portrait


Pádraig Ó Flannabhra



Pádraig was born in Nenagh, County Tipperary, on 27th November 1950; the son of Nicholas and "Nancy" (Anne Marie) (née Quigley) Flannery.

He was educated at Killadangan National School, CBS Secondary School in Nenagh, and Crawford School of Art in Cork City. After spending an initial two year period with Nenagh Textile Mills Ltd., Pádraig worked for Youghal Carpets from 1970 as a pattern designer. During this period, he indulged his passion for photography, and regularly exhibited his work from 1978 onwards.

In 1983, Youghal Carpets closed down; and Pádraig became a professional photographer, with a studio in his home town of Nenagh. In 2008, he opened a new Photoart Studio in Pocán, outside Nenagh.

His exhibitions include the following:-

1978 - "Faces and Places": Pocán, County Tipperary
1979 - "Round and round Rathurles": Rathurles House, Nenagh
1980 - "Rural Reflections": The Gallery of Photography, Temple Bar, Dublin
1981 - "Mirror on Munster": Lavitt's Quay Gallery, Cork; Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe
1982 - "Mirror on Munster": Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick; Arts Centre, Birmingham, England
1982 - "Ellas - exhibition on Greece": Lavitt's Quay Gallery, Cork
1983 - "Ellas - exhibition on Greece": Peacock Theatre, Dublin; A.I.B., Nenagh
1984 - G.A.A. Centenary exhibition: B.O.I., Nenagh
1985/6 - "Festival Celtique de L'Orient": Brittany, France
1988 - "China": Redwood Castle, Co. Tipperary; Peacock Theatre, Dublin
1991 - "People of Nenagh 1990" for Co-operation North: QL Gallery, Dublin; Heritage Centre, Nenagh; and Ballycastle, Co. Antrim
1992 - "New Work": County Hall, Portlaoise; Mullingar Arts Centre
1993 - "New Work": Kilkenny Arts Week, Kilkenny
1995 - World Congress Professional Photography & Imaging: "Dún Aimhirgín", An Roinn Ealaíon, Cultúr agus Gaeltachta, Mespil Road, Dublin 4
1996 - "Traditions of Nenagh": McCarney's, Nenagh
1996 - "New Work": Nenagh Library, Nenagh
1997 - "New Work": Cashel Heritage Centre, Cashel
2001 - "Fifty Years of Imaging: A Celebratory Exhibition of Photography": Kennedy Gallery, Dublin
2003 - "Eigse": Open Exhibition, Carlow
2003 - Flannery Clan Gathering Exhibition: Nenagh Library
2005 - A.I.B. / P.P.A.I. National and International Touring Exhibition
2008 - Open Exhibition, North Tipperary Civic Offices, Nenagh
2008 - Gerard Manley Hopkins Society 21st International Festival Exhibition, Monasterevin, County Kildare
2008 - P.P.A.I. Masterclass, Cahir Community College, Cahir, County Tipperary
2010 - "Nenagh Faces the 21st Century": A collection of Black and White Portraits from a cross section of Nenagh People, Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh
2012 - "What Will You See": Group exhibition by North Tipperary Artists, Civic Offices, Nenagh
2013 - "Remembering Dennis": on Panel of Readers commemorating the late great Poet Dennis O'Driscoll, during Ennis Book Festival

Pádraig is a Fellow of the Irish Professional Photographers Association (I.P.P.A.), and a member of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland (P.P.A.I.), the National Union of Journalists (N.U.J.), and the Kodak Gold Circle.

He is chairman of the North Tipperary branch of An Taisce (the National Trust for Ireland), and has spear-headed numerous projects which have helped to preserve local heritage.

He is an enthusiastic member of Conradh na Gaeilge (The Gaelic League) and is a fluent Irish speaker. He is a life-long member of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association. In 2006, he was conferred with a B.A. (Theology) Hons. [St. Patrick's College, Thurles] agus Dioplóma Sa Ghaeilge [Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh], reflecting some of the unique personal qualities that he brings to the art of photography.

Pádraig has outstanding style, artistry and expertise which set him head and shoulders above his peers, and his work has won numerous awards. In 1984, he won the Carrolls / P.P.A.I. Press Award. He has won the Kodak bi-monthly "Portrait Awards" on several occasions since 1984, and was "National Portrait Award" winner in 1988, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000. He holds an Irish record of ten Kodak European Portrait Gold Awards. In 1998, he won "Best Image" and "Best Portrait Portfolio" at the I.P.P.A. / Sun Alliance National Photographic Awards in Dublin; he was named "Kodak Portrait Photographer of the Year" at the "Gold Circle Event" in Leeds, England; and he was accorded a Civic Reception, the highest honour from Nenagh Urban District Council.

His publications and television appearances include the following:-

"Ireland Beyond The Pale" (photo-essay, 1986)
"Éire ar an Imeall / Ireland on the fringe" (photo-essay, 1993)
"Turning a blind eye / Ná Feic a bhFeicir" (photo-essay, 1997)
"Irish Entrepreneur" (magazine feature, Sep./Oct. 2003)
"An Tuath Nua" (TV TG4, 2004)
"Soisceal Pháraic" (TV TG4, 2005)
"Soisceal Pháraic" (TV TG4, 2007)
"Beyond the Moment" (A.I.B. / P.P.A.I. publication, 2008)
"Nenagh Face 2 Face" (photo-essay, 2010)
"Cómhrá" (TV TG4, 2011)
"It Is Nenagh It Is" (photo-essay, 2011)
"Men At Lunch / Lón Sa Spéir" (award-winning documentary Sónta Film Productions)
"Nenagh: This Must Be The Place" (photo-essay, 2012)
"Men At Lunch / Lón Sa Spéir": Tipperary Screening at Nenagh Arts Centre as part of ongoing fund raising events towards the Conservation of Dromineer Castle by Cáirde an Chaisleáin / Friends of Dromineer Castle

In 2003, Pádraig became the first Irish photographer in the history of the Association to be awarded the Fellowship of the Irish Professional Photographer's Association (I.P.P.A.) for professional portraiture.

In 2004, he received the prestigious Qualified European Photographer award in Brussels.

Pádraig has generously donated copies of his work to the Flannery Clan archives, and has graciously contributed numerous images to the Flannery Clan for their publications.


[his self portrait is illustrated above]