Restoring please

[ollietheowl]

looking for some kind person to try and make the attached photo clearer.  This is the only photograph of the Burgess Family all from Athy Kildare Ireland.  Any chance of making the faces clearer

[Greensleeves]

It's not easy (for me, anyway) to see what's happening on the back row. Is it one solitary woman or is there someone standing next to her?

[Craclyn]

It looks like a woman and a man back to back and facing out to the edges of the picture. Very strange pose. Why would they not be looking the same way as everbody else?

[ollietheowl]

This picture was emailed to me by a 2nd cousin in Canada.  I have contacted her to see if she knows any answers.  She did say that she only have a copy of the original photo and it is no clearer than this scanned copy.  She has no idea where the original is .
Will advise when I hear from her.

Many thanks for your help

[ollietheowl]

T his photo was probably taken on the last occasion when the family was altogether before the older sister left for England/Canada. One sister must have been missing and she is the one who has been "fitted in" at the back from another photo.  There is no-one standing next to her.

Hope this helps with the restoration.

Many thanks

[Greensleeves]

How interesting because I thought there was a figure of a man standing there beside her, with his back to her.

[ollietheowl]

I know what you mean as looking at it closely it looks like there could be a man and also another women stood to the tight of him!  very strange.  The full text I have just received from my cousin is 
The letter that accompanies the photo states:
This photo was probably taken on the last occasion when the family was altogether before the older sister left for England/Canada. One sister must have been missing and she is the one who has been "fitted in" at the back from another photo. Paddy says that the front left is Auntie Bridie, then Anne with Johnny on her knee, then Esther (Jo) then Auntie Lil (Paddy's wife). Back row - Thomas, Aunt Molly, then Uncle Tom and Aunt Jude (Julia). Therefore Aunt Ann is the upper figure. As Johnny was born in 1916, it must have been taken in 1917. (This comes from Mary Atherton in a letter to my late Grandma, Eileen Cahill Bohart.

There is only 9 people mentioned and 9 people showing clearly on the photo
Is is possible to have a go at restoring excluding the phantom man on the back row

Many thanks

[Greensleeves]

Well, I've had a go.  Don't think that this one is likely to win any prizes I'm afraid.  Maybe someone else will have a try and produce something a bit better.

regards,
GS

[mahalia]

The best I can do

Cheers

Maureen