John J Clarke John J Clarke

WHO WAS JOHN J Clarke?

As a student, he took photographs of the world around him, never imagining that in years to come they would give future generations an idea of how much Ireland had changed.

The photos, which are thought to have been taken between 1897 and 1904, show that he was a man interested in people, and not immune to a bit of fun.

JJ Clarke NLI NLI

Thanks to some intrepid sleuthing by NLI fans, we know that in 1910 a young John Joseph Clarke was an undergraduate medical student aged 21 and boarding at 8 Albans Road (Merchant’s Quay) in Dublin.

He was born in Monaghan and could speak both Irish and English.

He was one of three boarders (all Catholic) staying at the Cooke home. The Cookes were headed by 40-year-old mother Margaret, who had a daughter aged nine and a son aged six.

Perhaps she took in boarders as her husband was deceased, or no longer living with the family?

By 1911, JJ Clarke was GP, and staying in a Co Monaghan hotel on the night of that year’s census.

The photos Clarke took, which can be found in the National Library, show that he was particularly interested in people, moreso than buildings.

The junction of Nassau Street, Grafton Street and Suffolk Street. John J Clarke John J Clarke

Young man on Merrion Square, smoking a pipe. John J Clarke John J Clarke

[image alt="CLAR_040" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2014/07/clar_040-389x500.jpg" width="389" height="500" title="" class="alignnone" /end]

As a student, he spent much of his time around Westmoreland St, Grafton St, Merrion Square, Stephen’s Green and Earlsfort Terrace, where he took much of his photographs.

John J Clarke John J Clarke

[image alt="CLAR_046" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2014/07/clar_046.jpg" width="600" height="463" title="" class="alignnone" /end]

He also took photos while traveling, capturing Bray, Kingstown, and some small villages.

[image alt="CLAR_036" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2014/07/clar_036.jpg" width="600" height="488" class="alignnone" /end]

A young girl riding a tricycle along the seafront. John J Clarke John J Clarke

Dr Clarke never married, and died at the age of 82. Thankfully his surviving prints and plates were donated to the National Photographic Archive in 2000 by his nephew, Brian Clarke.

[image alt="vtls000168830" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2014/07/vtls000168830.jpg" width="580" height="419" title="" class="alignnone" /end]

Two women walk down Grafton Street John J Clarke John J Clarke

A ship moored at Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire)Source: John J Clarke

Boy and girl sitting on a bathing box. John J Clarke John J Clarke

Portraits like the one below show that Clarke had a keen eye for detail and framing, and knew how to use depth of field to draw the viewer in.

Young girl eating a biscuit John J Clarke John J Clarke

To view all of his photographs, visit the NLI archives.

Read: Heritage Ireland: Who is this man with the frightfully fancy tomb?>

Read: Can you believe these Clare sisters were photographed 127 years ago?>