When the lockdown radius was extended from two kilometres to five, mine ended right at the gates of Stephen’s Green. On my first walk to the town centre in months, I noticed a conspicuous lack of horse-drawn carriages at the green, and I began thinking about just how dependent the drivers are on tourism to make a living.
This thought eventually led me to contact Paddy Harris, which was when I heard that the pandemic is just one of several difficulties he is facing in maintaining his livelihood. As a fixture in the city’s identity, and a living part of its history, I felt that the current situation that carriage drivers are facing was worth documenting, telling their story through Paddy.
I am a documentary photographer and photojournalist based in Dublin, and you can reach me through my website, hugh-quigley.com, or Instagram @hughjquigley. My latest book, Hospes, which documents the 2018 visit of Pope Francis to Phoenix Park, can be bought from The Library Project, thelibraryproject.ie.
