A New Plan Of Dublin (1769)

This beautifully drawn map, now almost 250 years old was included as part of Hibernia Curiosa: A Letter from a Gentleman in Dublin to his Friend at Dover in Kent, giving a general View of the Manners, Customs, dispositions, &c., of the Inhabitants of Ireland, with occasional observations on the State of Trade and Agriculture in that Kingdom, And including an account of some of its most remarkable Natural Curiosities, such as Salmon-Leaps, Water-Falls, Cascades, Glynns, Lakes, &c.; with a more particular description of the Giant’s Causeway in the North; and of the celebrated Lake of Killarney in the South of Ireland; taken from an attentive survey and Examination of the Originals; collected in a tour through the Kingdom in the years 1764.  I think the author was going for a Ronseal effect with that long winded title. The book was written by John Bush Of Tunbridge Wells, perhaps an ancestor of the latter day Disgusted Of Tunbridge Wells. The map would still be somewhat helpful guiding a sojourner around Dublin's inner city but as you get further from the centre it becomes less useful as an aid to navigation.

A few things worth mentioning:

No sign yet of O'Connell Bridge and O'Connell Street was still divided into several different names, Drogheda St. and Sackville Street. 

The area from Blackhorse Lane (now Avenue) on the top left across to Dorset Street was still given over primarily to agriculture. 

What latterly became known as Foley Street is marked on the map as World's End Lane.

What's now known as Island Street (near Ussher's Island) was once the far more evocatively named Dunghill Lane.

At the bottom left of the map, which mainly has agricultural lands, there's a Cuthroat Lane. As best I can tell this street no longer exists. It latterly became Roundhead Row and then I think was removed to make way for the hospital. Edited to add: It seems that Cuthroat Lane now goes by the name of Brookfield Road, how dull! Just north of this street is Murdering Lane, which still exists and now goes by the name Cromwell's Quarters. 

The Villages Of Dublin (1987)

This charming book by Jimmy Wren was published to coincide with the general PR stunt that was the Dublin Millennium celebrations of 1988. By all accounts Dublin is significantly older than its so called 988 genesis but that year was proposed in 1986 because why the hell not that's why. Readers old enough will probably remember lots of stuff about vikings and of course the Millennium 50p coin. These coins were, according to those in the know in playgrounds during the 1990s, worth £50. The book contains a potted history of most of the villages that comprise Dublin. There are a few places notable by their absence but it does a fine job covering Abbotstown & Ashtown, Artane, Balbriggan, Baldoyle, Ballyfermot, Ballybough & Clonliffe, Ballymun, Blackrock, Blanchardstown, Cabra, Castleknock, Chapelizod, Clontarf, Clondalkin, Coolock, Crumlin, Dalkey, Donnybrook, Donnycarney, Drumcondra, Dun Laoghaire, Finglas, Glasnevin, Howth, Inchicore & Kilmainham, Killester, Lucan, Marino, Malahide, Monkstown, Portmarnock, Raheny, Ranelagh, Rathfarnham, Rathgar, Rathmines, Ringsend & Irishtown, Rush, Santry, Sandymount, Stoneybatter, Swords, and Tallaght. What makes this book really shine to my mind are the wonderful Ripley's Believe It Or Not-esque illustrated histories of the towns and villages. I don't own a scanner so I took photos of a few pages, excuse the quality. If you'd like to purchase a copy of the book you can get it here.

St. Patrick's Day Parade, New York City (1874)

St. Patrick's Day Parade, New York City (1874)

Postcards of Ireland (1890s - 1960s)

Here's another selection of vintage postcards I found, mainly on ebay, of various parts of Ireland from around the turn of 20th century up until the late 1960s. I don't have an exact year for most of them unfortunately. Some of them do a good job of selling the places they depict. Others, not so much.

 High Street, Belfast, 1908.

 Carndonagh, Co. Donegal, 1960s.

 Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim looking rivetting in the 1960s.

 Dominic Street, Mullingar in what looks like the 1950s.

 Knock, Co. Mayo, 1960s.

 Larne, Co. Antrim, looking as beautiful as ever, early 1900s.

Puck Fair, Kilorglin, Co. Kerry, 1960s.

 Queen's Bridge, Belfast, late 19th C. or early 1900s.

 St. Patrick's Bridge, Cork, late 19th C. or early 1900s.

 Ballybunion, Co. Kerry, looking like an essential place to visit, 1960s.

 Black Cave Tunnel, Co. Antrim, 1890s. Here it is in another era.

 Dublin's Four Courts, 1960s.

 Gap Of Dunloe, Co. Kerry, 1960s.

 Killybegs, Co Donegal, 1960s.

 Strawberry Beds, Co. Dublin, c.1910.

Westmoreland Street, Dublin, late 19th C. or early 1900s.

Views of Dublin (1753-1859)

Since everyone seems to be digging the images of Dublin I've unearthed (to continue a pun) I've decided to post some more. This time it's different in that these images predate photography for the most part. Only one of the depictions of Dublin below was painted in the era of the photograph.

A view of College Green, Dublin (1807) by James Roberts. The NLI has a brighter version of this image.

Southside of the Liffey facing the Fourt Courts (1807) by Thomas Roberts. Note the ruined bridge. This image may be based upon an older painting.

View of the City of Dublin. The Bay, Mountains & The Royal Canal and Foster Aqueduct (1813) by JC Oben. This is the one that had me scratching my head a bit. You may know the area depicted as Constitution Hill. The famous Hendrons building would be somewhere just behind the cottages to the left. The Foster Aqueduct that brought the Royal Canal all the way to Broadstone was only removed sometime in the mid-20th Century.

College Green Dublin by Joseph Tudor (c.1753).Here's a bit of an oddity for modern eyes to feast upon.  This is the oldest image in this post. This seems to be a coloured more modern reproduction of Tudor's original. Can someone tell me this, is this an accurate depiction of the area at the time or is the grass a fanciful latterday affectation?

Donnybrook Fair (1859) by Erkine Nichol is the newest rendition of Dublin in the post and the only one that actually dates from the era of the photograph. Nichol, a Scottish painter, created many depictions of the Irish peasantry at the time. I may do a dedicated post on Nichol another time as he's an interesting artist.

 Dublin from Phoenix Park, I think, 1790. I can't find an artist for this one.

 Dublin Bay, from somewhere around Clontarf I imagine (1796) by John Laporte.

 A View In The Bay Of Dublin (1785) by Francis Wheatley.

Dublin Bay, from Stillorgan Road (1799) by Francis Jukes. Prominently displaying Howth and Ireland's Eye in the background to the left.

Bohemian Bar, Phibsboro (1906)

Here's a rather elegant looking advertisement for The Bohemian Bar in Dublin from the year 1906. It was printed in The Lepracaun Cartoon Monthly. Situated a short stroll from the Bohemians' then relatively new home ground of Dalymount Park, I can only assume it took its name to cash in on the Bohs supporters regularly congregating in the area. The moustachioed footballer depicted in the advertisement backs up that assumption.

Here is the same pub in more recent times, barely changed in over one hundred years, now however bearing the name McGeough instead of Doyle. To visit it in these times, I'm sad to say, you can no longer take a tram. However, there are regular buses. To this day the crossroads is known as Doyle's Corner but there's another bar on the opposite side of the street that to this day is named John Doyle's. I always assumed the corner was named for the latter bar but now I'm not so sure.

Dublin (1880s-1980s)

Well now here's a selection. You can judge for yourself but the oldest pic is from before O'Connell Bridge was widened and the O'Connell Statue was constructed and the latest is a 1980s shot of traffic. We have Dame St., O'Connell St., Dorset St., and Hanlon's Corner amongst others. Dublin down all the years of tumult from the Lock Out to the War Of Independence to occasions thereafter. I probably should be more forensic in describing each scene but I reckon the audience will make their own judgements. If you have any questions on any photo please add a comment.

Malahide Castle (1859)

This article was printed in the Irish Miscellany, Vol. 2, No. 49, dated January 15th 1859 with the above illustration. The Miscellany was a short lived Irish-interest periodical out of Boston, Massachusetts. It appears that it was originally written for the Dublin Penny Journal in 1834. Some of the people named within the piece don't seem to be named correctly. For example there doesn't seem to have been a John de Birmingham at the time of the apparent battle at Balbriggan. I also haven't been able to find out exactly who the Mylo Corbet character was either. Anyway, enjoy!

Malahide Castle

The castle of Malahide, the residence of the ancient family of Talbot, is scarcely surpassed in interest, arising from various sources, by any building in the county of which it forms a distinguished ornament. This structure, as it stood in the early part of the last century, was of contracted dimensions,  and, although surrounded by a moat, was not castellated. The various additions which now render it an object of considerable magnificence, and a capacious residence, suited to the exercise of a dignified hospitality, were chiefly carried into effect by the late Colonel Talbot, father of the present proprietor. The building, thus enlarged, is an extensive pile, of square proportions, flanked on the principal side by circular towers. A fine Gothic porch, or chief entrance, has been constructed under the direction of the present owner of the castle, greatly to the advantage of the building, in regard both to external ornament and the convenience of the interior. The moat is now filled up, and its sloping surface covered with verdant sward. The demesne and gardens are disposed with much correctness of taste, and the former is enriched with some venerable timber and numerous plantations.

The interior of the mansion affords many objects of gratification. The apartment of greatest curiosity is wainscotted throughout with oak, elaborately carved in compartments representing the history of Adam and other scriptural subjects, some of which are executed with much skill ; the chimney piece is carved with peculiar beauty, having in the central division figures of the Virgin and child. This figure of the Virgin is the subject of a marvelous tradition among the rustics of Malahide they assert that during the civil wars, whilst the castle was in possession of Cromwell and his partisans, the statue indignantly disappeared, but resumed its station after the return of the Talbot family. It is fortunate that some friend of the family removed it at the time beyond the reach of the fanatics. The entire wainscoting is highly varnished and has acquired a sombre but striking effect from a blackness of tint which causes the apartment to appear like a vast cabinet of ebony.

The suit of principal rooms comprises several lofty and handsome apartments, in which, among other embellishments, are some very costly specimens of porcelain ; but the most estimable ornaments consist of a collection of portraits and other paintings, which comprises several that are worthy of an attentive examination.

Among these stands unrivalled in altercation an altarpiece by Albert Durer, divided into three compartments, representing the nativity, adoration, and circumcision. The picture was purchased by King Charles the Second for two thousand pounds, and given by him to the Duchess of Portsmouth, who presented it to the grandmother of Colonel Talbot.

The distinguished line of the house of Talbot, long settled at Malahide, is said to be descended from the eldest branch of the family; and with the Talbots of Yorkshire, derives from Sir Geoffrey, who was Governor of Hereford for the Empress Maud, in opposition to King Stephen. St. Lawrence of Howth and Talbot of Malahide are the only families in the county of Dublin who retain the possessions of their ancestors acquired at the English invasion.

Among the memorable circumstances connected with the annals of this castle, may be mentioned a lamentable instance of the ferocity with which party rivalry was conducted, in ages during which the internal
polity of Ireland was injuriously neglected by the supreme head of the government. On Whitsun-eve, in the year 1329, John de Birmingham, Earl of Louth, Richard Talbot, styled Lord Malahide, and many of their kindred, together with sixty of their English followers, were slain in a pitched battle at Balbriggan, by the Anglo-Norman faction of the de Verdons, de Gernons, and Savages; the cause of animosity being the election of the earl to the palatine dignity of Louth, the county of the latter party.

It is believed that Oliver Cromwell took up his abode a short time at Malahide, and it is known that Mylo Corbet, the regicide, resided here for several years, and from this port, when outlawed at the restoration, Corbet took shipping for the continent. The subsequent expiation of his errors by a degrading death is well known, and, shortly after his flight from Malahide, the Talbot family regained possession of their estate.

Malahide is a lordship or manor, having courts leet and baron, and has belonged in fee to the Talbot family from a period very closely approaching to the Anglo-Norman invasion in the time of Henry the Second.

Dublin City Bus and CIE Ireland Transit Maps (1966 and c.1950)

 

This first map shows the CIE Dublin City Bus Services route map in 1966. For the most part this map would still get you around today with most of the then extant bus numbers still existing and corresponding to similar routes nowadays. I like how stylishly utilitarian it looks in its limited palette with the angular simplified routes.

The CIE map is to me more intriguing. It dates from about 1950. It shows the CIE train and bus network at the time. As can be clearly seen this was when Ireland's railway network was far more encompassing than in later days with much of the network shut down during the '50s and '60s, victims of an earlier bout of straitened times. What I don't understand is why significant parts of Counties Leitrim, Sligo and Monaghan, not to mention the entirety of Counties Donegal and Louth are not shown as parts of the network. If anyone can explain this one please leave a comment.

These maps were found on this flickr account which contains a mindboggling array of ephemera, especially transport and design related.

On the 17th - The Irishman's idea of Atlas (1911)

Here's another charming cover from Puck Magazine, dated March 15th, 1911. By 1911 the magazine had toned down its anti-Irishness a tad, so that this illustration, although critical of an aspect of the Irish psyche, doesn't quite plumb the depths of racism that the magazine once had. It's also notable that they felt the need to mark the occasion at all considering the magazine's provenance as a German-American publication. This Irish Atlas holds a globe in one hand, with a badly realised but obviously much enlarged Ireland on it, and, never too far from the stereotypes of yore, a cudgel in his other hand. Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone.