Multi-award-winning Limerick photographer who captured local life for decades passes away

A PHOTOGRAPHER who captured life in Limerick and the Mid-West for decades has sadly passed away after an illness bravely borne.

Kieran Clancy, of Elm Drive, Caherdavin Lawn and formerly of Mayorstone, Limerick city, was employed by the Cork Examiner, now Irish Examiner, before going out on his own as a freelancer.

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He passed away peacefully at Riverdale Nursing Home, Ardnacrusha in the presence of his loving family on Friday. 

Mr Clancy’s other family - the professional photographic community in Limerick - is a small one and his loss is keenly felt. Mr Clancy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease a number of years ago.

Adrian Butler, Limerick Leader; Owen South, formerly Limerick Leader; Liam Burke, Press 22 photographic agency; Noel Gavin, formerly Irish Daily Star and Press 22; Brendan Gleeson, freelance photographer, and Michael Cowhey, freelance photographer are among those to pay tribute to Mr Clancy since his passing.

Mr Cowhey said Mr Clancy used to come to his studio in Ballinacurra to train as a photographer when he was in secondary school. 

“I could tell he was going to be a good photographer because he was very, very meticulous. His late father, Seán, worked in Limerick as Mid-West regional photojournalist for the Irish Independent so it was in the breeding. He was self-taught really.

“He was a kind, gentle, well-mannered young lad and that never changed,” said Mr Cowhey.

Mr Clancy worked for the Cork Examiner for two decades.

“He was one of their premier photographers. He was chosen by the Cork Examiner to take one of their first colour pictures at the famous Munster v All Blacks match in Thomond Park in 1978. He had to leave early as he had to drive to Cork with it,” recalled Mr Cowhey, who added that Mr Clancy worked closely with the late Tony Purcell, Cork Examiner journalist.

“Kieran was always on top of every story. He was a professional and he knew how to get the picture - he got many exclusives,” said Mr Cowhey. Some of his work, like the one below of Tiger Woods, is interspersed throughout this piece.

"It was a pleasure to be beside Mr Clancy in a media scrum, said Mr Cowhey.

“He would always help you and you'd never be caught out if you were with Kieran. I remember one famous court case where we were waiting for the person up in court to come out. There was a front door and a back door so Kieran took the back door and I took the front door. That doesn't happen very often and we got the photo but that was Kieran - he was a very nice man,” said Mr Cowhey.

After Mr Clancy left the Cork Examiner he went out on his own as a freelancer doing mainly commercial work and weddings. He had a studio in Mungret and was very successful.

Mr Clancy was a member and former president of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland (PPAI), as well as being active in the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Irish South West branch. In 2021, he was awarded honorary membership of the PPAI in recognition of his “outstanding contribution” to press photography in Ireland.

Current Limerick Leader photographer Adrian Butler said he always looked up to Mr Clancy.

“As a young photographer starting out in the business, Kieran was always very helpful and looked out for his fellow photographers. He was very professional and had an unbelievable eye for a photograph - he was a brilliant photographer,” said Mr Butler.

Photographers can often be huddled together waiting for an event to start, or a person to arrive, and Mr Butler has many fond memories of chatting with Mr Clancy.

“He had a great sense of humour. He was very quick-witted. He was a lovely man. May he rest in peace,” said Mr Butler.

Freelance photographer Brendan Gleeson echoed the description of Mr Clancy as being "a gentleman". 

“He was an inspirational photographer for a lot of us on the job. He was a pure gentleman, he had a great eye and he was so enthusiastic about the job,” Mr Gleeson.

Liam Burke, of Press 22, said Mr Clancy was a great friend to many of his clients and colleagues before his Parkinson’s took him from us. 

“He was an amazing multi-award-winning photographer and a former President of the Irish Press Photographers Association. May he rest in peace,” said Mr Burke.

Mr Clancy will be sadly missed by his family, his heartbroken wife Marianne (Rafferty), her children Rory, Tim, Elizabeth and Maebh, Kieran’s children David, Stephen and Lydia, grandchildren Brianna, Luca and Matthew, daughter-in-law Claudia, sister Catherine, brothers Michael, John and the late Kevin, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, Kieran’s dedicated team of carers, Andrea, from Family Carers Ireland, and Bluebird Care, a wide circle of friends and colleagues both locally and nationally.

Arriving at St John’s Cathedral, on Monday for Requiem Mass at 11am, followed by burial in Mount Saint Oliver Cemetery.

Mass will be live streamed click here to view.

The Clancy family requested in his death notice that the house remains private and family flowers only, donations, if desired, to Parkinson's Ireland.

May he rest in peace.