In 1913, two Frenchwomen changed how the world saw Ireland. Marguerite Mespoulet and Madeleine Mignon-Alba were not professional photographers, but they carried something extraordinary: Autochrome Lumière cameras, the most advanced color photography technology of the era. Over two months, they documented Irish life in color for the very first time.
Their trip was part of a massive global project called “The Archives of the Planet,” funded by French banker and philanthropist Albert Kahn. His goal was to build a photographic inventory of the world as it existed at the start of the 20th century. Ireland was one of many stops, but the images captured there stand among the most striking in the entire collection.
The technology behind the photos was the autochrome process, invented by the Lumière brothers. It worked by coating glass plates with microscopic grains of potato starch dyed red, green, and blue. Light passed through this filtering layer when the image was taken, producing a full-color photograph. It was the first practical color photo process available to the public.
Mespoulet and Mignon-Alba focused heavily on everyday Irish life. They photographed women knitting, children playing, and families outside their homes. The Claddagh area of Galway — a tight-knit fishing community with its own distinct dress and customs — received particular attention.
Beyond the streets of Galway city, they ventured into the countryside. Ancient stone towers, ruined monasteries, and isolated farmhouses all appeared through their lenses. These were places where traditional Gaelic life continued largely unchanged, and the autochrome plates preserved every detail in vivid color.
Turf cutting was a defining feature of rural Irish life, and the photographers documented it in South Connemara. Turf — cut from bogs and dried for fuel — was the primary heat source for many families. The labor was demanding and constant.
Travel between towns was done by horse-drawn transport. The “outside car” — a jaunting car where passengers sat back-to-back on either side — was a common sight on Irish roads in 1913. The two photographers used this method themselves while moving through County Galway.
In An Spidéal, a Gaeltacht village where Irish was the primary spoken language, the women photographed weavers at their looms and workers transporting turf by donkey. These trades were central to the local economy and reflected a self-sufficient way of life.
As June arrived, their journey moved eastward. Clonmacnoise, one of Ireland’s most important early Christian monastic sites, was photographed on June 2nd. Founded in 544 AD on the banks of the River Shannon, the site’s round tower and ancient cemetery appeared in full color for the first time in any photograph.
The River Shannon near Athlone also featured in their work. A currach — a lightweight traditional Irish boat made from a wooden frame and covered hide — was photographed navigating the river. These vessels had been used by Irish fishermen for centuries and remained in active daily use in 1913.
Lough Ree, the large lake just north of Athlone, provided scenes of both fishing and rural poverty. An eel fisherman worked its waters while nearby, a woman stood beside an abandoned dwelling — a quiet reminder of the hardship many Irish families faced in this era.
Along the River Boyne at Oldbridge, the photographers captured men building coracles — small, round-framed boats covered in animal hide. These ancient watercraft were still being constructed and used at the time, and the photographs offer a rare color record of the craft in progress.
The journey ended with glimpses of Ireland’s landed gentry. The Conyngham family mansion in Slane, County Meath, stood in sharp contrast to the thatched cottages and fishing boats documented throughout the trip. In a single two-month expedition, Mespoulet and Mignon-Alba produced a vivid, layered portrait of Ireland that black-and-white photography had never been able to deliver.
