Inger Sheil
Member
I've finally had the opportunity to start reviewing some of the wealth of new data that has been posted recently on the ET main site, both the self-loaded updates and the latest research articles. One piece that stood out is Senan Molony's new article on Father Browne's photographs.
https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/articles/browne.pdf
Given how often we reference Browne's work in discussions on this board, this new background to the story of how he came to be aboard to take the photographs is absolutely fascinating. Senan Molony has been well-placed to conduct the necessary research, and his work with the photographs in the past has produced excellent results in some of his published work. He has a remarkable affinity with both Browne and his art - on a couple of visits to Dublin's Glasnevin Cemetery to visit Michael Collins and other figures in Irish history, Senan has always made sure he takes me via the memorial that names Francis Browne.
The opening scenes of Bishop Browne's libel case are an intriguing window into the vicious sectarian politics practiced in the Home Rule debates. The defence team's best excuse was that the baseless accusations were 'political' in nature, and no attempt was even made to support their veracity. That the libel should centre around events in Queenstown (Cobh) is an interesting element as well. It was against this sort of background of propoganda and suspicion that Eugene Daly played his nationalist airs!
The anonymous Cork Constitution article, published before the disaster and for which Senan argues well for an identification of the writer as Browne himself, is more good material. As the article's title suggests, many factors hint at the exceedingly tantalising possibility that there may be (or may once have been) more Browne photographs out there...possibily even more interior shots.
With sidelights on Browne and wireless technology, the Home Rule debate, biographical background and a bit of mystery thrown in, it's a rich vein indeed that Molony has tapped in his article!
https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/articles/browne.pdf
Given how often we reference Browne's work in discussions on this board, this new background to the story of how he came to be aboard to take the photographs is absolutely fascinating. Senan Molony has been well-placed to conduct the necessary research, and his work with the photographs in the past has produced excellent results in some of his published work. He has a remarkable affinity with both Browne and his art - on a couple of visits to Dublin's Glasnevin Cemetery to visit Michael Collins and other figures in Irish history, Senan has always made sure he takes me via the memorial that names Francis Browne.
The opening scenes of Bishop Browne's libel case are an intriguing window into the vicious sectarian politics practiced in the Home Rule debates. The defence team's best excuse was that the baseless accusations were 'political' in nature, and no attempt was even made to support their veracity. That the libel should centre around events in Queenstown (Cobh) is an interesting element as well. It was against this sort of background of propoganda and suspicion that Eugene Daly played his nationalist airs!
The anonymous Cork Constitution article, published before the disaster and for which Senan argues well for an identification of the writer as Browne himself, is more good material. As the article's title suggests, many factors hint at the exceedingly tantalising possibility that there may be (or may once have been) more Browne photographs out there...possibily even more interior shots.
With sidelights on Browne and wireless technology, the Home Rule debate, biographical background and a bit of mystery thrown in, it's a rich vein indeed that Molony has tapped in his article!
