Ronan Callahan
Four Blows of the Leather
Four Blows of the Leather is a narrative-driven project exploring how schooling has shaped Irish male identity, particularly through discipline and moral dogma. Through semi-structured interviews and intimate oral histories, it reveals stories of vulnerability, repression, camaraderie, and resilience. These voices are paired with contemporary portraits taken in disused schools and abandoned classrooms, symbolizing emotional echoes of the past. The title refers to a common disciplinary ritual, serving as a metaphor for internalized control and emotional suppression. Rather than focusing solely on trauma, the work invites reflection and healing. Using sound, image, and story, it examines how educational institutions have influenced emotional expression and masculinity, and how their impact endures well beyond childhood.
Ronan Callahan • David Doyle • Pawel Konkol • Gerry Savage • Kieran Whelan • Elia de Leon •
Bath Spa University
BA (Hons) Photography
University of Brighton
BA (Hons) Photography
Cardiff Metropolitan University
BA (Hons) Photography
University of Chester
BA (Hons) Photography
Crawford College of Art and Design
BA (Hons) Fine Art
University of Cumbria
BA (Hons) Photography
Griffith College Dublin
BA Photographic Media
TU Dublin
BA (Hons) Photography
Edinburgh College
BA Professional Photography
Edinburgh Napier University
BA (Hons) Photography
Glasgow School of Art
BA (Hons) Fine Art Photography
Glasgow School of Art
BA (Hons) Communication Design
Goldsmiths University of London
BA (Hons) Media and Communications
University of Hertfordshire
BA (Hons) Photography
University of Huddersfield
BA (Hons) Photography
Kingston University London
BA (Hons) Photography
University of Lancashire
BA (Hons) Photography
Leeds Trinity University
BA (Hons) Photography
Limerick School of Art and Design
BA (Hons) Photography and Moving Image
London South Bank University
BA (Hons) Photography
Manchester Metropolitan University
BA (Hons) Photography
University of Greater Manchester
BA (Hons) Photography
Middlesex University
BA (Hons) Photography
National College of Art and Design
Certificate in Photography and Digital Imaging
Pearse College of Further Education
QQI Level 6 Photography
Arts University Plymouth
BA (Hons) Photography
University of Portsmouth
BA (Hons) Photography
University of Salford
BA (Hons) Photography
Sheffield Hallam University
BA (Hons) Photography
University of Suffolk
BA (Hons) Photography
Ulster University
BA (Hons) Photography with Video
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
BA (Hons) Photography in the Arts
University of Wales Trinity Saint David
BA (Hons) Documentary Photography and Visual Activism