German photographer finds second home in Limerick's St Mary's Park

Tamara Eckhardt chose to focus on the area because she wants to offer a different perspective on a place that is often the focus of negative attention

A street scene shot by Tamara Eckhardt, part of her exhibition work on St Mary’s Park, Limerick.

An award-winning German photographer says she has found a second home in St Mary’s Park, Limerick, after the community became the focus of her latest project.

Tamara Eckhardt says she chose to focus on St Mary’s Park, for her series “Youth of the Island Field” because she wants to offer a different perspective on a place that is often the focus of negative attention.

“I had heard that it is a very strong community. The people there are fiercely loyal. It took some time for trust to be built between us, but over time, I was able to show that I was interested in the community and the people there,” she added.

Despite living most of her life in Berlin, Tamara had previously spent time in Ireland, when she lived in Scariff, Cork, from the age of 10 to 12.

Wanting to see it once more through the eyes of a photographer and adult, Tamara set off with a camera and an open mind, back in 2019.

Basically, I bought a car, put a mattress in the back, brought my dog and went to Ireland. I didn't know where I would exactly go and randomly landed in Limerick. Now, three years later, I have made a lot of friends - it became a second home.

This isn’t Tamara’s first look at Irish life through a camera lens, with her previous series, “The Children of Carrowbrowne,” focusing on a Traveller community in Galway.

In the past, Tamara has been awarded and shortlisted for numerous awards including the International Women Photographers Association Award, Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award, and the German Youth Photo Award.

Her focus is often on marginalised communities, with a particular focus on childhood. She hopes that her work will offer a different look at areas such as St Mary’s Park, and encourage more empathy and acceptance for those who call it home.

The series will be on display at Ormston House, Cultural Resource Centre, but one of Tamara’s pictures will also be hung at Mathew Brigde, which connects St Mary’s with the rest of Limerick City.

“I have met so many amazing people. Families there have had to grow up under difficult circumstances, but they are so kind. They were very welcoming and I made some very special relationships with the people there,” Tamara said.

Youth of the Island Field will run from April 20 to June 11.