Local man's photos feature on Safe Home Ireland calendar
Willie Forde has donated two of his photos to the Safe Home Ireland charity for their 2026 calendar, and one, depicting the bridge at Ballynacargy, features on the front cover.
Safe Home Ireland provide services for people considering returning and for those who have already returned to Ireland. They offer housing support for qualifying older emigrants, guidance, information, and a connection to home for anyone exploring the idea of returning/moving to Ireland permanently.
Willie said a representative of the charity had seen his work online and contacted him, and he was delighted to allow them use of his photos.
John Broderick, information officer for Safe Home Ireland, told the Westmeath Examiner how the connection with the Devlin photographer came about.
“One of the things we do each year for, and it will be our fourth year next year, is the National Famine Way walk, but we do it in reverse, because symbolically, we’re walking with the people who never came home.
“So we walk from Epic (the Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin) to Strokestown, and along that route, I was looking out for photographs. I asked photographers if I could use their photographs and they kindly donated photographs, from all over the country, landscapes mostly.
“I saw Willie had a few from that bridge and a few of Nancy Quinn’s, which are on the route of the National Famine Way, so there’s a connection between the photographs and what we do.”
The annual walk, like the calendar, is a way of raising awareness and funds for Safe Home Ireland.
“When people see photographs of their localities, they’re drawn to the calendar, and they want it in their homes,” said John, “and they learn about Safe Home.”
Since their foundation 25 years ago, Safe Home have repatriated nearly 3,000 people, roughly two people per week, John added.