Tributes paid following passing of ‘prince of photographers’ Henry Wills

THE late photographer Henry Wills has been remembered as someone who ‘epitomised everything that is good about regional journalism’.

The former Western People photographer passed away on Thursday evening at the Bon Secours Hospital in Galway after a brief illness. He was 71 years of age.

Once hailed by President Mary Robinson as a ‘master of his craft’, Henry captured various moment in history over a decades-long career with the Western People, which commenced in November 1972.

These included the Papal visit to Knock in 1979, the building of Knock Airport in the early 1980s, the inauguration of President Robinson in 1990, the election of Enda Kenny as Taoiseach in 2011 and an image of a jumping Willie Joe Padden playing in Croke Park in 1985.

A former president of the Press Photographers’ Association of Ireland (PPAI), Henry was one of the main people behind the revival of the Ballina Salmon Festival in the early 1990s and was also instrumental in the development of the Ballina Braves basketball club in the 1970s.

Last November, he launched a collection of his photographs entitled ‘In All Kinds of Weather’ at a well-attended launch in the Mount Falcon Hotel outside Ballina.

Michael Gallagher, Sports Editor at The Mayo News and a former colleague of Henry Wills at the Western People, described him as ‘the prince of photographers’.

“I worked beside Henry for 14 years and some of the best of fun I’ve ever had in work was generated by Henry over those years,” said Mr Gallagher.

“He had an amazing feel for people. He had amazing feel for the west of Ireland. He had an understanding of what people wanted to see. He was an artist, but his greatest gift was the way he interacted with people, the fun he had.

“He’s a huge loss to his to his family, he’s a huge loss to Mayo, to the west of Ireland and to Ireland itself. He was the prince of photographers but most of all he was just a nice, decent man and we’ll all miss him terribly. His likes will never pass this way again.”

Paying tribute, Western People editor James Laffey said the Ballina native had ‘made an enormous and unrivalled contribution to the newspaper during a distinguished career’.

“Henry’s legacy is his work and what a body of work he has left behind for future generations to enjoy. We were incredibly fortunate in Mayo to have someone of Henry’s unique talents to capture our county’s history for the past half-century, and while we mourn his passing, we celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will endure for generations to come,” Mr Laffey stated today (Friday).

“The Western People could not have asked for a finer ambassador than Henry Wills. He epitomised everything that is good about regional journalism, and it was a privilege to have worked alongside him and enjoyed his company.

“Apart from being brilliant at his job, Henry brought so much joy, fun and laughter into our lives with his wit, story-telling and effervescent personality. He was a larger-than-life character who was so warm-hearted and good-natured, and he will be deeply missed by all those who had the pleasure of knowing him.”

On behalf of everyone in the Western People, Mr Laffey extended sympathies to Henry’s twin sister Mary Bourke and her husband Michael, his nephew Keith, niece Elaine, extended family and friends.

Minister of State Dara Calleary, TD, also conveyed his sympathies, describing Henry as ‘a great friend’ and ‘one of Ireland’s master photographers’. 

“He captured the big moments, the personal moments, the community moments, the celebration moments, the tragic moments, the political moments, the sporting moments - all aspects of life were Henry’s canvas,” Minister Calleary stated. 

His funeral details have yet to be announced.