We are the mods: New exhibition shows Irish youth sub-cultures in 1980s

A new exhibition documents the thriving youth sub-cultures in the south-east during the 1980s, writes Marjorie Brennan

The 1980s is often portrayed as a grim decade in Ireland; the country was in the throes of recession, emigration soared and conflict raged in the North. But for many of those who came of age in the ‘80s, it was a vibrant and exciting time, culturally, musically — and sartorially, especially if you were a mod (or modette). Joe Evans was a teenager in Waterford in the early 80s, indulging his nascent interest in photography in the nearby seaside resort of Tramore during the summer. More importantly though, Evans was a mod and proud.

“I was only 16, 17, and the photography was more a hobby than anything. I worked in the chipper in Tramore, and on a lunch break I’d bring the camera down and take a few pictures,” he says.