Ballybough Portraits and The Republic of Play: Street Games in Dublin

Ballybough Portraits and The Republic of Play: Street Games in Dublin is a photography exhibition by Colm Pierce presented from Monday to Saturday as part of the Five Lamps Arts Festival.

The exhibition brings together two photographic series exploring life in Dublin’s north inner city. Ballybough Portraits features artists, writers and activists whose stories were shaped through conversations with photographer Tony O’Shea, celebrating individuality and the strength of local communities.

Republic of Play: Street Games in Dublin looks back to the 1980s, when city streets became playgrounds for children. These documentary photographs capture moments of freedom, imagination and everyday life before traffic and urban change reshaped the streets of Dublin.