict boatmen, fishermen, herders, and women transporting milk by donkey cart, alongside dramatic landscapes and ruined abbeys. These images, long forgotten in Endlicher’s attic, were recently rediscovered and digitized, sparking renewed interest in their historical significance. Irish Ambassador Maeve Collins praised the photos for their “beautiful detail” and their vivid portrayal of life on Ireland’s west coast in the early 1960s. Endlicher, who later became a renowned photojournalist for The Associated Press, captured these scenes during a road trip in a tiny Fiat 500. His journey took him to the Aran Islands, where he documented a world untouched by electricity and modernity. The exhibition not only celebrates Endlicher’s artistry but also serves as a testament to Ireland’s cultural and social transformation.
Former AP photographer’s vintage images of Ireland capture a world before it disappeared
