Delving deeper into the Waterford News & Star archives and your past
Waterford Crystal workers from the Michael Flynn chapter.
The journey through the Waterford News & Star archive continues this year in vibrant colour with the release of the latest volume of Colourful Memories of Waterford by Joe Evans.
As both master of the Waterford News & Star archives and resident staff photographer, Joe has compiled yet another collection of photographs showcasing Waterford's past in Colourful Memories of Waterford Volume Three.
Joe's first photo collection, We Remember It Well, came about during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and received glowing praise from across the Déise.
Having run for four editions in black and white, We Remember It Well was put on pause to explore a more colourful opportunity, and Colourful Memories of Waterford was born three years ago.
The in-colour collection is made up of photos from the Waterford News & Star archives, which have been colourised, including some photos from local photographers' archives that were incorporated into the newspaper's archive after their deaths.
Last year, old photos from renowned freelance photographer Simon Farrell's archive were shared with the Waterford News & Star and included in the second volume of the collection.
This year, photographs from Michael Flynn's archive have returned in the third volume of the series, many of which wouldn't have appeared in the pages of the Waterford News & Star's weekly newspaper and may jog a few foggy memories.
By presenting photographs of people, places and events that helped shape Waterford from 1960 to the late 1990s, when Joe himself was beginning his career with the Waterford News & Star, the collection highlights, in his words, "the unique power of photography to connect generations, preserve local history and tell stories that might otherwise be forgotten".
The power of which can be felt in this latest edition, where once again we traverse through the newspaper's extensive photography archive to uncover a varied collection of images reflecting Waterford's rich history and cultural life.
From school photos, dinner dance snapshots, photos from the Tramore Races way back when, local picket lines from strikes gone by, sports teams photos, local awards ceremonies and so much more, the memories are endless in this collection.
As I was speaking to Joe about the recently released third volume, he was already picking out photos for the fourth edition.
The work never stops with Joe, and the memories won't for you as you flick through the pages and discover long forgotten or never seen before photos of your friends, family, and maybe even yourself.
The book, as well as its previous editions and all four volumes of We Remember It Well, can be found at The Book Centre (Waterford City), Ardkeen Stores (Dunmore Road), Bookstation (City Square Shopping Centre), Kavanagh's Kiosk (Lisduggan Shopping Centre) and Cahill's (Tramore).
Individual photos from the book can also be purchased by emailing reception@waterford-news.com or calling 0035351874951.
