8 July 2015: Opening of exhibition, ‘Portraits of the invisible: the Irish in World War One’, National Photographic Archive, Temple Bar, Dublin

On Thursday 8 July a new exhibition, entitled Portraits of the invisible: the Irish in World War One, opened at the National Photographic Archive in Temple Bar, Dublin 2In March 2012 the National Library of Ireland held the first of several Irish World War One roadshows. Families were invited to have personal items connected to the First World War catalogued and digitised, to tell their family stories about that war, and to have the digitised items added to the Europeana online archive. It was an opportunity to remember their family members, and to bring their story to the wider world.

This new exhibition at the National Photographic Archive, Portraits of the invisible, is supported by the British Embassy in Ireland and showcases the photographs collected during the roadshows. Images of soldiers and medics, nurses and stretcher bearers, drivers and cyclists, sailors and pilots, are accompanied by the stories their families have treasured for generations. Specially created audio recordings bring the words written by these participants in the war in their letters, postcards and diaries to life.

Portraits of the invisible runs until January 2016. Learn more about the National Photographic Archive and explore the National Library’s online exhibition World War Ireland.