KCLR 96 FM Interview, Tullow Agricultural Show, Ireland
While photographing the Tullow Agricultural Show in County Carlow, Ireland, I had the pleasure of joining Martin Bridgeman on KCLR Classics to talk about photography, agricultural traditions, and my project The Unchosen Ones. The conversation was especially meaningful because my great-great-grandmother’s family left Ireland generations ago, and I have long wanted to return to what I think of as the homeland. Coming from Minnesota, where county fairs remain an important part of rural life, I was curious to see what an Irish agricultural show might reveal about the shared traditions of farming communities on both sides of the Atlantic.
The Unchosen Ones, published by National Geographic, focuses on young people who participate in county fairs but don't necessarily take home the blue ribbon. The photographs revisit competitors years after the original competition, sometimes finding them alongside the same animals they once showed. The project is ultimately about resilience, patience, humor, and the hard work behind competition—and the recognition that most of us know what it feels like not to be chosen.
Visiting Tullow offered an encouraging glimpse of those traditions alive and well. I was struck by the remarkable control the young competitors had over their animals and by the hours of work and care that clearly happen long before entering the show ring. We also talked about the pressures facing family farms in Minnesota, where I have seen many farms disappear over the course of my projects. Tullow reminded me why these agricultural events matter: they are not simply competitions, but places where young people learn responsibility, patience, perseverance, and care. I’m grateful to Martin Bridgeman and KCLR for the opportunity to share the work—and to spend the day photographing this remarkable community.
Live at the Tullow Agricultural Show (Tullow, Ireland), I enjoyed conversation with Martin Bridgeman KCLR 96 FM (Ireland) during a live radio interview about my book project, The Unchosen Ones.
