DPOTY 2019 - Finalist - Paul Lanigan FRPS
Pairc Life Paul Lanigan FRPS Hurling is an Irish field game that is older than the recorded history of Ireland. It is thought to predate Christianity, having come to Ireland with the Celts. It is also widely regarded to be the fastest most skilful field game in the world. The Celtic legal system, the Brehon Laws, provided for compensation for hurling accidents and provisions were also made for cases of deliberate injury, or even death, as a result of Hurling. The game was outlawed in the 12th century after the occupation by the Normans. It survives today as a 100% amateur sport where traditional values of honesty of effort and sportsmanship form a symbiotic connection with fans. Players only line out for the ‘County’ they were raised in. Playing for your ‘County’ is regarded as the pinnacle of sporting achievement.
My project, Pairc Life, started out as a Fellowship panel. I wanted to capture the essence of Hurling, a uniquely Irish sport. Even after the success of my panel in 2018 I still wasn’t satisfied that I was telling the story that I wanted to tell. In my Fellowship panel, you get a sense of what the game is about, but the game for me is far more significant than what happens during 70 minutes of action. The game of hurling is deeply embedded in (especially rural) Irish culture. It’s part of our identity. So I wanted to explore the game and associated rituals from the fans’ perspective. There is a natural symbiotic relationship between players and fans. As an amateur sport, players are all ordinary members of the community (teachers, soldiers, salesmen, bank clerks, etc.). When their playing days are over, they blend back into the crowd, so taking a fan’s perspective seemed like a natural place to start. That’s the larger project and will comprise of 40 images. My DPOTY submission is an extract from this project. I wanted to maintain a tight narrative, so I choose 6 images designed to pique the interest of those unfamiliar with the game, or fans used to only seeing a series of peak action shots in their newspaper or sports feed. By doing so I hope they will want to explore and engage with the larger project. The hardest part of telling any story is putting your own ego to one side and walking in the shoes of the viewers in order to see the story from their perspective. We shoot for our pleasure, but we must tell the story for the pleasure of the audience.
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