Photography

From the joy of the panto to the heartbreak of Gaza: Bryan O’Brien’s Photographs of the Year

A selection of Irish Times visual journalist Bryan O’Brien’s photographs throughout the year and the story behind one of them

Sherin Alsabbagh originally from Gaza, now an Irish citizen in the bedroom of her house that she has prepared for her mother Najwa in Ballaghderreen Co. Roscommon. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien/The Irish Times
Sherin Alsabbagh originally from Gaza, now an Irish citizen in the bedroom of her house that she has prepared for her mother Najwa in Ballaghderreen Co. Roscommon. Photograph: Bryan O'Brien/The Irish Times
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Bryan O'Brien
Mon Dec 30 2024 - 06:00

Sherin Alsabbagh, originally from Gaza, lives in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon, where she works as an English tutor and translator. A Palestinian and Irish citizen, she has lived in Ireland for 15 years, and has spent the past year watching in horror from afar as the deadly Israeli invasion of Gaza continues.

She has family there, including her mother Najwa (74). The Department of Foreign Affairs informed Sherin in February that her mother had been approved for entry to Ireland, subject to Israel agreeing to let her leave Gaza. Sherin’s brother, his wife, and their four children, who live with Najwa, were refused visas. Sherin has signed an undertaking to accommodate Najwa at her Ballaghaderreen home. However, with Gaza border crossings closed and Israeli attacks ongoing, her mother cannot get out.

The plan was that she would leave through the Rafah crossing into Egypt and somebody from the Irish Embassy in Cairo would meet her there, give her the visa, and put her on a plane to come here,” explains Sherin. In May, the Israeli authorities finally agreed to allow Najwa leave. However, by then the Rafah border crossing had been closed.

I visited Sherin in October to take photos and record some video that would accompany an interview by my colleague Justine McCarthy. While I was there Sherin tried to call her mother in northern Gaza a number of times. Wifi and phone access is limited so it took many attempts to get through. When we did, Najwa spoke of her life. “The air strikes and the bombardment are everywhere. They don’t discriminate. They bomb without warning,” she said. The line went dead and Sherin tried again, reconnecting after ten minutes. “I am terrified I will be killed. They have cut off all the aid. No food is allowed to get into the northern part of Gaza. We suffer from the lack of food,” she said.

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Sherin has prepared a bedroom for her mother in Ballaghaderreen, but Najwa remains trapped in Gaza, and the room remains empty.

A man walks through autumnal light near the junction of Frederick Street South and Setanta Place in Dublin. Photo: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times
A man walks through autumnal light near the junction of Frederick Street South and Setanta Place in Dublin. Photo: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times
A man walks his dog as a low winter sun descends towards dusk on Sandymount strand in Dublin. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien/The Irish Times
A man walks his dog as a low winter sun descends towards dusk on Sandymount strand in Dublin. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien/The Irish Times
Executive chef Nehemie Kibabu (left) of Ibile Restaurant in Dublin and founder Tolu Asemotu. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
Executive chef Nehemie Kibabu (left) of Ibile Restaurant in Dublin and founder Tolu Asemotu. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
Tourists take photos with their phones of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece Cenacolo (The Last Supper) located in Milan, in the refectory of the Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. It is one of UNESCO's World Heritage sites. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times
Tourists take photos with their phones of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece Cenacolo (The Last Supper) located in Milan, in the refectory of the Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie. It is one of UNESCO's World Heritage sites. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times
Interior of New York City's One World Trade Centre which cost 4 billion dollars and took eight years to build. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times
Interior of New York City's One World Trade Centre which cost 4 billion dollars and took eight years to build. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times
On the eve of the UN Conference of Parties (COP) in Baku, Stop Climate Chaos organised a visual stunt in Dublin with Lady Justice, (played by Gemma Roche) being drowned in oil to represent the inequality of the transition from fossil fuels. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien/The Irish Times
On the eve of the UN Conference of Parties (COP) in Baku, Stop Climate Chaos organised a visual stunt in Dublin with Lady Justice, (played by Gemma Roche) being drowned in oil to represent the inequality of the transition from fossil fuels. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien/The Irish Times
Evelyn Callaghan (centre left, wearing sunglasses) Pauline O'Brien (centre) and Andy Mahoney(centre right) from Wexford are among those who participated in the successful Tin Whistle Guinness World Record attempt for the most tin whistles played continuously for five minutes at Chadwicks Wexford Park during the Comhaltas Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. 2,516 tin whistle players performed two songs ‘The Boys of Wexford’ and ‘The Dawning of the Day March’. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times
Evelyn Callaghan (centre left, wearing sunglasses) Pauline O'Brien (centre) and Andy Mahoney(centre right) from Wexford are among those who participated in the successful Tin Whistle Guinness World Record attempt for the most tin whistles played continuously for five minutes at Chadwicks Wexford Park during the Comhaltas Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. 2,516 tin whistle players performed two songs ‘The Boys of Wexford’ and ‘The Dawning of the Day March’. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times
It can take a couple of hours to get into the character, hair, make up and dress for Rob Murphy who plays Dame Buffy in the panto ‘Beauty and The Beast, A Sammy and Buffy Adventure’ at the National Stadium, Dublin. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien/The Irish Times
It can take a couple of hours to get into the character, hair, make up and dress for Rob Murphy who plays Dame Buffy in the panto ‘Beauty and The Beast, A Sammy and Buffy Adventure’ at the National Stadium, Dublin. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien/The Irish Times
Amber (not her real name), who injects heroin and crystal meth “five times a day minimum” will “absolutely use” Ireland’s first medically supervised injecting facility (MSIF) at Merchants Quay when it opens before Christmas. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times
Amber (not her real name), who injects heroin and crystal meth “five times a day minimum” will “absolutely use” Ireland’s first medically supervised injecting facility (MSIF) at Merchants Quay when it opens before Christmas. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times

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