Concrete People is a solid exhibition

A VERY special exhibition of photographs from a local paper that captured the essence of Ballymun from 1998 to 2006 opened at Axis on Main Street last week.

The photos originally appeared in Ballymun Concrete News and the ‘Concrete People’ exhibition has been curated by its editor, Seamus Kelly.

The one-man operated newspaper was a full colour eight-page monthly tabloid with a circulation of over 20,000.

It was distributed free of charge to homes in Ballymun before it ceased trading.

The exhibition coincides with three major milestones in Ballymun history: the 50th anniversary of the first families moving into the estate; Axis’ 15th birthday; and the final farewell to the seven towers.

‘Concrete People’ features 28 photographs that capture the changing landscape of Ballymun and document the social history of a wonderful local community.

“Ballymun Concrete News was so named because Seamus Kelly recognised the unique sense of community and strength of the people here and their support of one another,” said Axis director Mark O’Brien.

“This strength remains unchanged today and we have titled this exhibition Concrete People in recognition of that.”

The digital archive of Ballymun Concrete News has been donated to Dublin City Library and Archive by Seamus Kelly and consists of 87 editions in total.

Collectively, the papers provide a colourful record of ‘good news stories’ from Ballymun from 1998 to 2006.

Articles focus on topics such as the Ballymun Regeneration Project, the opening of new community facilities such as Axis Ballymun, sporting events, and the achievements of local residents in all areas of life.

The exhibition was opened by Cllr Paul McAuliffe (FF), who praised the work of Seamus Kelly and pointed out that Ballymun Concrete News is the only contemporary community publication included in Dublin City Archives.

“I was delighted for Seamus and the people of Ballymun that this important record was preserved for future generations to use,” he said.

“The changes which took place in Ballymun over this period were innovative and controversial. In future years it will prove to be an important primary source for social historians.”

During the Concrete People exhibition there will be a call out for submissions for a new major group exhibition titled ‘The Mun’ that’s due to take place next November in Axis.

The group event will chart the story of Ballymun and its people and celebrate the 50 years since the first families moved into the area. It’ll also feature work from invited artists on the theme.

Submissions of photographs, videos, memorabilia or artworks from Ballymun residents are also being sought.

Concrete People is part of the Axis 2016 ‘Dream out Loud’ programme, celebrating a landmark year for Ballymun with a range of events and initiatives to highlight and celebrate the importance of creativity, culture and the art in society.