As a passenger on the first two legs of Titanic's ill fated voyage, Father Francis Browne SJ's photographs are an immensely important record. As well as taking a unique set of photos, Father Browne also assembled an incredibly valuable album of Titanic material such as an original deck plan, menus, letters to him from fellow passengers, contemporary newspaper cuttings and other documents, many of which are reproduced here. Thanks to the gift of a ticket from his uncle, a young Jesuit named Francis Browne travelled on the Titanic during her maiden voyage from Southampton, to Cherbourg to Cork. Invited to remain with the ship as it crossed the Atlantic, Fr Browne was saved from possible disaster by a telegram from his Jesuit superior ordering him to "get off that ship". When the unthinkable happened and the Titanic sank, Fr Browne's photographs appeared on the front pages of newspapers all around the world. For many years the photographs of Fr Browne were forgotten until 1985 when Fr Eddie O'Donnell happened across an old tin trunk in the Jesuit archives and re-discovered 42,000 photographs, including the Titanic collection.

"the most important documentary historian of this century" The Irish Times In 1985 Eddie O'Donnell SJ found a tin trunk containing 42,000 negatives - the life's work of Francis Browne SJ. Father Browne was a passenger on the Titanic and, when the ship sank, his photos were printed on the front pages of newspapers throughout the world. 1n 1916 he joined up as a chaplain to the British Army serving with the Irish Guards on the front line during the First World War. He was wounded five times and gassed. He became the most decorated Catholic chaplain of the war. Although he spent the rest of his life as a Jesuit priest, he continued to take remarkable photos, to travel and to meet many of the leading figures of his times. Anyone curious about "Father Browne of the Titanic" will find this an entertaining and informative read, amply illustrated with his wonderful photographs.

This collection by renowned photographer, Francis Browne SJ, portays both the photographer's vision and the city's energy as it changes during the first half of the twentieth century. Father Browne focuses on the people of Dublin, at work, at play and watching the world go by. This is a city of children, window shoppers, churchgoers, canals, bridges, trams and trains. Grand houses and tenements, middle classes and poor, industry and hospitals, all catch the photographer's eye. Father Browne's Dublin is a treasure of images, a collection of outstanding photographs, full of wisdom, humour, nostalgia, artistry, information and record. Both Dubliners and the many, many visitors to Ireland's capital city will find here a collection that brings the Dublin of the last century back to life.

Best known for his remarkable photographs, few people are aware of Francis Browne's astonishing war record. Joining the British Army as a Chaplain in 1916, he served for most of the war with the Irish Guards, ministering to the troops at the Somme, Messines Ridge, Paschendaele, Ypres, Amiens, and Arras. Determined to stay at the front with his men, he was wounded five times, starting with a broken jaw in 1916, and was gassed in 1918. Each time he returned to war as soon as his senior officers would let him. His commanding officer described Fr Browne as "the bravest man I ever met". He was awarded the Military Cross with Bar, the Belgian Croix de Guerre (First Class), and the French Croix de Guerre (with Palm). Eddie O'Donnell SJ has written a fascinating account of Father Browne's war experiences, brought vividly to life with extracts from his letters, and illustrated throughout with photographs taken by Father Browne during the war.

Born in Cork, Ireland, Frank Browne (1880-1960) was both a distinguished Jesuit and an accomplished photographer. At age 17, before commencing his studies for the priesthood, he embarked on a tour of Europe armed with a camera. Browne quickly discovered a strong affinity for photography, and continued to take photographs throughout his life. It was not until 1985, however--when Father Edward O'Donnell SJ discovered a large trunk in the Irish Jesuit Provincial's House and found it packed with negatives and photographs--that Browne was catapulted to international fame. Father Browne's remarkable life is recorded in the superb selection of images presented in this book. With wit and a sharp eye, he observed 20th-century Ireland; life as a Jesuit priest; his experience as a passenger on the first leg of the voyage of the Titanic in 1912; and his later travels throughout Europe, Egypt, Yemen, Ceylon, and Australia. This handsome, copiously illustrated volume offers a complete survey of the photographic work of an exceptional man. Exhibition Schedule: Farmleigh House, Dublin (10/22/14-12/22/14)