Abandoned Ireland

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Brownlie’s full-time job is with a pharmaceutical company and she’s self-taught as a photographer, but she has a natural eye for composition, and a talent for picking out features of interest, whether that’s highlighting the breathtaking architectural aspects of a building, or honing in on the sights that tell the stories of the forgotten lives within. When she was just twelve years old, she won her first camera on a TV game show and her love of photography was sparked. According to the Clare County Library, “The island once housed over 141 people during 1841 and 1881.

Ruins in Ireland - Atlas Obscura 33 Unusual Ruins in Ireland - Atlas Obscura

A picture emerged on social media recently of a mystery mansion hidden deep inside a forest somewhere in Ireland. I’ve done a paranormal tour of East Belfast’s Strand Cinema, explored Hillsborough Castle, traversed Belfast learning about street art brightening up many abandoned buildings in the city; and much more besides.These busy years faded with the austerity of war, and the property gradually declined and was sold to the State, which failed to care adequately for the house. These institutions accepted the aged and infirm, orphans, foundlings and abandoned children, but were not good places to be, with cruelty and torture part of the daily routine.

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Brownlie is instead intent on capturing houses – large and small, mansions and cottages, silent railway stations, echoing prisons and empty dance halls, military forts and hotels – which retain a breath of life.Photographer Rebecca Brownlie had just left the empty canteen in an old abandoned convent school when she paused to take a picture of the building’s impressive staircase. Our mission is to assist, advise and collaborate with key stakeholders including government agencies and local communities to help create new homes from existing vacant dwellings.

Abandoned Ireland - Irish Book Awards Abandoned Ireland - Irish Book Awards

As we learn about Dessie and his life, these items, arranged around us – a bed, a chest full of love letters, an old dresser, photos and many ornaments – all garner an even greater poignancy.We had been renting for years and our landlord wanted to up the rent and although we always thought getting a mortgage and owning our own place was always out of reach, we had to try. But Ireland, as a country with thousands of years of history, has ghost villages dating much farther back. Closed in the 90’s, it still contains the memories of the life and activity that once took place there. In later years the buildings were used for several other purposes, one of those being a vocational school and it has been used as a set for some local films. So far we’ve identified in excess of 100 properties that have potential for providing homes to people with a housing need.