Former Irish Times picture editor Peter Thursfield dies aged 77

The multi-award winning photographer and former Irish Times picture editor Peter Thursfield has died at the age of 77.

Mr Thursfield was credited with setting new standards in his profession and with contributing to Irish social life through his images on the front page.

He died in the early hours of Thursday morning following an illness, surrounded by family at St James’s Hospital in Dublin.

“I think he was one of those quiet people who added to Irish life in a way that you only realise afterwards because they’re not vainglorious, they’re not commenting but they’re showing,” said the RTÉ broadcaster and close family friend Áine Lawlor.

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Mr Thursfield was married to Rosie, with whom he had three daughters, Katie, Sarah and Charlotte. He is also survived by another daughter Eve Francesca, who is an actress and lives in London, from his previous marriage to journalist Nuala Macklin. During a celebrated career he won numerous awards for his work, of which he kept an archive at his home in the South Dublin suburb of Rathmines.

Irish Times picture editor Brenda Fitzsimons said her late colleague “had a unique perspective on photography that led to him becoming a multi award-winning press photographer who set a standard for others to follow. He’ll be greatly missed by his fellow photographers.”

Discussing his craft in a 1984 RTÉ TV segment, Mr Thursfield described getting a buzz from assignments.

“I think it’s like everything else, if you approach something with a bit of enthusiasm, if you put a bit of effort into something, it’s very satisfying,” he said. “And you’ve got to accept the fact that some days it’s just not going to work.”

Ms Lawlor said she had come to know Mr Thursfield before ever having met him as a result of his front page images.

“He had huge compassion and I think that’s why his visual eye was so good and I think that was the strength of that Irish Times photography at that very critical time when Ireland was changing so much.”

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