For Episode 3 of Culture Café, I thought it was a great opportunity to head back via Skype to where I grew up, just outside Kells in Co. Meath in the Republic of Ireland.
How did I meet Jass Foley?
Although, we’re both from Kells, I didn’t get to know Jass Foley until I went back to Dublin City University to study Multimedia, Jass was there doing Communication Studies. We all knew he was a good photographer and that conclusion was confirmed when he won a DCU Hybrid Award and a National Student Media Award for Photographer of the year in 2010.
So why chat to Jass now? The Hay Festival is coming to Kells for the second time this year and Jass has been busy putting together an exhibition of photographs of some of Kells’ well known monuments to run alongside the festival. Called Kells Dreamscapes, Jass’ exhibition will run in Hetherton’s Old Garage in Bective Square in Kells between July 2 – 6th 2014.
Now, before you think that this is just a small time, local photo exhibition, think again, this guy is a serious talent. Before he had even graduated from college, he had branched out from his own photography to work as Director of Photography on the television show ‘Under Ether’ for RTÉ.
The Spire of Lloyd
The Spire of Lloyd is about a mile and a half from where I grew up. We passed it everytime we went into the town of Kells, and because of it’s height, it always seemed to be on the horizon. As Jass says during the podcast, ‘when you see the spire you know you’re nearly home..’ or words like that. The Spire of Lloyd is a really interesting piece of architecture, it looks like a lighthouse, except it’s no where near the sea. Having been to the top of it on a couple of occasions, I can tell you the views are amazing. There is also a paupers graveyard nearby from famine times too, the whole area of Kells, with the monastery, the book, the Round Tower is quite something. If I didn’t grow up with this on my doorstep, I’d probably be drooling over it. So when I saw Jass’ photo of The Spire, it just got me.
Jass is a fantastic guy, I really enjoyed our chat and loved how he spoke about his collaborations with other people and how that helped him develop his own craft. Down to earth and a grafter, he’s worked hard to get where he is and with his talent and determination, you know he’ll achieve his goals.
Find out more about Jass’ work at his website JassFoley.com
All Images © Jass Foley