Memorable snap of Offaly boxer training alone included in Covid-19 photo collection

An atmospheric photo of Gráinne Walsh training alone at her home in Tullamore during the pandemic in 2020 has been included in a 'Life under Covid-19 in Ireland' photography and videography collection that was recently acquired by The National Library of Ireland.

The Press Photographers Ireland (formerly PPAI) collection contains over 200 images documenting the country's experience of the pandemic.

The photo of Paris Olympics hopeful Gráinne Walsh pounding the punchbag at home in Offaly in June 2020 was captured by Ryan Byrne of INPHO.

The handover, to The National Library of Ireland, of the collection in which this photo appears was marked at an event attended by Press Photographers Ireland and Professor Luke O'Neill on April 15.

The material in the archive, created in 2020 and 2021, comprises over 200 digital images and features the work of more than 70 press photographers across the country.

Documenting life in Ireland during the pandemic, it includes photos of social distancing; widespread mask-wearing; vaccination centres; sports teams playing to empty stadia (and prospective spectators watching through locked gates); deserted streets; and healthcare workers in full PPE.

There are also images showing how people communicated with the elderly or medically vulnerable, and communities coming together – in a socially distanced way – to pay respect to the work of Ireland’s frontline workers.

Dr Audrey Whitty commented: "The National Library of Ireland is Ireland's memory-keeper. In the 21st century, as the world embraces digital over print, it is essential that we evolve with technology so that culturally significant 'born digital' collections can be collected, managed, and made available for future generations."

The 'Life under Covid-19' digital archive will be made available to the public later this year, when it has been catalogued. The National Library is home to the National Photographic Archive in Temple Bar.