The students at St. Patrick’s Comprehensive School in Shannon have restored a tradition of old in The Comp with the formation of a new photography club.
The ‘Comp-Pix’ Club formed in November and students been busy honing their photography skills through weekly meetings. It consists of more than 30 members ranging from 1st year all the way to 6th year with all the students having a passion for photography. The students not only meet to practice and take photos of the local community, but they also take many of the photos at school events which appear on the school website and social media.
Each week the group meet and have a different challenge in relation to props or the environment. To date the focus has been the school environment, the new Town Park in Shannon and The Point.
It is the intention of the club to hold an exhibition in May entitled ‘Home Sweet Home’ where photos of Shannon and the surrounding areas will feature. The whole community of Shannon have been very supportive of the club and their efforts. It has truly become a community affair as the club has joined with a local group of businesses who have come together to form the Love Shannon Group. With the support of this group, the club have produced a magnetic postcard highlighting beautiful images taken by students around the town of Shannon. The postcards are currently being sold for €5 each in an effort to fund the exhibition and camera equipment for the club.
Local photographer and past pupil of The Comp Brian Arthur recently held a workshop with the students in an effort to help them in their photographic journey and more workshops are planned in the future. The students were enthralled by all Brian had to say and were particularly delighted with the practical aspect of taking and editing photos. The club is also very grateful to all those who have donated old camera equipment for students to use.
The latest challenge for the club was via distance learning where students were asked to contribute online to the theme of Social Distancing. It was an excellent way to highlight how young people see social distancing and it was a message that was important to highlight to other young people. This was accomplished using the school social media and website.
Previous photos from the club can be viewed on the St. Patrick’s Comprehensive School website.
Jacquie Murphy, teacher and founder of the club: “I never imagined that the club would be as popular as it has become. It is a testament to our students that they give up time after school each week to participate in this club. They have become proactive in teaching each other and supporting each other to develop their skills.”
Niamh O’Callaghan of the Love Shannon Group said: “Love Shannon are delighted to support St Patrick’s Comprehensive and their camera club ‘Comp-Pix’ in fundraising for their first annual photographic exhibition. This year’s theme is all about love Shannon. We hope you will get behind this great initiative and can’t wait to see all of the exhibits in the coming months. We’d like to thank Ms. Murphy for all that she’s doing to support her students in this incredibly creative area.
Lucy O’Reilly, a student at Shannon Comp said: “The club has helped me to connect with other people interested in photography.”
Student Alysson Torres, said: “The photography club is helpful, especially for some careers in the future. It inspires people to be more creative and is a fantastic hobby.