Holy Joes

St. Joseph’s Church and Social Centre, in Highgate, North London was founded by Fr,Ignatius, a Catholic priest, in 1858. Hiding his intentions, due to the resentment of practicing Catholics in England at that time, he acquired the land on what had once been a public house, known as the ‘Old Black Dog’. Soon after, work began to convert this once public house into a spiritual and religious sanctuary. Over the years, the church and later the social centre, became a focal point for Catholics and Irish immigrants. At its peak in the 1970’s, the social centre attracted crowds of revelers, with showbands and tea dances featured regularly. In recent times however, this once popular community has suffered a dramatic decline with the ever - decreasing numbers clearly evident today.

In this series of work, Kim Cunningham has chosen to chronicle the lives of this community, in an attempt to create a permanent memorial to Irish Culture in Britain. Her pictures provide an authentic glimpse into one of the many declining Irish social centres in the UK, while simultaneously displaying the dedication and passion it's members embody as they try to keep their heritage alive. St Joseph’s, or more fondly known as ‘Holy Joes’, holds tightly onto the last generation of dedicated believers where, traditions and customs, have been preserved by the experience as an Irish immigrant.

Contact Details:

00 44 (0) 7941 227 729

kim.cunningham@mac.com

www.kimcunningham.co.uk