Tributes have been paid to award-winning Irish Examiner photographer Denis Minihane who has retired after a remarkable career spanning almost half a century. And he has the pictures to prove it.
Mr Minihane, 65, who joined the dark room of then Cork Examiner in 1976 aged 17, and who was appointed a press photographer two years later, was the newspaper’s longest serving employee until he officially hung up his camera on Wednesday.
It is estimated that he took more than 500,000 photographs over the course of his career, and bagged 27 national and international awards.
Dozens of staff gathered in the Irish Examiner’s newsroom to mark his final day at work on Wednesday.
“It has been a privilege working here over the years,” he said, as he thanked the many past and present colleagues with whom he worked over the years.
I will miss my large second family here but I will be keeping an eye on the publications. But now it’s time for me to shutter off into the sunset.
Mr Minihane, whose father, Michael, was a shopkeeper and local photographer covering a vast area in West Cork from Bandon to Dursey, said he grew up in a “newspaper home” in Skibbereen, where their pet Yorkshire Terrier, Bruno, was trained to deliver copies of the Cork Examiner to local houses.
He attended events with his father, and began writing local news for the Examiner before he got a job in the dark room in 1976, and was appointed a photographer two years later.
He recalled the rush to develop rolls of film, of printing black and white photographs from negatives, of how photographers had to either deliver the prints physically or wire them back to the office, the introduction of colour printing and how technology now allows photographers to email photos or video from the field.
“We have to work harder now because everyone has a camera on their phone,” he said.
World Exclusive
He is perhaps best-known for his iconic and haunting black-and-white image of victims of the 1985 Air India disaster lying in a makeshift morgue at what was then the Cork Regional Hospital.
"I knew I had a picture but I didn’t know what exactly I’d captured. You never knew until the negatives were developed later. That was an anxious seven or eight minute wait. But I always felt for the families of the victims,” he said.
Denis Minihane's dramatic picture of bodies from the Air India Flight 192 air disaster on June 23, 1985.
He recalled how when the then night editor, Liam Moher, saw the image, he held the printing of the paper to include the photograph, and marked it as a “world exclusive”.
The image captured the scale of the human tragedy and was syndicated around the world, including in the hugely influential New York-based Life magazine.
Mr Minihane covered the Betelgeuse and Kowloon Bridge disasters, the Papal visit to Ireland in 1979, and later Pope John Paul’s funeral in Rome, the release of the Birmingham Six, and the devastating 2009 Cork floods.
The Kowloon Bridge disaster in 1986.
He also covered countless local, national, and international sporting events, capturing a stunning image of the late GAA legend Teddy McCarthy soaring high above his opponents to pluck a sliotar from the air, and Ronan O’Gara’s famous drop kick in Cardiff to win the Grand Slam in 2009.
One of the iconic photos of the Cork floods in 2009.
But he said some of his fondest memories are the human-interest stories, including taking the first press photographs of the conjoined twins, Hassan and Hussein Benhaffaf, in their Carrigtwohill home just weeks after their birth in December 2009, sharing a cup of tea with Marlon Brando in Shanagarry during the shooting in 1995 of the failed Divine Rapture movie, and of being bitten by a penguin on a shoot in Fota Wildlife Park.
Hassan and Hussein Benhaffaf, the conjoined twin boys at eight weeks old, sleeping at their home in Cork.
Irish Examiner editor Tom Fitzpatrick described Mr Minihane’s retirement as "a sad and poignant day" for the company but said he has left a remarkable legacy in the company's photographic archive.
“It is our chance to say thank you and farewell to a man whose been here for all our first days — it was service without parallel,” he said.
Visual media manager, Jim Coughlan, paid tribute to Mr Minihane’s professionalism and dedication and said: "You always did it with a smile on your face. You were a total gentleman."
Denis Minihane's parting words after 47+ years.
Síomha Ní Ruairc and Martin King interviewed Denis Minihane on Virgin Media's Ireland AM show. Video: Virgin Media/Ireland AM
Mr Minihane thanked his wife, Maeve, and their four adult children, Laura, David, Conor and Shane.
“I am aware of the challenges that press work places on family so I’d like to thank my family for their support,” he said.
He hopes to take up art classes in retirement.
His legacy now forms part of the extensive archive of images that Irish Examiner and The Echo are noted for .... A legacy that will be enjoyed for generations to come
Listen to the Mick Clifford Podcast with Denis Minihane as they discuss Denis's 47 year career with the Irish Examiner and The Echo.
An eye of the beached 65 foot fin whale which died in Courtmascherry Harbour, Co Cork in 2009
Three great white pelicans strolling around Fota Wildlife Park, Co. Cork
A robin in the frost in the morning sunlight at Farran (Wood) Forest Park, Co Cork, during a spell of cold weather in January 20024
Steve Collins knocks Chris Eubank to the floor in the 8th round during world super middleweight title fight in Millstreet, Co. Cork, on 18 March 1995. Steve went on to win the tittle on the night in a judges decision after the full 12 rounds.
1ST place - Humour, PPAI 1998
'HEAD-THE-BALL': Winner of the humour award in the Eircell Press Photographers Association of Ireland Awards in 1998.
Tiger Woods waiting to tee off during the J.P. McManus Pro-Am at Adare Golf Club in 2005
Jubilation for Cork coach Jimmy Barry Murphy as he runs onto the pitch with clenched fists at the final whistle when Cork defeated Waterford in the Munster S.H.C semi-final in Thurles in 1999.
Tipperary mid-fielder Shane McGrath celebrating with the McCarthy Cup much to the delight of manager Liam Sheedy and players after defeating Kilkenny in the All-Ireland SHC Final in 2010
1st place - Sports Feature - PPAI Awards 2007
An emotional Darragh McGarry preparing to lift the McCarthy Cup with Kilkenny captain Henry Shefflin after winning the All- Ireland SHC final.
1st Place Individual Study, PPAI Awards, 1985
The ordination as Bishop of Most Rev. Dr Diarmaid Ó Súilleabháin, in Killarney on the 26th May, 1985
Pope John Paul II meeting people on his arrival at Dublin Airport in 1979.
Team Talk: 14th November 1981 Hockey Irish Senior Cup, Harlequins v Catholic Institue
Cork's Pat Moylan scoring a vital goal in the final minute against Galway in the National Hurling League game at Ballinasloe on 23rd November 1980.
The Flying Corkman
Supporters Celebrating Cork's exciting victory over Offaly at the centenary All-Ireland hurling final in Semple Stadium, Thurles on 2nd September 1984. Cork won 3-16 to Offaly's 1-12
Firefighters battle conflagration at the English Market, Princes Street, Cork on the 20th June 1980.
A smiling Dr. Ian Paisley, the former First Minister of Northern Ireland, during his visit to Cobh for the Cobh and Harbour Chamber 50th anniversary dinner in 2008.
An award winning picture titled the "Angel of mercy", a study of Mother Teresa on her arrival at Cork Airport for a visit to Blarney, Co. Cork, in June 1996.
Nelson Mandela waving to crowds outside the Mansion House during his visit to Dublin in 1990 with his image reflected on the roof of a waiting car.
Escort of Honour
11th November 1997: This photo of President Mary McAleese walking past the Captain's Escort of Honour as she leaves Dublin Castle following her inauguration won 3rd prize in the personality category of The Slattery Camera Circle best 100 pictures of 1997.
Taoiseach Charles Haughey with French President Francois Mitterrand and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with E.C. Foreign ministers behind them during the European Council Summit at Dublin Castle in June 1990.
2nd Place - News, Best 100 Competition 1995
Entitled 'The last seat for Europe', this study of the defeat of Des O'Malley in Cork during the European Parliament Elections of 1994, won 2nd place in the news category in the Slattery's Camera Circle 'Best 100' Competition 1995.
Micheál Martin, T.D. , speaking on his return to Turner's Cross, after he was appointed as Minister for Education in 1997.
2004: The graves of soldiers, many of them Irish who died in the Normandy landings on Tuesday 6th June 1944 during World War II, reflected in the sunglasses of an attendee, at the British cemetery at Ranville, Normandy, on the 60th anniversary of D-Day.
Emergency services at the scene after a Bus Éireann bus collided with the crash rail at a railway bridge at Dublin Hill, Cork on 12th June 2023.
Manx2 Flight 7100 was a scheduled commercial flight from Belfast to Cork. On 10 February 2011, the Fairchild Metro III aircraft flying the route with ten passengers and two crew on board crashed on its third attempt to land at Cork Airport in foggy conditions. Six people, including both pilots, die. Six passengers survived but were injured, four of them seriously.
The funeral of former Taoiseach Jack Lynch in 1999 as the cortège passed over St. Patrick's Bridge onto St. Patrick's Street, Cork City.
Covid Pandemic
January 2022: A Candle in the Wind, commemorating everyone who passed away locally during the Covid 19 pandemic & were unable to receive a proper traditional funeral.
Tim Clevely in silhoutte as he points the edge of one of the stained glass windows at St. Lukes Church, Douglas, Cork.
Enjoying a walk at the pinturesque setting at the Lough, Cork, during the snow of 2018 were Jeronimo, Maria Luisa, Jeronimo Jr. and Luisa Rodriguez, Glasheen, Cork.
2nd Place - Nature & The Enviorenment, PPAI Awards 2013
December 2012: Ger O'Brien harvesting Christmas trees at a Coillte Christmas tree farm in Co. Tipperary.
Irish Examiner Longread
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