Francis Browne

Born 3 January 1880 (Cork)
Died 7 July 1960 (Dublin)

Francis Patrick Mary Hegarty Browne was an Irish Jesuit priest and photographer. As part of his secondary education, he completed the Grand Tour of Europe in 1897, equipped with his camera. As a passenger of the RMS Titanic, he documented the voyage and crew of the ship, which he is most famous for. Other works include the documentation of rural and urban life in both England and Ireland, as well as a series of photographs from World War I.

Bio & Career

Francis Brown attended Belvedere College Dublin, the Jesuit alma mater of James Joyce, before going as a boarder to Castleknock, the Vincentian college in Co. Dublin. His secondary education was completed with a Grand Tour of Europe in 1897, travelling through France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany, taking his first photographs during this time. ¹ For some years he had little opportunity to photograph but somehow his enthusiasm and artistic ability were still evident at the time of the Titanic’s journey. In 1915 he was ordained to join the Irish Guards as chaplain. He was the most decorated chaplain of WW1. In following years up to the 1950’s he created almost 42,000 negatives in which he documented the life of the emerging Republic of Ireland and fascinating aspects of Australia, England and elsewhere.² After his death, Francis Browne’s negatives were kept in the Jesuit archives.

Publications

Photography books with contribution by Francis Browne

2016, E. E. O’Donnell Flying with Father Browne Dublin: Messenger Publications
2016, E. E. O’Donnell Father Browne’s Titanic Album Dublin: Messenger Publications
2015, E. E. O’Donnell Father Browne’s Donegal Dublin: Messenger Publications
2015, E. E. O’Donnell Father Browne’s Dublin: Photographs 1925-1950 Dublin: Messenger Publications
2014, E. E. O’Donnell Father Browne’s First World War Dublin: Messenger Publications
2014, E. E. O’Donnell, The Life and Lens of Father Browne, Dublin: Messenger Publications
2014, David H. Davison, Edwin Davison, E.E. O’Donnell, Frank Browne: A Life Through the Lens, Yale University Press
2005, E. E. O’Donnell Father Browne’s Trains and Railways Dublin: Merlin
2002, E. E. O’Donnell Father Browne’s Ships and Shipping Dublin: Merlin
1999, E. E. O’Donnell Father Browne’s Australia Dublin: Merlin
1998, E. E. O’Donnell Images of Aran Dublin: Merlin
1997, E. E. O’Donnell Father Browne’s Titanic Album Dublin: Merlin
1997, E. E. O’Donnell Father Browne: Life in Pictures Dublin: Merlin
1997, E. E. O’Donnell Father Browne’s England Dublin: Merlin
1997, E. E. O’Donnell Father Browne’s Dublin Dublin: Merlin
1997, E. E. O’Donnell Father Browne’s Cork Dublin: Merlin
1996, E. E. O’Donnell Father Browne’s Australia Dublin: Merlin
1995, E. E. O’Donnell Fathers and Sons Dublin: Merlin
1991, E. E. O’Donnell The Genius of Father Browne Dublin: Merlin
1990, E. E. O’Donnell Father Browne’s Ireland Dublin: Merlin
n.d., E. E. O’Donnell Postcards from the Titanic Dublin: Merlin

Works

: When the Circus Comes to Rahan: “Corvenios” Alias Mc Cormack’s by the Claddagh River. Co. Offaly (4th October 1929)

: Soldier With Fixed Bayonet Leaving Trench. Ypres, Flanders (August 1917)

: Dublin Airport Collinstown. Terminal Building. (13th May 1946)

: Patrick Street, Cork (1934)

: Custom House and Eden Quay from Tram on O’Connell Bridge, Dublin (1930)

: Crowds in Snow Outsde St. Francis Xavier’s Church, Gardiner Street, Dublin (1930)

External links & References

O’Donnell, E. E. “Photographer Extraordinary: The Life and Work of Father Browne.” Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review 79, no. 315 (1990): 298-306.
Introduction Father Browne http://www.fatherbrowne.com