By Mark Holan American photographer and antiquarian Wallace Nutting drove through all 32 counties of Ireland in the summer of 1925, taking some 700 images of the country. His travels resulted in the photobook Ireland beautiful, which was published in time for Christmas gift-giving. It featured 304 of Nutting’s half-tone engravings of Irish landscapes—only six … Read more
Irish soldiers, surgeons, revolutionaries and pressmen—as well as at least one downright chancer—all joined in the conflict that saw the downfall of the Second French Empire. By Isadore Ryan Irish participation in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870–1 took various forms and was overwhelmingly on the side of Ireland’s historical ally, France. The onset of the … Read more
By Mark B. Roe The records of the British and old Irish parliaments contain detailed evidence of one of Ireland’s earliest experiments in institutional child care: the Foundling Hospital. Annual admission figures are available for 82 out of the 100 years during which the hospital accepted admissions. From these we can calculate that approximately 127,000 … Read more
NATIONAL GALLERY OF IRELAND (UNTIL JANUARY 2025) By Donal Fallon Despite being something of a lapsed Roman Catholic, I spend a considerable amount of time visiting churches. At St Joseph’s in Terenure, the stained-glass windows by the Harry Clarke Studios have inspired a history by Patricia Curtin-Kelly. A visit to Dún Laoghaire offers a chance … Read more
By Ray O’Connor Savings banks were financial institutions that promoted moral improvement among the lower social orders by advocating a strong work ethic, sobriety and thrift. They encouraged the poor to make financial provision for infirmity, illness and old age by offering a financial service that provided a safe place to deposit any savings. Savings … Read more