Niki Collier’s photo documentary of Election Day in Dublin

Six polling stations are available to Bulgarians in Ireland: two in Dublin and one each in Dundalk, Limerick, Cork and Tullamore. Today, Bulgarian-born visual artist and creative professional Dr Niki Collier, who lives and works in Ireland, not only cast her vote but also met, talked to and photographed friends, partners, like-minded people and admirers of her art who had likewise come to the polling station to fulfil their duty to their homeland.

Collier highlights the active role played by young people, the new generation of Bulgarians, some of whom were not even born in Bulgaria but are already helping their parents organise polling stations. Even the youngest, who have not yet turned 18, accompanied their parents to the ballot box to learn an important lesson from them: although all schoolchildren are currently on holiday, civic duty comes first. Exercising one's right as a citizen and casting a vote matter, regardless of how far away from Bulgaria one may be.

Here is a photo documentary of election day in Dublin, sent to us by Niki Collier. It begins with a colourful story that, as she puts it, “sounds a little like a joke, but is true”:

“Two people from the ruling party sit down at a table, and two from the opposition sit opposite them. Two more join them, but they vote for a neutral party. Before long, everyone is talking over one another, each insisting that their position is more right than the others’. A little girl listening to their arguments approaches the oldest parents and asks why they keep telling younger people, who now have children of their own, whom to vote for. The little girl is only two, but she can already see that something is wrong when older people interfere in the choices of the younger generation.”

Niki says similar conversations among relatives take place in many other families, where several generations live under one roof. She introduces us to the people in her photo story.

Meet 18-year-old Alexander Atanasov Chinov, who studies international business in Ireland and is the youngest member of an election commission.

“I am glad to be a member of the precinct election commission, and I encourage everyone to vote,” Alexander says, proudly fulfilling this responsibility towards Bulgaria. Before allowing Niki Collier to vote, he carefully checks every digit in her identity documents.

This is Temenuga Yonkova, who cast her vote on her 60th birthday. She voted together with her entire family: her husband, Venelin, and her sister Iskra, who had travelled from Varna to celebrate the occasion with her. They are pictured outside the polling station in Santry, Dublin, Ireland.

Temenuga recently served as Ireland's national rapporteur on human trafficking at the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. As a Bulgarian, she sees these elections as a choice between the past and the future. Her perspective is that of a mother whose children are in their thirties and who hopes for a better future for their generation in Bulgaria.

And here is architect Simona Sanz, who is taking the bus to vote because her car is blocked in by a major marathon taking place in Dublin today.

A calm, quiet and sunny day in the Irish capital: unseasonably bright sunshine, but the usual tranquillity. The election commission at the Bulgarian Embassy in Dublin.

This is Jeylyan, who also lives in Dublin. Today, however, she may not have found a presidential ticket she feels she can trust, and will most likely stay at home.

She is otherwise actively involved in masquerade performances featuring stylised kukeri costumes made from felt by Dr Niki Collier. Here, Jeylyan is wearing the costume of “Freedom”, a fresh interpretation of the traditional kukeri figures.

And here is the polling station in Dundalk, the place where the group wears Niki's original costumes for Halloween. The group also often hosts lively parties featuring Bulgarian pop music.

Pictured are the polling station commission members: Tanya Panayotova-Harseva, Ivelina Ivanova, Silvana Yordanova, Georgi Dobrev, Aleksandar Shopov, Gergana Pavlova and Diana Pezheva.

Professor Izabela Naydenova of Dublin University and Dr Borislav Naydenov of Trinity College

Dublin-based lawyer Gergana Toromanova Morgan is casting her vote in London, accompanied by her three children. By taking them along, she is setting an example of responsible civic behaviour, demonstrating that one's duty as a citizen remains important even when the family is outside Bulgaria, Niki Collier comments.

This is especially noteworthy given that this is an unusual weekend in Dublin, with a local celebration taking place and the school autumn break beginning, meaning that many people are travelling outside Ireland. Yet the children who have accompanied their Bulgarian parents to vote have already learned an important lesson: civic responsibilities should come before entertainment.

And finally, the polling station in the well-known Irish town of Tullamore, whose commission members are Kremena Chinova, Margarita Filipova, Daniela Petkova, Elena Peeva, Dimitar Papukchiev, Dobromir Dobrev and Stoyanka Nikolaeva.

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