The Tenements was an ambitious four-part series about Dublin’s notorious inner-city slums. Alongside the legacy of the Vikings and the impressive edifices of Georgian Dublin, the existence of the tenements is one of the best-known aspects of Dublin’s history, famously depicted in Seán O’Casey’s trilogy and James Plunkett’s Strumpet City. But this heritage was perhaps … Read more
The recent death of Otto von Habsburg marked the end of an epoch in European history. The eldest son of the last reigning Austrian emperor, his death brings to an end a line stretching back to Charlemagne, the original Holy Roman Emperor. He was born in 1912 and became head of the imperial family on … Read more
There are periods in the history of any football club that stand out for certain reasons and gain mythical status among its followers. Sligo Rovers’ fans fondly remember the League-winning teams of 1977 and 1983, and Shamrock Rovers their four-in-a-row champions from the mid-eighties. Years from now, people may talk about the Bohemian FC team … Read more
The Belfast-based trade unionist-turned-clergyman Revd Chris Hudson has teamed up with, amongst others, Revd John Marsden, dean of St Bridget’s Cathedral in Kildare, David Begg, ICTU, Patricia McCarthy, a community worker in Dublin’s north inner city, and Robin Frampton, a former loyalist prisoner turned peace activist, to revive interest in Francis Hutcheson, ‘the Father of … Read more
On 25 July 1984 a wave of disbelief swept through the main streets of Ireland like a tsunami. Woolworth’s was abandoning Ireland! The shopping public reeled. F.W. Woolworth & Co. Ltd—also colloquially and affectionately known as ‘Woolies’—had been an iconic shopping experience for generations. It formed an integral part of urban folklore heritage. To witness … Read more