The Shankill with Photographer Julie McCarthy at Berkshire Waldorf High School

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THE SHANKILL: A Portrait of Pride and Resilience
Photographs by Julie McCarthy, Essays by Julie McCarthy and Tony Macaulay

Join us Friday evening, January 30, for an evening with Julie McCarthy, photographer for The Shankill.

In 1998, the Good Friday Agreement was signed in Belfast, signaling peace following 30 years of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland coined The Troubles. Photographer Julie McCarthy photographed annually for five years on Shankill Road.

Fifty of her black and white photographs of the Shankill Road are collected in her new book, The Shankill: A Portrait of Pride and Resilience (Daylight 2025). Portraits of individuals, as well as images of the buildings and landscape combine to reflect a community working to live in a present that is informed by the legacy of its complex past. McCarthy’s photos reflect her ability to notice, document, and honor the authenticity of generations continuing the activities of daily life. Her images also resonate from her commitment to listening and immersing herself within the community and its history and stories.

“This is not just a story of survival, but of pride, connection, and the struggle to preserve selfhood amidst change. The experiences of the Shankill echo those of marginalized communities everywhere: voices often overlooked; histories misunderstood.”— Julie McCarthy

Julie McCarthy is a documentary photographer. Her work has been exhibited in the U.S. and in Europe. She uses photography to explore the human condition. Her work captures the grace and dignity of her subjects but also hints at the struggles that we all go through. She believes that everyone has a story worth telling.