Archive for the Local History Category

Remembering Italia 90 and Jack Charlton

Dermot Carmody A visit to this year’s Little Museum Of Dublin exhibition Italia 90 And Jack Charlton (before the museum’s activities were curtailed by lockdown measures) reminded us not just of the sad departure in July of an English and […]

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Swastika Laundry remembered

Eoin Meegan Much has changed around Ballsbridge over the last century, as in many other parts of the capital. One big change is the disappearance forever of a one-time iconic building and industry, the Swastika Laundry. Operating for over 70 […]

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A sinister side of science: Dublin’s grave robbers

Geneva Pattison Grisly stories of grave robbing have been shared and passed down for eons. These cautionary tales struck fear into the hearts of all who listened, through talk of curses, undead monsters and hauntings associated with the act of […]

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John Hume: Peacemaker

Beibhinn Byrne There has been an outpouring of tributes for the late John Hume, the former SDLP founder and leader, architect of the Peace Process and co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize alongside David Trimble in 1998. He died over […]

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Herbert Park home of The O’Rahilly faces demolition

Dermot Carmody A decision is due by August 24th from An Bord Pleanála on a Social Housing Development (SHD) planning application by the owners of The Herbert Park Hotel. If plans for a 12-story apartment development on the site go […]

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Live Aid: the “Global Jukebox” 35 years on

Peter McNamara This summer will see the 35th anniversary of Live Aid, the greatest charity rock concert the world has ever seen. Masterminded by Dublin-born Bob Geldof, the event was organised in aid of Ethiopia, and the terrible famine it […]

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Getting street smart with Logainm: The history of Dublin 4 street and place names

Geneva Pattison The extension of the government-sanctioned travelling distance from two kilometres to five kilometres was a small, but very welcome, improvement to our everyday lives. It’s wonderful to just be outside, although we often find ourselves walking the same […]

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Shelbourne Road: From trams to Beetles

By Dermot Carmody The iconic, and increasingly rare, rear-engined Volkswagen Beetle still catches the eye today if you come across one on the 21st century roads. This, despite the fact that it was based on a 1930s design by Ferdinand […]

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The story of John Hearn

By Peter McNamara For over 70 years, a question mark hung over the fate of local lad John Hearn. In 1939, he went off to join the merchant navy during the Second World War, aged 19. From that date, up […]

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Men’s shed fundraiser and Ringsend’s historical shed

Peter McNamara There has been another breakthrough for the Dublin 4 Men’s Shed campaign– the shed is set to get a temporary location at the Ringsend & District Community Centre. Now, with that temporary location, the shed organisers can finally […]

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