The Lost Moment: Civil Rights, Street Protest and Resistance in Northern Ireland, 1968-69
The Lost Moment exhibition looks anew at the Civil Rights movement in Northern Ireland fifty years on from the marches and peaceful protests that immediately preceded the Troubles. Guest curated by Sean O’Hagan, who writes on photography, art and culture for The Guardian and The Observer, the show places the Northern Irish civil rights struggle in the context of the many international street protests that made 1968 such a tumultuous year.
© Guardian January 8th, 1969, “Northern Ireland riots and demonstrations 1969: after breaking through a police cordon yesterday, Ulster Civil Rights marchers head for Claudy.”
From Paris to Prague, Chicago to London, mass protests reverberated across the world via the TV news. The year of discontent began in Northern Ireland when activists organised civil rights marches against discrimination in housing and jobs. Using the tactics of non-violent civil disobedience employed by Martin Luther King Jr. in the American south, the marches unleashed a wave of Unionist counter-demonstrations. The often brutal police tactics used against the marchers were caught on camera and broadcast around the world, igniting global media interest in the Northern Irish civil rights movement. Though its legacy remains contested to this day, the exhibition argues that this was the lost moment when the Troubles might have been averted.
© Larry Dickinson, People’s Democracy Protest
© Tony McGrath, Londonderry Demonstration, clash between Catholics and Protestants, October 6th, 1968, Guardian Newspaper
The exhibition features dramatic images by Steve Schapiro of the famous Selma to Montgomery civil rights march in 1965, alongside work from renowned Magnum photographers: David Hurn and Ian Berry. The Northern Irish civil rights struggle, from the first march in August 1968 to the Battle of the Bogside in 1969, is captured though the work of Gilles Caron, Clive Limpkin, David Newell Smith, Buzz Logan, Barney McMonagle, Eamon Melaugh, Larry Dickinson and Tony McGrath. The exhibition also includes projections, video installations, contemporary political posters and a wealth of other ephemera from the time.
© Steve Schapiro, Martin Luther King Jr. addresses the crowds at a Civil Rights march
The Lost Moment exhibition installation shot
The Lost Moment exhibition installation shot
Press information: for high-definition image scans or to arrange an interview with the curator, please contact: info@galleryofphotography.ie +3531-6714654
Civil Rights – Then and Now symposium
Thursday 27 September 2018, Official launch of programme 6.30pm,
Outdoor Projections 8.45pm
Exhibition reviews
The Irish Times - Capturing the Civil Rights movement: This week’s visual arts highlights
‘The Lost Moment’ was commissioned and produced by Gallery of Photography Ireland in partnership with the Nerve Centre, Derry~Londonderry. Supported by funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The organisers thank RTÉ Archives and the Cain Archive at Ulster University for their support and collaboration. Thanks also to Belfast Archive Project, Dermot Kelly, Linen Hall Library, National Museums Northern Ireland, Regional Cultural Centre, Letterkenny and Remote Photo Festival.
Gallery of Photography is proud to be supported by The Arts Council and Dublin City Council.
Exhibition dates
September 20th - November 4th 2018
Gallery information
Opening hours
Open 6 days:
Tuesday - Saturday, 11am - 5pm
Open Mondays by appointment for ongoing education, artists archiving and training.
Closed Sundays
Closed for bank holidays and public holidays
Admission is free
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Dublin D02 X406, Ireland