Jan 16, 2022
It is sixty years since the arrival of Irish television. De Valera launched the station into the world, telling viewers that "I must admit that sometimes when I think of television and radio and their immense power I feel somewhat afraid." What did television mean for Dublin?
Jan 8, 2022
January is a time for thinking about mental health. Few names are as important in that story in an Irish context as Jonathan Swift, the founder of Saint Patrick's Hospital. Swift transformed the area around his Cathedral, ensuring work and dignity for the people of the Liberties, but the hospital remains the...
Dec 31, 2021
Dublin has been well served by photographers, men and women who have captured the Hibernian Metropolis in all of its glory and tragedy. A new exhibition tells the story of photography in Ireland from 1839 right up to the present.
(Thumbnail: Elinor Wiltshire image of Arbour Hill, NLI)
Dec 20, 2021
In 2002, Dr. Ruth McManus published her landmark study Dublin 1910-1940, shaping the city and suburbs. Now, ahead of its twentieth anniversary, it is back on our shelves. Ruth joined me to talk about all things planning and suburbia in a Dublin that was changing rapidly.
Dec 9, 2021
Agnes Bernelle brought the spirit of Berlin to the stage of Dublin. Described in one obituary as "a true Bohemian", she was a guiding light to a generation of Irish performers. Her story passes through Blitz-era London, the development of young Phil Chevron and more besides.