Well-known and much loved photographer Marie Carroll O'Sullivan met up with Michelle Cooper Galvin this week to discuss her career, accomplishments and plans in retirement....

It was a private do at Killarney Town Hall last Friday evening, for the Civic Reception to honour Photographer Michelle Cooper Galvin, which was hardly surprising given she most likely attended and captured every other civic reception over the past 42 years with the Kerryman Newspaper. 

Therefore, it was a must, to catch up with Michelle in the aftermath, over a cuppa at Deenagh Lodge. As a photographer, I had so many questions. I asked but a few, I just listened to the many stories, some of which cannot be mentioned and I hung on her every word.

“It really was a lovely evening Marie. Mayor Niall Kelleher surprised me with his knowledge of my career. It was a lovely meaningful speech. He had really done his homework and even knew that my first assignment with the Kerryman was to attend the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis in Dublin” Michelle began, to which I replied “Perhaps he had genuine concerns in getting it wrong”! I now know how he feels!

“Before we go forward Michelle, lets rewind back a little” I asked. “My parents were Tommy & Maureen Cooper who passed away when my sister Katherine & I were quite young. My late Grandfather Tomas G Cooper, owner of Killarney Cinema and creator of the film 'The Dawn' took care of us and we attended Drishane Convent in Millstreet as boarders. After that, I went to the College of Art in Cork, to study Graphic Design and Photography, before landing full time employment with the Cork Examiner under Editor Fergus O'Callaghan. Absolutely nothing about my job then is the same as it is now. Everything was raw, from the printing of the newspaper to the developing of the photographs” Michelle explained. I thought to myself the maths that goes into balancing aperture, shutter speed, ISO and white balance ever before you create the composition of an image, but to do it without playback, was in my book, impossible and therefore genius!

“I met my husband Dermot and he took me back to Killarney where we were married at St Mary's Cathedral in October 1979 and held our reception at the Aghadoe Heights. Who did I think I was keeping my maiden name and hosting a formal dress, wedding reception?” Michelle joked. “I opened my own freelance photography business in Killarney, still covering some events for the Examiner, until the Kerryman got wind of my existence and I spent the following 42 years representing them all over the county. I had my own dark room at home. Things are so much easier now. For example, right now I can take your photo Marie, connect my camera to my phone through wifi, and email it to the Kerryman within seconds. Back then you'd develop, fix & wash, and if you were in a hurry you'd use a hairdryer to speed up the pace. Captions were cellotaped to the back of each image and you'd send them with the bus driver over to Tralee to be met at the other side. On some occasions, I would stand on the Tralee Road willing someone to pass that'd I'd know, to transfer the urgencies when 'going to print'! It was literally the turn of the century when it changed from film to digital, or perhaps the late 1990's which was really difficult for papers to adapt to. I've never ventured from Nikon. I've moved with the times within technology and have recently purchased my first Z7ii model which is mirrorless, making it lighter and sharper in many respects. I found in the later stages of my career, the photography end of things got easier but the demand for the 'now' was far greater” Michelle replied.

“Outside of the endless change to the mechanics of photography, I'm sure there were many highs and perhaps some lows down through the years. Do you think you could share one or two?” I asked in hope. “For me the Centenary Team of 1984 with Ambrose O'Donovan and Mick O'Dwyer. I travelled the length and breath of the county over a four week period documenting the joy of Kerry football. I have an image of the full team at the Grand Hotel in Malahide the morning of the game, something that would never happen now!” Michelle replied. I got lost in thought imagining how she manipulated her shutter speed for sport with no play back but quickly resumed to interview to hear the lows. “The Kerry Babies and Air India Flight 182 off the south west coast Marie, these were two tragedies I found difficult to cover, particularly because I had a 7 week old baby and an 18month old at the time” Michelle continued. “How in God's name did you cope with the intermittent demand to be everywhere as well as being a new mother” I asked knowing full well, the passion for her work was the driving force. “I was very fortunate that my family intertwined with my career. The job is 24/7 and if the phone rang I had to go and that was it! Dermot and my sister Katherine were a huge support. I could not have done it without them and my kids adapted to my career” Michelle replied.

“Over all the years and the mountains of archives Michelle, do you have any one favourite photo?” I asked (The answer to this question I felt summed up Michelle in a nutshell). “In 1991 Sheen Falls opened it's doors to various opening parties for different clientele, one of which I held an invitation to photograph An Taoiseach Charles J Haughey's arrival by helicopter to the premises. I knew he was rumoured to be close with Fashion Columnist Terry Keane, who waited in line to be greeted by the Taoiseach with her daughter Madeline. I stood behind a potted plant, popping out at just the right moment, before vanishing into thin air. It was a very popular sale for quite some time, and still is” Michelle smiled.

“What has retirement in store for you Michelle?” (who was sitting opposite me, camera in hand). “I am in good health thankfully. I look after it well. I haven't downed the camera entirely and still work closely with St Brendan's College, Killarney Golf & Fishing Club and Killarney Credit Union and I will continue to document the community when I can. I am grateful for the many friends I have made through my work. I most look forward to spending time with my children Caoimhe, Diarmuid & Grainne and my grandchildren Pierce, Kate & Emily who refer to me as 'Shelly'. Munster Rugby has always been a passion of mine and next weekend I am looking forward to taking my granddaughter Kate to her first game in Thomond Park.

The variation of Michelle's work over five decades in photojournalism meant she wore many caps on a daily basis, always knowledgeable of her surroundings, respectful of the situation she encountered, professional and adaptable to what ever she had to work with, but always and ever, the opportunist in 'getting the shot'. Over my own few years in press photography, I learned fast and well from being around Michelle. She could analyse a situation quickly and round up troops in seconds.

I thanked Michelle for her time over a busy bank holiday weekend and was thrilled to capture her the other side of the lens.

“In the words of Frank Sinatra Marie, 'I did it my way'!”