Archive for the History Category

Viking Splash set to return!

Viking Splash set to return!

Last week, Viking Splash Tours put up a “coming soon” post with a picture of their iconic DUKW (Duck) vehicle on their Facebook page. Commenters were beyond excited at the prospect of the much loved tours returning to Dublin’s streets. For nearly 20 years the tour has brought to life the history of Dublin city in a truly one of a kind way for children and adults alike.

Read more

The History of Dublin’s Trams: A Rail-Life Story

Peter McNamara Dublin City was once home to one of the most advanced and extensive tram networks in Europe. At the turn of the 20th century, Dublin United Tramways could boast of being one of the finest services on the […]

Read more

Birth of a New State

Dermot Carmody On January 16th 1922 there was a brief and informal ceremony in Dublin Castle in which the castle was handed over (or surrendered, depending on what angle you look at it from) to the Provisional Government of Ireland […]

Read more

Maritime Roads

David Carroll Dublin remembers her honourable seafaring past in her modern highways “To the men of the Mercantile Marine who faced all the perils of the ocean to bring us essential supplies the nation is profoundly grateful.” Taoiseach Éamon de […]

Read more

Author Derville Murphy on writing, art & architecture

Author Derville Murphy on writing, art & architecture

In this interview local author, artist, architect and certified renaissance woman, Derville Murphy, kindly spoke to Newsfour about what drives her to write, how art has influenced her work and what are the makings of a knockout historical fiction novel.

Read more

Mary Lavin: First female Irish writer to have a public area named after her

Mary Lavin: First female Irish writer to have a public area named after her

Geneva Pattison For the first time in Irish history, a public area will be named after a female Irish writer. The writer in question is the pioneer of women’s writing, Mary Lavin. The new Mary Lavin Place will consist of […]

Read more

A History of Vaccines – from Cowpox to Covid

Peter McNamara It’s no secret that vaccinations have revolutionised global health. Arguably the single most life-saving innovation in the history of medicine, vaccines have eradicated smallpox, slashed child mortality rates, and prevented lifelong disabilities. Possibly lesser known, however, are the […]

Read more

Dublin’s future skyline and a history of high rise

Peter McNamara Since the beginning of Dublin’s housing crisis, politicians, planners, developers and Dubliners have been arguing about whether we should be building up and not out to solve our shortages. To some, the sky (and sky-scrapers) are the limit. […]

Read more

Patsy Gallagher: The Mighty Atom (part 1)

Gavan Bergin Patrick ‘Patsy’ Gallagher was born in Milford Workhouse in Co. Donegal in 1891. He spent the first few years of his life living in Ramelton, a small village on the shores of Loch Swilly. When he was three, […]

Read more

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 […]

Read more