Ireland

Starting in 1973, captivated by a deep love for traditional music and storytelling, Jill Freedman traveled to Ireland, beginning a decades-long relationship with the country’s people and rural landscape. Returning repeatedly over twenty-five years, she roamed the countryside, immersing herself in traditional pub sessions, horse fairs, and quiet village life. Working away from the urban chaos of New York, Freedman approached her subjects with profound warmth and empathy, documenting a traditional way of life that was rapidly disappearing as Ireland modernized.

Published in 1987 as A Time That Was: Irish Moments (and expanded in 2004 as Ireland Ever), this body of work stands as an affectionate, deeply lyrical tribute. Looking past postcard idealizations, Freedman recorded the unpretentious warmth, wit, and resilience of the Irish people, celebrating the enduring spirit of a community tied to the land and each other.