365 Faces of Cavan
Image 1 of 5
Gerry Baxter is originally from Ballyconnell. He will be featured as a portrait in the Cavan 365 exhibition by Lorraine Teevan.Image 2 of 5
A spur of the moment portrait of Gilbert Gibson taken at Muff Horse Fair in 2010.Image 3 of 5
A pensive portrait of one of Cavan’s best known and loved faces, Chef Neven Maguire will be part of Lorraine Teevan’s 365 exhibition.Image 4 of 5
Photographer Lorraine Teevan will be taking 365 portraits of Cavan people on August 30 and 31 at Cavan Townhall from 11am to 6pm each day. Photo: Marty McElgunnImage 5 of 5
A stunning portrait of much loved legendary Killeshandra musician Ted Sweeney taken by Lorraine Teevan.Called Cavan 365, the project aims to create a living portrait of County Cavan – one face at a time. Young and old, families who have lived here for generations, people who have made Cavan their home- from around the world, every nationality, culture, faith, occupation, ability, orientation and walk of life will be represented.
“This isn't about photographing celebrities or people with remarkable achievements,” says Lorraine. “It's about celebrating ordinary people. The strength of Cavan has always been its people, and every single face has a story worth telling.”
Lorraine, whose photography has documented life across Cavan for more than 20 years through local and national newspapers, believes the project will become an important historical record of the county at this moment in time.
“In decades to come, I hope people will look back and see who we were as a community. They'll see our diversity, our resilience and our shared humanity. These portraits are about creating something that belongs to everyone.”
The finished Cavan 365 collection will be unveiled as part of a major exhibition opening at Townhall Cavan on Friday, November 7.
Alongside the digital installation of all 365 portraits, visitors will also be able to view a retrospective celebrating Lorraine Teevan's 20 years of press photography, featuring images that have documented the lives, triumphs, challenges and defining moments of people across Cavan and beyond.
Lorraine said her project would not have been possible without the support she has received from Cavan Arts Office.
“I am incredibly grateful to Cavan Arts Office, especially Arts Officer Karina Charles Lynch, her staff, and the wonderful team at Townhall Cavan. Their encouragement, enthusiasm and belief in this project have been invaluable. They recognised the importance of creating a photographic record of the people of Cavan, and their support has helped turn this vision into a reality.”
Lorraine hopes every community in the county will see itself reflected in the finished exhibition.
“My dream is that every person who walks through the doors will recognise someone they know. A neighbour, a friend, a teacher, a farmer, a nurse, a child, someone who has just arrived in Cavan or someone whose family has been here for centuries. Together, these 365 portraits will tell the story of who we are.”
Whether you've lived in Cavan all your life or have only recently made it your home, Cavan 365 is your opportunity to become part of a unique photographic archive that will preserve the faces of the county today for generations to come.
To help build the collection, Lorraine will be photographing members of the public at Townhall Cavan on Sunday, August 30 and Monday, August 31, from 11am to 6pm. Everyone is welcome to take part, and those interested can email 365cavanphotos@gmail.com to arrange a portrait.