The Old Church hosted an art exhibition from photographer Sean McKernan on May 27, 28 and 29.

McKernan has traveled to Leadville previously to see the Irish Miners Memorial. He said that he was presenting his gallery in Denver, and because of his previous connection, he was asked to present in Leadville as well.

McKernan was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and is still based there today. His photo gallery begins when he was a young man in the early 1980s. McKernan grew up in the middle of a decades-long conflict in Northern Ireland called The Troubles, during which various groups resisted the rule of the British government whether through politics, protest or military action. The people of Northern Ireland often found themselves in the crossfire of the conflict.

As a young man, McKernan decided to use his photography to give himself a voice and to document what was happening around him. He took photos throughout the years of the conflict that depict funerals, bombings, protests and military occupation. However, many also depict the normal day-today activities happening right alongside the conditions of war.

The Troubles ended in 1998 with the Good Friday Agreement. McKernan said that while things are still not perfect in Northern Ireland, they are much better, and he hopes that his photo gallery shows a success story.

“It can be a powerful tool, the use of photography, as a medium for people to look for reconciliation, look at what they’ve got in common and see how they can work positively together,” McKernan said.

“Peace is still evolving and I think people should always have an appreciation and understanding of their history. If people don’t continuously look at their history, they are more likely to create problems in the future.”