More Postcards of Ireland (1890s - 1980s)

The last Postcards of Ireland post was ludicrously popular it although that might just have been with the spambots. In the spirit of giving the people what they want I've compiled another set of old postcards of this island.

 This is the picturesque Grand Parade in Cork City in the 1910s or maybe even 1920s.

 The storied Gresham Hotel, on Dublin's O'Connell Street in the early 1960s.

 The now elsewhere high cross at Market Cross, Kells, Co. Meath in the 1960s.

 One to file under "Why did they bother?" Headford Place, Kells, Co. Meath. That car has long since returned to rust.

 Storybook beautiful Leenane in Connemara in the 1950s.

Tralee, Co. Kerry in the mid-1960s I reckon. 

 College Green, Dublin, in the mid-1960s.

 Tourists kissing the Blarney Stone, from the looks of the hat on the woman in the background I'd guess this is from the 1920s, maybe 1930s.

Here's another one of tourists kissing the Blarney Stone this time from the 1960s. Funky outfits galore.

City Hall, Belfast in the early 1900s. The last time I was there there was a huge telly showing the BBC news for some reason.

 Errigal, Co. Donegal in the early 1900s.

 Dublin's O'Connell Bridge, 1960s.

 Óstán Ceathru Rua, Co. Galway in the early to mid-1980s. I once went for dinner there with my parents when attending a local Irish college. Two members of staff got into an argument over something. It was a couple of days after Veronica Guerin was murdered.

 The Spanish Arch in Galway City in the 1960s.

 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin in the 1910s I'd say.

The Promenade, Donaghadee in the 1890s, maybe around about 1900.

George Street, Kingstown (rebranded Dún Laoghaire) in the 1910s (I think). 

Here's a postcard from the 1960s that depicts a number of scenes including hunting in Co. Meath, The Dublin Horse Show, The Irish Derby then known as the Irish Sweeps Derby, and the Irish Hospitals' Sweepstakes draw. The Sweepstakes were a big deal at one point but by the time this postcard had been created, presumably as a promotional tool its glory days were over. The Sweepstakes were somewhat unique at one point as many countries had prohibitions on lotteries so there was a thriving blackmarket in tickets in America, Canada, and Britain. How many tickets sold abroad ever made it into the draw is anybody's guess.

 Here's the GPO on Dublin's O'Connell Street in 1968. Notice the absence of Admiral Nelson and his pillar.

  

This charming postcard which I suspect to be from the 1890s depicts Irish industry. The four panels depict the burning of seaweed from which various useful chemicals could be yielded, the bleaching of linen, linen manufacturing, and turf cutting.

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.