Bluett Exhibition

This project dealt with The Bluett Collection, a collection of 200 colour slides taken in Co. Clare in the 1940’s and 50’s, which were donated, along with seven reels of film, to Clare County Library by Mr. Liam Bluett, whose father, Bill, took the slides. These slides were then converted to prints, which were subsequently enlarged for exhibition purposes.

The photographs are a record of daily life in County Clare in the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s, and range in subject from family trips to the seaside to ceremonial occasions. The collection provides us with an amazing record of changes which have occurred in the county over the past 40 years.

The trainees were involved in the co-ordination of the exhibition and built exhibition stands on which a selection of the photographs were displayed. Trainees also researched the background to many of the photographs and located a number of the people in them.

The reels of film were converted to video and this was shown at the launch of the exhibition. This video includes footage of the All Ireland Junior Hurling Final between Clare and London in 1949, the Inauguration of Dr. Rogers, Bishop of Killaloe, and fancy dress parades in Ennis in the 1960’s.

The general public were particularly interested in this project and there was a great response to it locally, as many of the people in the photographs were invited to attend the launch of the exhibition. As time goes on this collection will become more important because its great value is that it shows many aspects of the community in the late 40’s, 50’s and 60’s - a period that often tends to be forgotten.

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