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The Sexton Collection

Sean Sexton is an Irish-born photographic collector. He has been collecting historic photographs of Ireland for 40 years. Photos from his critically acclaimed collection have been published in several books, including “The Irish: A Photohistory”* which shows remarkable photos depicting Ireland’s history from 1840 to 1940, and exhibited in many countries. His passion and expertise have made him a world leader in the field of Irish photographs. In 1997 Mayo County Council purchased 400 of Sean’s photos. These pictures provide a fascinating glimpse into Irish social life and history. They include scenes from rural Ireland including farming, religious practice, music and festivals and scenes of a way of life that is long past. In this section of the site you can view a sample of digitised images from his collection including images from Mayo such as a photo of a newspaper advertisement for Wynne’s of Castlebar, and an image of the Protestant missionary settlement at Dugort in Achill.

*Sexton, Sean and Kinealy, Christine, "The Irish: A photohistory: 1840 - 1940" ,Thames and Hudson, 2013.

The Sexton Collection

Photographs of Ireland and Mayo


Funeral at graveside. No location or date. Sexton 0001
Group carrying coffin to graveyard. No location or date. Sexton 0002
Lady outside thatched cottage with farmyard poultry, Sexton 0003
Men working with stones. No location or date, Sexton 0004
Lady with children, carrying turf creel. No location or date, Sexton 0005
Harvest scene. No location or date, Lawrence photograph, no.2649 Sexton 0006
Man and woman on jaunting car. Lawrence photograph, no. 2647, Sexton 0007
Group carrying home turf. No location or date. Initials and number on photo : R.W. 963, Sexton 0008
Group on bog with pile of turf. No location or date., Sexton 0009
Three men making poteen. No location or date. Sexton 0010
Selling sheep at market. No location or date, Sexton 0011
Women with spinning wheel. No location or date, Sexton 0012
Scene in cottage kitchen with man playing accordion. No location or date, Sexton 0013
Mountain farm kitchen with turf grate. No location or date. Initials and no.: RW 1183, Sexton 0014
Photo captioned "Genuine Irish cabin, July 1894", Sexton 0015.
Two women with horses, drawing home turf in creels. No location or date, Sexton 0016
Eviction scene on Vandeleur Estate, Co. Clare. House of Michael Higgins. No date, Sexton 0017.
Eviction scene on Vandeleur Estate, Co. Clare. House of P. Madigan. No date, Sexton 0018
Eviction scene on Vandeleur Estate, Co. Clare. House of M. Cleary. No date, Sexton 0019
Eviction scene on Vandeleur Estate, Co. Clare. House of Pat Spellecy. No date, Sexton 0020
Eviction scene on VandeleurEstate, Co. Clare. House of Tom Bermingham. No date, Sexton 0021
After eviction on Vandeleur Estate, Co. Clare. McGrath's house. No date, Sexton 0022
Family pictured outside house, possibly after eviction. No location or date, Sexton 0023
Group of people outside house. Possibly gathered for eviction, Sexton 0024
Small group of people beside ruined houses. No location or date. Possibly as result of eviction. Sexton 0025
Group of people beside ruined houses. No location or date. Possibly an eviction, Sexton 0026
Man and boy beside ruined house. No location or date. Possibly as result of eviction, Sexton 0027
Ruined house with furniture outside. Possibly as result of eviction. No location or date, Sexton 0028
Photo of ill. "The Graphic", Nov 20th, 1880, "Captain Boycott and his escort". Sexton 0029
Photograph of ill. "The Graphic" newspaper, Nov 20th, 1880, "Provisions for the military", Sexton 0030
Photo of ill. "The Graphic" Jan 31st 1880, titled "Helpless mouths: in a cabin near Clifden", Sexton 0031.
Advertisement for Wynes Photographers, Castlebar, Co. Mayo. No date, Sexton 0032
12th Regiment in military barracks Castlebar. No date, Sexton 0033
Portrait of Michael Davitt. No photographer listed. No date, Sexton 0034
View of Keel, Achill, Co. Mayo with Meenaun cliffs in background. No date, Sexton, 0035.
View of the Protestant Missionary settlement, Dugort, Achill, Co. Mayo. Titled "The Colony". Lawrence photograph, No. 168, Sexton 0036
Group of people on seashore with boats. Some hauling fishing nets. No location, no date, Sexton 0037.
Crowd at Knock Shrine. No date, Sexton 0038
Photograph of newspaper advertisement for Wynne's Photographers , Castlebar. No date, though references in ad suggest 1870s, Sexton 0039
Street scene in Castlebar, Co. Mayo showing Wynnes's Photographers. No date. Sexton 0040
Group of people outside the Asylum, Castlebar, Co. Mayo. No date Sexton 0041
Photograph of ill. "The Illustrated London News", Nov 12th 1881", titled "The Affray at Belmullet" . Sexton 0042
Photograph of ill. "The Graphic", Dec 4th, 1880. Title "Driving Captain Boycott's cattle from Lough Mask to Claremorris", Sexton 0043
Photograph of ill "The Illustrated London News", Dec 24th, 1881, titled "Dispersing a Ladies' Land League meeting", Sexton 0044
Photograph of sketch "Illustrated London News", April 9th 1881, titled "Searching for arms", Sexton 0045
Photo of sketch "Illustrated London News", Apr 10th, 1886,"Visiting a cabin on Clare Island", Sexton 00046


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