Old Ireland in Colour

Old Ireland in Colour celebrates the rich history of Ireland and the Irish through the colour restoration of stunning images of all walks of Irish life, and the Irish abroad, throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. From the chaos of the Civil War to the simple beauty of the islands, each image has been exquisitely transformed and every page is bursting with life.

Using a combination of cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology and his own historical research, John Breslin has meticulously colourised these pictures with breathtaking attention to detail and authenticity. With over 170 photographs from all four provinces, and accompanied by fascinating captions by historian Sarah-Anne Buckley, Old Ireland in Colour revitalises scenes we thought we knew, and brings our past back to life before our eyes.

Winner of Best Irish Published Book 2020 (Ireland)

[A] mesmerising portal. A wash of gentle colour does something that no words or dramatic re-staging can do, bringing the past and authentic personalities of the period vividly to the present moment. ... It goes far, far deeper than seeing vivid blossom on long dead trees. The essential truth, that these people lived their life in colour, removes distance and collapses time — it’s confronting, humanising and rather magical. ...A beautifully, carefully curated, well written and technically brilliant book— highly recommended.

Incredibly poignant, beautiful photographs of old Ireland, given a modern twist.

'Fascinating'

'Astonishing'

"The rich history of Ireland and its people are celebrated through the colour restoration of images from various walks of life throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Categorising the photographs under the headings of revolution, society and culture, women and children, the Irish abroad and scenic Ireland, each image has been meticulously transformed using a combination of cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology and information garnered from the author’s own historical research."

John Breslin is a Professor at NUI Galway, where he has taught engineering, computer science and entrepreneurship over a twenty-year period. He has written over 200 publications and co-authored two books. He is co-founder of boards.ie, adverts.ie, and the PorterShed.

Sarah-Anne Buckley is a lecturer in History at NUI Galway and President of the Women’s History Association of Ireland. She has published two monographs, four edited volumes and numerous articles. She is co-founder of the Irish Centre for the Histories of Labour and Class and Senior Research Fellow in the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre.

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