Into the Light: Faces of Ireland is a multi-year original work by Paris. Her Irish heritage on her mother's side and her performances at The Gate Theatre in Dublin, combined with her upbringing in Australia, provided the natural impetus for this project. Shot in Ireland, the USA, and the UK, this is the first time these images have been seen. The project has brought together two different groups within Irish society, consisting of:

• Survivors of religious and institutional abuse—long silenced and marginalised

• Professional Irish actors—celebrated figures in the nation’s storytelling tradition

From the early 1900s to the 1990s, thousands of Irish children—now known as Survivors—were raised in Catholic-run institutions including convents, Christian Brothers schools, and state-sanctioned facilities. Far from being places of care, these institutions became environments of neglect, abuse, and systemic shame. Compounding this trauma, many children were sent to Australia under a forced migration programme, promised better lives but instead met with even further exploitation and abuse.

Survivors have spent their lives building solidarity and support with one another. In front of the camera, this deep camaraderie revealed itself in playful, tender ways—moments of joy that carried the weight of resilience and the quiet strength of the community. One such safe haven is the London Irish Centre in Camden, UK, where many of these portraits were taken. 

Into the Light brings these Survivors into a shared space with some of Ireland’s most acclaimed actors. Through portraiture, the project removes traditional divisions and places all participants on an equal footing. By doing so, we are offered a unified platform: One light. One voice. One group, with the collective aim to transform a legacy of institutional darkness into collective illumination.